How bad will the addiction hit? (How big should I plan?)

[Mahonri]

I planned on having 20 chickens... have an 8 X 12 coop.

I now have two 4 X 10 pens in addition.... and I have 30.

 

[Nava]

i started with 8 hens 1 roster in a 10 by 12 pen
now i have 8 12 by 12 pens more and 14 rosters ond 30 pullets 26, 1 month old chicks and 49 hens
and waiting for spring so i can load the bator again,seems that i just can't have enuff

 

[AnnesChicks]

Oh this thread is making me laugh! I wanted three pullets, ordered six and ended up with 8 - who have grown into a lovely little flock of hens, which keep the two of us well supplied with fresh eggs and at times extra to share with family. I am tickled with the poo rich shavings to add to my compost. Because they were raised together they get along really well. Taking into consideration expense, time for care and upkeep - I'm happy with my current set up.

But I do find myself thinking about adding just one more coop/run.....

 

[gsim]

Biggest concerns are the available space you have, possible problems with zoning or neighbors (and their dogs), and your ultimate goal, whether as a hobby or to feed yourself. I got into it because I am afraid that the economy is going to worsen and because of the global effort by most countries now to dump the dollar. I was and still am afraid of inflation like we have never seen due to our astronomical national debt. That was the only thing that got me into poultry and gardening. I was happy to buy better quality eggs and produce rather than work so hard for it. Events of the past two years have pushed me into what I had hoped was only an emergency plan that I would never use.

I started thinking for us and the two kids' families that live near us, we would do between 16 - 18 layers that produce well year-round. I ordered 24 because it was less money than 18. Not a good move. Now I have 24 and no way we will all eat those eggs, but the birds will require feeding 365 days a year nonetheless. I go thru three 50# bags every 28 days. Wish now I had stuck to my plan and paid more on the front end. Would have been less expensive concerning the feed bill. We are not set up well for selling eggs being that we have already installed a fence and gate that is locked 24-7. We live on 15 acres in a very nice area not prone to crime, but the handwriting is on the wall for anyone to see regarding that. It is becoming a national growth industry. We are in our 60's and would rather lose prospective egg buyers than risk a home invasion.

Having said that, both of us love having our chooks and look forward to the time we do spend with them. They are simple gentle creatures that are soothing to be around for the most part. We are blessed to have a healthy happy well-adjusted flock and many have become pets already.

So, plan well, and order wisely, and stick to your plan, unlike what I did. In designing, do not underestimate predators. Do not be ruled by emotions and wanting more because they are cute, or because they cost less by ordering a larger number.

 

[The Sheriff]

I planned on 3, came home with 4. Fast forward 14 months. I have 21 chickens outside, 7 in the brooder, 38 in incubators and 8 hatching eggs in the mail tomorrow!

 

[TarzantheChickenMan]

my limiting factor is my wife lol
im not done with my 8x16 coop and im already planing a 8x12 coop to build next summer
me i would have as many birds as i could get and house well in the winter lol

 

[chickerdoodle]

Quote:
I agree, budgies, finches, lovebirds, cockatiels... cage birds just bored me to tears.. now I have 3 chickens, and watching them in just soothing, and I love my babies to bits. and scold them like naughty children and cuddle them, and croon when I hold them... yeah.. Addictive I know

Evidentally you never knew a parrotlet. Our Kiwi's nickname is "chicken hawk" as he's got such a BIG personality for such a little bird. I can't wait till he sees how big a real chicken is--he may change his mind about being such a tough guy,

!!

 

[Mr.Grantly]

You should set your limit to how much you feed you can afford to buy. Start with 50 pound bags and then find out that a 1/2 tonn is cheaper per pound and justify buying that much feed by the cheaper per pound price and you away !

 

[frenchblackcopper]

We just "expand" as we go here.Started with a 190 egg capacity incubator,,thats all fine and great but with 4 trays we can have one HUGE hatch or 4 seperate ones,so we built a small 24"x30" brooder,to put chicks in for the first few days. Next we needed a bigger brooder,so we built a 4'x8'x2' high brooder with 4 seperate divisions in it.Thats great until they are about a month old,so on to the next brooder house,this one is 8'x16' with 4- 4'x8' rooms in it,,still working on the outside pens,but the ground is now froze so that is on hold.Next,was a temporary-semi permanent chicken house,a few fellow poultriests that came by suggested converting our old lean-to open ended garage into a chicken house,,so we tore the tin off the outside,and fully enclosed it,it's size is 12'x20',,,when the little bug eaters outgrow this one,a new 24'x30' chicken house will be their final home,with up to 8 pens and runs on it,,and as the numbers grows,we have room for another 24'x60' chickenhouse addition that we can put possibly 18 more runs and pens on,,,
Seems every spare moment this past summer was build,and drive to Menards,,build some more,,make a list,and back to Menards .Building as you go is fine,if you have some or a lot of free time,we have lot's of room here and I'm kinda tired of buying 3 gallons of gas each week and spending 2-3 hours mowing all the grass,,but once we have it mostly fenced in,I hope to cut my mowing time down to less than 1hr. and gas expense about 65%,,there is benefits in numbers,,with the 4 square foot rule per bird space inside requirements,we can expand to 600 birds total here,with way more than enough outside space for the 10 sq ft. per bird requirement,,,but for now the 130 marans and 25 ornamental pheasants we have is enough work,,,winter is soon upon us,,,but,,,,43 more eggs are coming tomorrow to go into the bator,,and another 8 dozen right after x-mas,,,,gotta quit this,,,,,,,maybe they can do an "Intervention" show about this habit or addiction????

 

[becky3086]

Don't worry, it won't even matter, because once you are addicted, you will just keep finding places for pens and brooders. Last time I counted my chickens there was something like 147, (53 quail and 17 ducks). I have about 20 pens/cages, maybe more, I don't know. I stopped counting. I have asked for more for Christmas

<img src="http://www.pic4ever.com/images/julgran.gif" border="0" >

Dear Santa,
I need a new pen built on the other side of the greenhouse/chicken pen and another pen built to one side of the houdan pen, then I need a whole set of quail cages with dropping pans, a new brooder and one of those good incubators.
I have been EXTREMELY good this year!