Help- I'm an addict!

[aldarita]

4 years keeping chickens, started with 9 and 1 coop, now I have 26 and 4 coops. Aart is right, there is plenty of poop to pick up, waterers and feeders to clean and since I do it everyday, chores are taking longer and longer to accomplish but I get so much enjoyment out of watching them that it balances the work

 

[Raisingpeeps]

Well 10 went to live with a friend and I'm pretty sure that we will be culling some Roos when they are a little bigger. Thank goodness they free range most of the time!

 

[LeroySouthpaw]

Hello!!!

I had 6 hens and a rooster (GLW Roo and 3 each, Barred Rocks and Black Stars). The idea was to add 3 more hens to my existing coop (4x6 interior with an attached 4x11 completely predator proof run that they had 24 hour access to).
Alright, need to buy 3 new pullets.

Went to Rural King. They had a large LARGE selection, how was I suppose to choose???? So, I brought home a couple of pullets from this breed, one of those, three of those. So, I brought home 6 new babies... Unfortunately, I lost one to an on-going battle with pasty butt. Therefore, replacement chick.

Not quite a week later we go back for the replacement. They didn't have any more of the Rhode Islands... but they did have a lot of new and different breeds!! So, we brought home 16 new babies, cause you know, straight run.

Two weeks later, we made a quick trip to Tractor Supply, and they had Cornish X and RIR. So I pick up 4 of each.

Meanwhile, our rooster (Fabio), who was always very mild was developing a particular dislike of my mother and even trapped her in the house one day. We decided to invite him to dinner and started collecting eggs for the incubator. (19 were collected, 17 hatched)

Went to Tractor Supply for supplies, THEY HAD A TURKEN!!!! Only one. Know the manager really well at this point, he lets me get a minimum of two. I grab the newly dubbed "Pickles" and a strange breed that even Google never heard of, the Aquilla (Oggie).

Well, my aunt and uncle called me and they were wondering if I could help them start a flock. SURE!! How many do you want? 30, with some roosters... No problem, 23 more eggs in the incubator cooking, afterall, straight run chicks are usually half roosters and we need 30 hens. (as of this morning, 20 fluffballs hatched)

Meanwhile, back at Rural King, they had something called Rainbow Rangers. We got 6, because, at this point, why the heck not.

Also, did I mention that this particular aunt and uncle know how bonkers I am for turkens that they left a box in my foyer containing a surprise of one turken mix and 5 other fluffballs? Turns out they are all silkie mixes but without the silkie feathers (from what I could tell).

So, that's how many? 86 total chickens?

We got our new (much larger) coop a couple weeks ago and just finished the new 9,600 sq ft chicken yard for them.

Once all is said and done, we'll be processing about 36 chickens, giving about 30 to my aunt and uncle, leaving us with 20 chickens. We also have a solution to the chicken poop. One is that 9,600 sq ft chicken yard. It is my belief that given enough space, the poop won't pile up. However, once the grass goes dormant in the fall, I open up my garden as their winter chicken yard. I don't mind if they pick that area clean. Just to make it even nicer for them, I'm sowing winter wheat this fall as a cover crop, once that gets big enough, the buffet begins.

 

[TroyerGal]

Hahaha!! That is sooo us!!! we ordered 26 pullets and 1 rooster and now we have over 100 chickens!! btw, most are meat birds it is TOTALLY an addiction!!! and i don't think there's a cure!