How many have you added this year?

[bigredfeather]

I am curious about how many of you out there are as out of control as I am. Prior to this Spring, I had only eight chickens. As of right now, I have added 73 new chickens to my flock by either hatching or purchasing chicks. The newbies range from 3 week old chicks to some from my first hatch they have recently started to lay.

How many have you added so far this year?

 

[wegotchickens]

I started out in 2009 with 10.
I now have 20.

But we had as many as 50 at a time before I sold or gave away some.

I live in a neighborhood

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

This year about 25 or 30 that we will be keeping. We keep about 300 total.

Steve in NC

 

[Happy Chooks]

Dang, how long does it take you to collect eggs from 300 chickens?

I started the year off with none. I got 7 chicks, now down to 6 because of a hawk. I'm completely hooked though, and plan to add some more next year.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

It takes two of us roughy an hour to feed and gather eggs from everybody. Good exercise

Steve in NC

 

[ShaggysGirl]

well it is our first year we started with 16 but will be getting rid of 5 since we don't need 7 roosters. And I just ordered 31 more

hoping to get at least 20 more pullets out of them since 11 were ordered as pullets and the rest strait runs.

 

[Dixiedoodle]

This is my first yr with chickens. Three weeks ago, I purchased 3 RIR, 3 BO, 3 BR, 2 EE, 2 Ameraucans and a BO Roo, who are now 21 weeks old. I had thought about adding SLW but I'll wait to see if I love all these breeds first....and I would be one happy camper...IF I would start getting a few eggs!!!!

 

[archerobx]

this is my first year and started with 3 long horns and 3 buff orphingtons.
I have added 2 red productions 5 cornish cross and 6 turkies.

wife said dont bring anything else home unless it has diamonds, lol

 

[marytoast]

2008 2 chicks
2009 2 chicks
2 pullets
3 hens
1 roo
31 guinea keets
2 turkey poults

yea, it's that addictive!

 

[G Wiz Ranch]

We ended 2008 with 32 layers and 1 rooster. We have so much demand for our eggs, we decided to get more chicks, and then more and more. I thought that our goal was going to be 80 layers by November, but my wife got us certified for the Farmers Markets in both counties that we live/work in. So we bumped the goal to 120 and then again to 150. I thought I might as well buy the chicks from a hatchery and have them sexed. So we made our first order of 100 EE's ($207), and also bought approx 60 chicks from local feed stores. I decided to try and sell some of the EE chicks ($3.50) that we bought from the hatcheries to help pay for the ones I wanted to keep. After selling 85 of them, LOL, I ordered another 100 (BR, BO, RIR, EE for $177) and then sold 50 of them (3.50). I just got another 100 ($176) today and have already sold 22 of them. By the time I sell 15 more of this order, ALL of the others that I kept/keep will be free to me (other than time spent). We have been making enough on our eggs to pay for all the feed and some waterers. We also picked up some point of lay layers and pullets at really good prices plus we have been hatching our own 10-20 chicks every 22-23 days. So at the moment, I have over 250! My plan is to raise some of them to the point of lay and then sell them for $12-15, since most people want older pullets and not chicks. By the end of this year, we should be at our goal of 150 layers and with a little luck we will get about 9-10 dozen eggs a day. If I had those eggs now, I could easily sell 5-6 dozen a day just from my work (listing them on craigslist, people can pick them up M-F 8-5).

I guess we think we may be able to get this hobby to pay for itself and we have fun doing it. We are looking forward to the Farmers Market.