How do you count your chickens?

[Callender Girl]

Chickens are easy to count here, since I have multiple coops with just a small number of hens in each. (But I intentionally "forget" how many birds I have so I can get more).

My challenge is counting my 10 runner ducks each night, Although everyone gladly comes back to the run for dinner, they are mighty fast movers, all are the same size and shape, and several resemble each other's coloring . So, did I see one fawn and white, or two as they race around the feed dish? Was that the blue drake, the blue hen or just a blue blur? So far, however, it's all been good.

 

[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.

 

[Chookchicken]

Congratulations on all your chicks! I hope 4# manages to hatch

 

[BDutch]

I count the chickens when I lock them up in the run after free ranging. I have only 6 adults and 3 chicks. But its not easy to count them because the run has 5 bushes in it. Lots of hiding places.
If I miss I girl I like to now which one and then I call her name. often I give them a few mealworms or another snack after entering the run. This way they won’t mind to come home again.

Before sunset they always go to the coop, safe behind a auto-popdoor. (Run is wuit safe but not against nighly predators). I check on then after dark but mainly to be sure there is no broody sitting on Eggs.

And congrats with the new chicks.

 

[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.

 

[Isadora]

I used to count them in groups since I had a batch of older pullets, a group of younger Easter egger pullets, and a flock of guineas all housed together. Now that the Easter eggers are older, I count all the chickens as one (I have 18) and the guineas separately.
For my ducks, I have four pekins and 19 runners. I only count the runners, since I can see if all the pekins are there at a glance.

 

[Cindymac]

We count by breed. Soon we'll up to 32 girls in the yard by mid summer. More then we've ever had but I just can't help self...

 

[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!

 

[janiedoe]

Congratulations on all your chicks! I hope 4# manages to hatch

Thank you. Not a pip or a peep from 4 so far.