How do you count your chickens?

[janiedoe]

How do you count your chickens (or ducks, turkeys, geese..) when locking them in for the night?

I count mine in groups, according to age, family, breed, etc.
For instance my 12 week olds (4), my 9 month olds (8), my 1 year olds (3), my young hens (4) my middle age hens (3) old girls (4), my 2nd coop(11) etc. I say everyone's name as I count, just because it helps me keep my count straight.
I don't actually count the little chicks because they are with their mama hens. or in the brooder and I don't count cockrels or roosters either.

Also, by counting in groups, I don't have any real idea of the exact number of chickens in my yard.

 

[sourland]

By fractions - it keeps the total number lower.

 

[turkey girl 0964]

I count them by breeds. Lets say like 2 Orps 3 RIR, ect, ect.

 

[Chuckie chicken]

I only have to be able to count to 8, but I do it twice just to make sure I didn't miss anyone.

 

[chickentrains]

I only have 7. Count them on the rooost.

 

[janiedoe]

I only have 7. Count them on the rooost.

I remember way back when.. I guess the broodies around here got out of control.

 

[KingD]

I never count mine.
Is it weird that I don't even know how many hens I have at the moment?

I think it's 15, maybe 16. Was 60

Predation keeps the numbers down lol.
I'll go check now.

 

[janiedoe]

Here's #5

#7 & #5 have been relocated. They were placed under a mama hen.

 

[janiedoe]

Here is #1, also an ee x brahma. She will be going out to mom in a few minutes.

I forgot to get a pic of #3 who is already under mom. This her coming out of the egg pic though. She is a backyard mix. Pop blue ee x mom olive egger.

Nothing from #4 so far.

 

[Cassandra Lana]

I count by color. 4 black and white hens, 2 blonde hens, and 1(used to be 2) red hens. I don’t count the chickens at night only in the morning cause they never give trouble about going in.

at night I count the ducks in the run. Right now in the summer it is usually 3 anaconas and one Indian runner. In other spring and fall it will be one Kefi drake or Danae the runner (@Callender Girl I can relate) if I go out too late i have trouble finding danae in the dark. “Is that Danae?” Nope it’s a rock. “what about that?” Just a shadow . “Danae?” Then a shadow pops up and starts darting around.