It happened to me, too many chickens

[cottontail farm]

Whenever I have extra chickens that I can't bear to cull I send them out to free-range on my neighbor's farm with the goats and alpacas until they get picked off by the hawk or a fox.

I totally understand this. Everything dies eventually. Living out the second half of their lives living the best chicken life is not a bad plan.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I have donated my surplus eggs to the local Bread Shed, which is run by a local church group. They are tickled to get them. Since there aren't enough eggs for everyone, they let people who want some enter their names into a drawing.

 

[Cathy Roberts]

Over the years I've been very good at culling old layers every fall and keeping a small productive flock. But now it's finally happened. This fall I have a beautiful mixed flock of 18 birds and am having a hard time getting my numbers down because of all sorts of reasons.. this chicken is friendly... that one is pretty.. this one is the daughter of a favorite rooster that died. Blah, blah, blah...
I've gone soft.
We can house them all but I panick when I think of all the eggs come spring. Realistically we need, oh, 8 hens or so.
I've become that crazy chicken lady.

I'm just waiting for the day I can be called a crazy chicken lady!

 

[Critternc]

Got to many roosters with my "pullets" so making more space and looking for more hens.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I am about maxed out in my 8x10 coop. But the other day I lifted up my eyes and behold, on our property there is an enormous old unused workshop you could easily drive a truck into to work on... DH's late dad used to do woodworking in it. With modifications it would easily hold a hundred chickens ..... it has been used for storage.... I think I feel a chicken fever coming on. But it will take me at least a year to get it emptied out and ready. Hmmmm. This will take some serious thought. Do I need more chickens? What will I do with the eggs? Oh dear.

 

[TinaMarieofFL]

I am about maxed out in my 8x10 coop. But the other day I lifted up my eyes and behold, on our property there is an enormous old unused workshop you could easily drive a truck into to work on... DH's late dad used to do woodworking in it. With modifications it would easily hold a hundred chickens ..... it has been used for storage.... I think I feel a chicken fever coming on. But it will take me at least a year to get it emptied out and ready. Hmmmm. This will take some serious thought. Do I need more chickens? What will I do with the eggs? Oh dear.

I hear ya! Oh, how I long to get more chickens but what would I do with the eggs. I'd love to have a large flock running around the yard. I'd had people tell me to sell the eggs but I know there are regulations governing it and I just don't want the hassle.

 

[HeiHeisMom]

Over the years I've been very good at culling old layers every fall and keeping a small productive flock. But now it's finally happened. This fall I have a beautiful mixed flock of 18 birds and am having a hard time getting my numbers down because of all sorts of reasons.. this chicken is friendly... that one is pretty.. this one is the daughter of a favorite rooster that died. Blah, blah, blah...
I've gone soft.
We can house them all but I panick when I think of all the eggs come spring. Realistically we need, oh, 8 hens or so.
I've become that crazy chicken lady.

Relax, breathe in that beautiful late summer, mid molting season air and love those Chooks.
Welcome to the crazy chicken lady rhelm
You may always check in but you will never leave

 

[ValerieJ]

Relax, breathe in that beautiful late summer, mid molting season air and love those Chooks.
Welcome to the crazy chicken lady rhelm
You may always check in but you will never leave

Hotel Chickenfornia.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I hear ya! Oh, how I long to get more chickens but what would I do with the eggs. I'd love to have a large flock running around the yard. I'd had people tell me to sell the eggs but I know there are regulations governing it and I just don't want the hassle.

Well... in MO you need a license to sell eggs at a farmer's market. This costs $5 a year and does involve an annual inspection, requires candling, weighing and labeling your eggs. BUT! - You DON'T need one if people come to your house to buy eggs! Doesn't say anything about meeting people at a neutral location ....

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I'm sorry, I can NOT click and hold to copy the web address so I can paste it here! Grrr for "upgrades"!!! I used-ta could and now it won't let me.