How many chickens do you have?

[WallyBirdie]

I am not referring to chickens exclusively intended for meat, as they are usually only around short term.

We are measuring out space and comparing coop designs to build a new coop. My pre-fab coop was for up to 20 chickens but I have larger breeds so 17 has pushed the limits, and I still want more! When browsing designs the largest I've seen are for up to 30 chickens which got me wondering, how many chickens does the average person have?

Started with a six, then 4 more... added a few, carry the one-
I had as many as 50(!).
Lost the older gals to old age, one to congested heart failure, a few to [different] predators- I'm just shy of 40 now. I refuse to count anymore!
If anyone asks, I just say I have a 'few'! 50 was a bit hard to keep track of. My current flock is more manageable. I have no idea how people are able to handle 100+!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I'm not sure anyone in my house knows the correct number except for myself, so I know what you mean. I am secretly saving some eggs for a broody too... Shhh....

I don't even know my numbers most of the time. It changes all the time.

I just told my husband we need a incubator the wide eye look he gave me. his reply was " You can't be trusted to have an incubator.."

When my wife catches me setting eggs, she always says, "Do we really need more chickens?"

What's that something about... don't count your eggs before they hatch? Good luck on your future babies!!

Good point. I rarely have a 100% hatch rate, even after culling clears upon moving to hatcher.

Right now I have about 40 chickens and 50+ birds in total.

'About' - that's the term I always use too.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

When my wife catches me setting eggs, she always says, "Do we really need more chickens?"

I’m saving some eggs for a broody and my boyfriend didn’t even question me this time. He knows he can’t win

 

[BantyChooks]

'About' - that's the term I always use too.

It's a safe way of saying "I don't know how many birds I have, but it's probably more than two."

 

[Cheeki]

I started out with three a year ago. Last count was 43, but I lost a couple here or there. I also have 9 ducks and a turkey.
I have 24 chicken eggs under six broody hens and a mallard duck sitting on about 15 eggs. Yesterday a Pekin duck started sitting but I'm not sure how many eggs are viable.
I'm about to expand and convert a shed into a co-op. I figure to have twice as many birds next year.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

'Probab

'Probably more than two!' I love that!
I usually end up saying "Hang on, I know how many of each breed I have... That's Pumpkin and Sissy and Jane... Marla, Darlin, Oswald-..." (It goes on!)

I have never named a chicken except once when I took one to the vet and the receptionist wanted to know the 'patient's' name. All I could come up with was Bar-b-que.
You should have seen the other people's faces in the waiting room when the vet tech called for Bar-b-que and I picked up the cage with a chicken in it and walked into the back.

I've always used colored numbered bandettes for identifying birds but for the last couple years, I've been using wing bands. I liked leg bands because I could read them from a distance and from even farther away, I could tell the age of a bird due to the color of the band.
The problem was that they would loose them. The issue with wing bands is they can't be read without handling the bird but on the plus side, they are with them for life.

 

[My2butterflies]

We currently have 21 chickens. I’ll hatch some next year and can’t promise I’ll sell them all
We also have 12 adult guineas, 13 guinea keets, and 3 turkeys.
We are planning on getting some ducks next year too.
I really don’t know how we ended up with so many birds

 

[humblehillsfarm]

I have five hens!

Some chicken owners might not be average people...

Oh man I should have said how many chickens do the average CHICKEN OWNERS have

I just bought a tea towel from TSC that says "one chicken short of crazy" and I think that hit the nail on the head! Except really I am already crazy for my chickens.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Everybody manages their poultry differently for different reasons and goals.
I raise an extremely rare breed and a closed flock so I hatch my own and never bring in new birds. I always have at least 20 birds. Normally it is between 40 and 100. I usually have about 5 roosters going into winter. I think I have 8 now. I'll have to go out and count.

 

[RainbowHen]

We have 6 hens as that is all we are allowed within city limits.