How do you count your chickens?

[Sally PB]

I have 4 chickens in the coop. Easy to count the blobs on the roost in the dusk at lockup. I have 3 chicks in the brooder. Easy to count there too. Eventually, I'll have all of them together. I'll have to use the fingers on both hands then.

Congratulations on new chicks!

 

[MTR]

Preferably before they hatch.

In all seriousness, I only have 3 hens and 2 chicks (currently in a brooder in my living room), so it's not too hard to keep track of them

Not hard yet. You get two now then three later. Then you’ll get the one that looks good with the other three. And you’ll need a blue egger but the one you bought actually lays cherry eggs so you need another of those. Wait - how did I get to 20?

 

[B-Goock]

Mine would be screeming and falling off the roosts. Lol.

I work some crazy hrs so mine are somewhat used to me coming in the dark to fill waterers and feeders, scooping out bedding, or late to close them up for the night. I talk when I come in like that. "Sorry girls. Or feeders are full. Fresh water when you get up"

 

[B-Goock]

That’s sweet!

More like necessary since sometimes I worked all night and didn't get to check on them at night. Be bad if I got home, went to bed, and their waterer was empty.
I figure they know my noises but critters are sneaky and quiet......until they chomp on to them.

 

[cherrynberry]

More like necessary since sometimes I worked all night and didn't get to check on them at night. Be bad if I got home, went to bed, and their waterer was empty.
I figure they know my noises but critters are sneaky and quiet......until they chomp on to them.

Yeah, especially in the summer. I also like to keep an extra waterer in the coop at night, even though they are let out the next morning, it’s nice to know they are not thirsty (It’s been really HOT lately).

 

[Chookchicken]

I just look in their run (which they can’t escape), and if there are no chickens in there then I look their door. I will than pat my broody’s and watch all there interested heads looking through the door, and than go inside.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

I guess I technically count mine in groups as well, based on the coop / pen they sleep in, but 43 of mine are in the same coop so I'm already disillusioned about having a small number of birds.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

I wouldn't say it's weird not knowing exactly how many you have. Despite that I know I have 43 in my main coop, it would take me a few minutes of thinking to give you my actual total number of chickens.

 

[janiedoe]

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.

We have raccoons. I see tracks around the pond daily and my husband killed a sick one a few weeks back.
We haven't seen any other predator in a while, unless you count the nasty buffalo gnats that killed one of my brahma hens a couple of weeks back.
I also had a young hen who kept getting onto the roof of our travel trailer. She jumped off one day and broke her neck. A shame, she was a sweet olive egger, but not so smart.

 

[janiedoe]

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

I sorta of do that too.
In coop 2: I have 2 sister buff orps and one of their daughters, a buff easter egger. QI also have in that same pen: 4 easter eggers, 2 glw, one rir, and a sussex. It is an easy pen to count with only 11 girls. It is made even easier because the rooster with them rounds them up in the evenings. He's very appreciated.