How long until your overwhelmed or tired of poultry

[pennyJo1960]

I have my vote in love a good burrito also .. Some of us fight pain to keep our birds many than one might realize?

My BF is right beside to help me keep the birds as we are addicted to our eggs..
I do sell just enough to keep us in bird food thank our lucky stars..

 

[Teenadie]

We have had chickens for about 10-12 years. Sadly, my husband died 1/2020. I have kept up with them until a few weeks ago. Had 32 when he passed away. Since then, I have lost 15 to foxes. I just gave 15 away—only because we couldn’t catch the last 2. I must say-2 takes way less time and effort than 32! I’ll see how long they last. I most likely will not keep a large flock again.

 

[gtaus]

I had my first flock for about 3 years. They'd dramatically slowed down laying, I didn't (or, at least, though I didn't^), have the means to raise replacements, and I was working long hours that made the chickens seem like more of a chore than a joy when I was already tired and sore.

But I knew that I'd want them again when my life changed.

I suspect that the 3-5 year period, when you face the fact that your beloved first hens are now feed-gobbling freeloaders and that raising/integrating replacements is going to be a lot of work, is a common time to decide that you're not going to do chickens anymore.

But for those who pass that first replacement scenario, I think it is likely to last until some significant life change happens.

^If it weren't such a radical idea to raise chicks outdoors I'd have learned that I could have raised the replacements in the carport or on the porch in my mild climate.

Pretty much my experience. My 10 hens have almost stopped laying eggs now in their third summer. Don't know if I will carry them over our northern Minnesota winter again. Last winter, would get only maybe 1 or 2 eggs per day. This summer, I'm only getting 2-3 eggs per day, so I don't have any hopes for eggs this winter.

I did not get chickens for "free" eggs, but I don't know if I want to carry them over another winter for maybe 40 eggs per month. I had considered buying my replacement chicks this past spring, but I was still getting about 5-6 eggs per day at that time. But now, with hardly any eggs coming in, I am seriously considering culling the flock and not caring for them over winter. It is a tough decision, but I originally thought I would have to replace them every 2 years and not carry them over the third winter. Looks like my idea was about right.

 

[allbreednut]

Seems like people have a limited interest in most hobbies. How long for poultry?

I had my first pen as a pre-schooler and I'm 74 years old now. Not that that means I was interested ...

 

[Celeste Villegas]

It depends on how stable my housing situation. And there can be a myriad of factors for lots of people. The longest I’ve ever lived anywhere as an adult was 4 years in Southern California, and chickens were fun and seemed very easy in such a mild climate. Throw a few more kids in the mix, a coop that is farther away and an actual cold winter, and I’m finding it to be much more work in Northern Nee Mexico…I’m in my second year with our new set up, on the path to homeschooling because of Covid and I am findingit to be less fun, much more expensive. I also hoped my kids would help me out more. I need some tricks up my sleeve!
Do people really drink rum with their chickens? Tequila seems to be more appropriate, idk.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Kinda odd I have birds going on 7 do not lay daily but every few days.. Younger lay daily unelss you mess with their coop

 

[NickyPick]

I started with 15 chickens (13 hens & 2 roosters -one was oops!), for fly control for my horses. Worked GREAT!! That was 2010. I now have 100 chickens and turkeys! I love 'em. Only animal I've ever had that paid for itself. I get new chicks every year, as there is turnover. Some hens fail to thrive. Some get sick. Some get stupid or unlucky and run afowl of a predator. My original rooster, Mr. Feathers, died last year. He was 10 and the most awesome rooster I've ever had (only one I've had that would actively show young pullets how to use a nest box!!). Rosalita, an Australorp pullet I got from craigslist, died this year. Also 10 years old. Some of them do live long lives. Some don't. I figure, as long as I keep them happy, occupied, and well fed, however long their life is, they'll enjoy it and I'll be satisfied.

 

[BantammChick]

I've had chickens for 6 years, I actually hatched some about 8 years ago but I didn't keep them I'm not tired of them! I think it's a fun hobby bc there's the daily maintenance, feeding, watering, and releasing in the morning/locking up at night, and collecting eggs. And then I clean out their coop every like 2 or 3 months, and I get new chickens every few years, I have to rehome the aggressive roosters. So far I haven't gotten overwhelmed by my chickens, I've actually had the most fun with this new group I got this year from Cackle Hatchery than I have any of my chickens!

 

[eveliens]

To be the one weirdo on a chicken forum...

Honestly, I was overwhelmed and tired of them from the first day because I picked up chicks from the post office and one of the batch happened to be a ceaseless screamer. Listening to shrill shrieking all day long on top of chick care during the hottest part of the year (115F) was draining. I'd also just hatched 10 quail chicks and they were 100% easier/cleaner/quieter than the chickens, so that didn't really endear the chickens to me haha. If I do it again, I'll pick early summer and brood outside while giving away any shrieking ones immediately.

However, I got them to make me go outside more because I suck at gardening and am good at animal husbandry, and it worked. I go out to make sure they have food/water, check that they aren't overheating, move them from pen to pen, take them treats and to talk to them. I don't particularly like touching them due to skin allergies but it I occasionally pet them with my knuckles. Now that they're young adults they're much quieter and less annoying than before. I still have a few cockerels and pullets to rehome, but I rehomed the shrieker and his brothers first, and that made a huge difference (they were so high strung and got everyone stirred up constantly, running away, bolting out of the pens, squawking all the time, fights and squabbles - it was miserable). Now I like them better but man I hated them for about the first month or so I'll probably knock it down to a few hens and will have to consider if I want to add to the flock down the road. I'm only keep them as pets (bantams), so egg/meat production isn't part of the equation - I don't need to replace the flock later on unless there are losses.

As for why I'm on the forum, well, as long as I have them they're my responsibility and I need to care for them the best that I'm able with the tools I am given. Plus, I find the quail forum helpful as well. Outdoor birds in general are new to me, even though I've taken care of many "indoor" pet birds. There is definitely a big learning curve in putting them outside rather than in the controlled space of your house.

 

[biscuit7]

6.5 years for me now and I am tired of owning so many roosters! I've had 4 different batches of chicks this year, one from an incubator and 3 from broody hens. The broody hen process is amazing/addicting (and much easier to care for and integrate them into the flock!) until you realize 10 weeks later that you have a bunch of roosters to do something with.

But despite the rooster overpopulation and poop everywhere, I never plan on not having chickens.