Explaining Chicken Math

[Mellisa]

Haha! My mother came to visit two weeks ago, and she was SO impressed at how tame my girls are and how they just come right up to you in the morning looking for treats. She went home with my Meyer Hatchery catalogue. This is how it spreads...

Like a virus....a dirty little secret of a virus.

Until some of them start to crow.

 

[Mellisa]

My chicken math changes often.

Many years ago it started with one Silkie hen for my daughter to show for 4H.

Now I raise and sell chickens from day old up to hens who are no longer laying as much as I want. I used to order lots of 25 to 50 and sell most of the day old chicks as soon as they arrived; keeping only 5 or so for myself. I may do that again next year. The local feed stores don't have the selection most people want. I've not seen any Polish or Silkie chicks for sale around here and I know people want those. Some are silly and naive enough to think they'll only get 3 or 4 and that'll be all.

I also sell eggs: Clean, fertile, unwashed eggs. Some people buy them to eat and others probably brood them. I hear there are some crazy chicken people in the world who will do ANYTHING to get more birds!

I have 25 broilers cockerels being delivered next week. I'm looking forward to their delicious tastiness. It's been a few years since I raised meat birds.

I usually buy pullets and rarely end up with a cockerel. However, when my Silkies brood, I get a typical 50% M to F hatch. When I lived in town where roo's were illegal, I gave my cockerels to the local zoo for their lions. But I don't live near a zoo anymore. I currently live near a city with a large Asian population and am hoping to sell the Silkie cockerels to them. If not, we'll be eating the blue meat.

 

[Mellisa]

.....She thought we were done brooding in the bathroom for this year....

We brooded DH's pea chicks in the laundry room. Since they were HIS, he was OK with the smell for a little while.
But MY pullet chicks who were stinking in the garage were NOT OK! They've been outside for a week or so.
I'm waiting for him to finish the coop so I can brood in there. Seems like a stinky house / garage would be motivation......

 

[Mellisa]

Oh, I just remembered that a gal at the mortgage office said she and her husband have a chicken coop on the property they just bought. They don't want it....
I need to call her to see when we can go pick it up.

To all my addicted brothers and sisters with Coop Math issues, look on Craigslist. A lot of people are buying houses with coops in the yard and they don't want chickens. I know, some people are sick that way.

As long as you clean it VERY WELL (assume some horrible parasite / disease killed off the previous flock), it should be good to use.

 

[azahn]

Well, I wanted bantam chickens. But you can't order just pullets in bantam size. So... my math went like this: coop will hold 20 bantam hens. If straight runs are approx 50-50% boy/girl assortment, then I need to order at least 40 total. Then I should have 20 roo's to re-home. No prob, these are Heritage roo's, I'll be able to find someone who will happily buy them! HA! My chicken logic has turned out to be not so logical, INCLUDING the 4 extra standard size roo's included for warmth! What was I thinking??!!!??? I confess, I was in love with the idea, and quite honestly, still having a ball despite not a single inquiry on my handsome boys. But I'd do it again in a heartbeat... so which is it; chicken math, chicken love or all out chicken insanity? lol. My dental hygenist said she was 1 chicken shy of being the 'crazy chicken lady'. Maybe that's chicken math! We at BYC can relate, with a knowing smile!

 

[3 Golden Girls]

This is all just too funny. You people are crazy with your chicken math. I just wished I lived where I could get crazy with you.

 

[SarniaTricia]

OK I love every one of these stories.

I however, am sad to say that NO ONE here knows how to do "chicken math".

The way it was explained to me was:
1. Eggs do not count because you never count your chickens before they hatch.
2. Meaties do not count because they are dinner.
3. Extra Roos do not count because they are dinner.
4. Roos that are for breeding do not count because they are breeders.
5. Chicks do not count because the might be male or female, never sure till they lay an egg or crow.
6. Broody hens do not count because they are incubators and not laying eggs.
7. Hens that have just hatched off chicks do not count because they are new mothers, the chicks see #5
8. Hens that are molting do not count because they are not laying eggs.
9. Old hens do not count because they no longer laying eggs but are great mothers of step chicks.
10. Any chicken that is for sale or trade does not count because they are leaving.
11. Never have an odd number od chickens because no one wants to be the odd chicken out.
12. Bantams only count as 1/2 because they are small.
13. ANY ANIMAL that has a name is not counted because once you give them a name they are family, and you can not count family.

So the way I see it most of you need buy some chickens because most of what you have DO NOT COUNT.

So says the guy who 3 years ago started with 11 hens and 1 roo,
Last year had over 600 mouths that were taking in food.
Today I only have 32 chickens, even though I am feeding close to 200 mouths.

OMG

That means I am Feeding 74 and only really have 6 chickens...

DH just found out that I have 74 mouths.... oops...

 

[chicken pickin]

OK I love every one of these stories.

I however, am sad to say that NO ONE here knows how to do "chicken math".

The way it was explained to me was:
1. Eggs do not count because you never count your chickens before they hatch.
2. Meaties do not count because they are dinner.
3. Extra Roos do not count because they are dinner.
4. Roos that are for breeding do not count because they are breeders.
5. Chicks do not count because the might be male or female, never sure till they lay an egg or crow.
6. Broody hens do not count because they are incubators and not laying eggs.
7. Hens that have just hatched off chicks do not count because they are new mothers, the chicks see #5
8. Hens that are molting do not count because they are not laying eggs.
9. Old hens do not count because they no longer laying eggs but are great mothers of step chicks.
10. Any chicken that is for sale or trade does not count because they are leaving.
11. Never have an odd number od chickens because no one wants to be the odd chicken out.
12. Bantams only count as 1/2 because they are small.
13. ANY ANIMAL that has a name is not counted because once you give them a name they are family, and you can not count family.

So the way I see it most of you need buy some chickens because most of what you have DO NOT COUNT.

So says the guy who 3 years ago started with 11 hens and 1 roo,
Last year had over 600 mouths that were taking in food.
Today I only have 32 chickens, even though I am feeding close to 200 mouths.

I know this is hilarious. I read this to DH and he said ok so when are we getting chickens? I laughed and said I dont think we are the next order obviously doesnt count either....

 

[Chickenhugger2]

I love it! I'm right there with you. My husband plays nice, but I know I am pushing my luck. I had a silkie go broody right after I put my first ever 21 eggs in an incubator. Then two Cornish went broody.... All at the same time. I really didn't think that nature would follow through... But I was wrong, I had 16 in the incubator make it, silkie hatched 7, rocks hatched 7 between them. Lots of peeps... Lots of fun! Plus the 14 hens and two roosters I already had! Somebody do the math for me!!!

 

[FuzzyButtsFarm]

If you use that list. At the present time, You only have 14 chickens.