Explaining Chicken Math

[RoxyBird]

I am not! I am ORDERING you! You must go get them! Do you know what those eggs go for? Besides, the blue of an Ameraucana cannot compare to the blue of an EE. It is so much brighter!!


Do you see the difference?

This picture just ruined me. I'm going to have to sell my property and get a bigger one outside city limits...

 

[kemclaughlin]

Ahhh...chicken math. Here's a good example....

Two years ago we had 9 chickens (only allowed three, but hey, nine is practically the same, because 3 is the square root) We were getting ready to move and bring them with us, when something got in the pen and ate them all.

Now my daughter is in kindergarten and her class is going to do a hatch and we were going to build a small coop, suitable for 4 chickens. Ha. Her class isn't doing the hatch until April. I told my husband we should get a few from the feed store, otherwise we wouldn't have eggs until it was almost fall. So we picked up 3 chicks, all day old pullets. We totally refrained from all the cuties in the straight run bin. But then we found the list of what they were expecting for the rest of the season.

OMG!! Egyptian Fayoumi, Easter Eggers, Welsummers, SLW, BO, and on and on....

So, 4 chicks= 3 (so we don't have to wait) - 1 that died + the two that we bought to keep it company while we nursed it back to health - one more that died + 1 Welsummer + Australorp + 2 SLW + 3 EE (was supposed to be 2 EE and 2 Polish, Polish didn't arrive) + 1 Golden sex-link, + 1 Russian Orloff + 1 Turken (last turken in the straight run bin) + 1 Sagitta, bought to keep a different breed company, can't remember which + 1 barred rock + 1 blue Andalusian (who doesn't want a blue chicken) + 1 Dominique (they are very different from barred rock) + 2 barnyard mutts that we rescued from craigslist (a woman's kids were given them by a breeder that wouldn't take them back and she had no food, brooder, etc.) = 20 chicks and we my daughter's class hasn't even set the eggs.

And the feed store is going to get speckled Sussex and Sicilian buttercup. OMG!!!!

 

[BullChick]

Ahhh...chicken math. Here's a good example....

Two years ago we had 9 chickens (only allowed three, but hey, nine is practically the same, because 3 is the square root) We were getting ready to move and bring them with us, when something got in the pen and ate them all.

Now my daughter is in kindergarten and her class is going to do a hatch and we were going to build a small coop, suitable for 4 chickens. Ha. Her class isn't doing the hatch until April. I told my husband we should get a few from the feed store, otherwise we wouldn't have eggs until it was almost fall. So we picked up 3 chicks, all day old pullets. We totally refrained from all the cuties in the straight run bin. But then we found the list of what they were expecting for the rest of the season.

OMG!! Egyptian Fayoumi, Easter Eggers, Welsummers, SLW, BO, and on and on....

So, 4 chicks= 3 (so we don't have to wait) - 1 that died + the two that we bought to keep it company while we nursed it back to health - one more that died + 1 Welsummer + Australorp + 2 SLW + 3 EE (was supposed to be 2 EE and 2 Polish, Polish didn't arrive) + 1 Golden sex-link, + 1 Russian Orloff + 1 Turken (last turken in the straight run bin) + 1 Sagitta, bought to keep a different breed company, can't remember which + 1 barred rock + 1 blue Andalusian (who doesn't want a blue chicken) + 1 Dominique (they are very different from barred rock) + 2 barnyard mutts that we rescued from craigslist (a woman's kids were given them by a breeder that wouldn't take them back and she had no food, brooder, etc.) = 20 chicks and we my daughter's class hasn't even set the eggs.

And the feed store is going to get speckled Sussex and Sicilian buttercup. OMG!!!!

 

[BullChick]

Quote: My work here is done!

 

[wildflowerrun]

kemclaughlin, that is GREAT! I don't blame you! It's hard to resist it with all the different breeds--especially when you find one you want! I can't wait to see what your house will be like by the end of this all! (Probably like mine )

And OH NO!!!!! The Wheaten Ameraucanas I wanted? THEY HATCHED!!!!!

I'm trying to casually gauge my boyfriend's interest or complete disapproval to me driving out there tomorrow and picking them up.... Not to mention the integration problems I may have (but I can find a solution for that, right?!). The problem is when I told him, he just said, "Oh really?" and started to fall asleep. I've considered saying, "If I get rid of a typewriter can I have more chickens?"

But I want them Every day I've confinved myself I'll keep a BBS Ameraucana rooster. But it would be SO much better if I could keep a Wheaten rooster! Right? And to do that, I would have to buy wheatens....................

 

[wildflowerrun]

It sure is a lot of fun. I get bored easy and need a hobby to occupy me, and I think chickens and well poultry of all kinds will accomplish that for me...there is so much to do and collect and learn...it is a bonus that we can eat them and save a little cash. I just hope that one day all this will be functioning in the green, or at least the black, as opposed to the red...We are just now getting enough eggs to feed us without having to buy eggs...so hopefully in another 6 months I will be getting enough to sell. 7 hens gives us enough to eat without worry of running out of eggs...as long as we skip a few days...and my kids are gone often on the weekends, with their grandparents and such, so that gives us an egg break...Anyway I am rambling on about nothing really...It is crazy how fast chicken numbers go up...I think if I had a limit or restrictions I wouldn't have even started this venture...I mean who can have just 6 chickens?...Lol.
My husband claims that he likes all the projects he and I do together for the chickens, but I feel like I am constantly asking him to do something...he might have a free day 6 months from now...Lol. But hey as long as he is willing we can keep building and chickening to our hearts content...
He's afraid of the chickens...Mind you he is a huge man...6 foot 5 around 230 lbs or so...but if they flap at him he jumps...he is even nervous around the chicks...which they seem to pick up on and it seems to make them want to climb all over him...He's a strange man...but he indulges my hobby and seems to enjoy the processing of the chickens...He doesn't even like the eggs, but we have spent a lot of time together building and fixing and improving all sorts of outside chicken enhancements...When we used to do projects around the house we would fight and argue, but now we are a home improvement team...I have to think the chickens helped with that. It gives him a chance to work on his carpentry skills, that I thought all men were just born with, turns out they aren't...but they can learn...

I love this! It sounds pretty similar to us We weren't really having any problems, but I think we've gotten much closer and are generally just much happier with something to do and bond over (chickens + bees and a garden!).

I think it's cute he's nervous around the chicks! He could probably flatten them with a step lol

 

[missnu01]

I love this! It sounds pretty similar to us We weren't really having any problems, but I think we've gotten much closer and are generally just much happier with something to do and bond over (chickens + bees and a garden!).

I think it's cute he's nervous around the chicks! He could probably flatten them with a step lol

He totally could which is why I pick on him about it...he won't touch a chicken either. He'll pet a chick if I'm holding it and big him about it...lol but if I am playing with some chicks while near him he just gets all jumpy when they start wanting to hop on him. A whole back I wanted him to pick up a silkie rooster for me because we are almost 50 miles from where it was and he had to go there that night for school anyway...he said he needed me to come so he wouldn't have to touch it. But I set it up with the lady to have the too firmly settled in a box before my husband got there so e wouldn't have to even see it. It's funny because that silkie later attacked him and he didn't even know what was happening... So getting attacked isn't that bad. I just any understand someone being afraid of chicks...I mean they are so small and cute, where is the harm. He used to be afraid of dogs too, but I got him over that. He has a lot of fears to be so big. I don't know how it happened that way...but he's a big scaredy pants

 

[RedPonyAcres]

This picture just ruined me. I'm going to have to sell my property and get a bigger one outside city limits...

I already did! And my closest neighbor is at least 1000 feet down the road, so I think they wouldn't be bothered that much by roosters.

Let's see, here's my chicken math:

Wanted 4 or 5 chicks. After all, for years I have wanted chickens but lived in a subdivision that didn't allow it. What's the point of finally moving to the country if I can't have chickens??

Don't have a DH to stop me, but my daughter didn't really want me to get chickens at all. Talked her into 4. So I went to TSC alone (always dangerous!) and came home with 7 . Was going to get 6 but just couldn't resist that cute little Bantam straight run! So 4 GSL's, 1 EE pullet, 1 Plymouth Rock pullet and the Bantie.

So I put together a brooder out of boxes (we just moved so I have a ton of them) and daughter falls in love. (Step #1 of my nefarious plan! lol) I was kicking myself because I only got the one EE and I really love her. We start stalking TSC because we know they will be getting another batch in on Wednesday.

Yeah, those 4 Gold Sex Links I bought on the first trip? I'm really stupid and didn't realize that the yellow ones are males, orange ones are female. I got 2 of each. And guess what, if they are sort of orange and yellow they can be male, too. Pretty sure that only one of the GSL's is female. Daughter agreed that we needed at least 3 more pullets to replace the 3 roo's.

Oh, and don't forget that the Bantie was straight run and I'm starting to think that she may be a he, just based on behavior. Hmmm.

Decided we couldn't stand the wait anymore and started looking around to see if any other farm stores had chicks. Discovered that Shipton's has them. Yay! Go to Shipton's on Tuesday and they have a bunch, so get 1 Barred Rock, 1 Buff Orpington, 1 Black Sex Link and 2 tiny little Mille Fleurs (all pullets this time).

I was still kicking myself that I only got 1 EE, though! So I was out yesterday and it dawned on me that Shipton's has 2 locations. Yep! Went to the other location and WOW, they had like 20 different breeds, counting the ducks and turkeys!!! I was in chick heaven! Still no EE's, but still, they had some really pretty ones, already sexed, and no minimum purchase! I really restrained myself, and got 1 Speckled Sussex and 1 Light Brahma. And boy was I glad I did after I got home and looked those breeds up on BYC.

So 4 = 7 = 12 = 14! But I don't think any of them count, right? They are all chicks, plus 9 of them have names (not naming the roosters, and they don't count anyway because hopefully they will find a new home at some point!

We're having so much fun with them. Daughter took my original 2-box brooder and turned it into a 4-box playground. One little Mille Fleur was sickly, but she seems to be recovering and is running around with her sibling today. Otherwise all are healthy and happy (knock on wood).

 

[RedPonyAcres]

Oh, and I haven't built the chicken coop yet. That is so enabling since I can just tell myself, "I'll just have to make the coop a little bigger", right?

Daughter wasn't even mad at me for getting 2 more. Though if I do it again I think I might be in trouble. I'd just better stay out of farm stores for a while!

 

[mcurry]

You know, you would be in sooooo much trouble if you lived in PA. Lurk in the Pennsylvania Unite thread when you have time. 99% of our conversations are exactly what you just said. So and so has this, and the person te minutes down the road has this. Show up for person A's 2 this, and six other chicken people will be there to give you fifteen to fifty other chickens/ducks/peacocks/emu...
They all hatch first, look for homes second!

I would be in trouble for sure! DH doesn't know what to do with me. Yesterday I went out for groceries & came home with a new coop & supplies. He doesn't threaten the dog house, he says hen house. Lol