math anxiety

[Duckduckgoosie]

So… my backyard flock is up to 11. I have one bantam rooster. The two chicks we got in Dec are finally mostly integrated into the mix. So things are peaceful. So of course at the poultry show I decide I can get five chicks, a real assortment, including my first Silkie. And then a day later take in a splayed leg silkie chick because maybe more than one Silkie is a better idea.

I had decided three more chicks was reasonable. But am raising six.

Doing the most annoying math in my head that I should give away three… just do three as “planned”- then start thinking about the fun egg colors with the assortment I selected, and how I “need” another Buff because my favorite had died and we just have to have at least one Buff, really, and if I give away three chicks, well, maybe just give away two, four more isn’t much more than three more… and honestly if four is ok then really what’s six…because that’s only 2 more…

anyway are crazy people drawn to chickens or does keeping chickens make you crazy. Asking for me.

ok off to check on special needs chick and put my rooster to bed in his indoor nighty night spot (neighbor relations)

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

From one crazy chicken keeper to another, sounds like you need another coop or two.

 

[Duckduckgoosie]

From one crazy chicken keeper to another sounds like you need another coop or two.

lol what I need is for this little special needs chick to quit with the pasty butt. I’ve never dealt with a chick that wasn’t just… healthy. Fixed the splay leg and now it’s butt cleaning 2x day for past few days, and they’re just so small still

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

lol what I need is for this little special needs chick to quit with the pasty butt. I’ve never dealt with a chick that wasn’t just… healthy. Fixed the splay leg and now it’s butt cleaning 2x day for past few days, and they’re just so small still

It's tough when you get a special needs chick. It separates the quitters from those who are willing to keep up the hobby, and find joy in it despite adversity.

Hopefully your little one improves as it matures. Sometimes they thrive after a bit, and sometimes they just can't. Probably due to an internal birth defect. All we can do is try.

 

[Duckduckgoosie]

It's tough when you get a special needs chick. It separates the quitters from those who are willing to keep up the hobby, and find joy in it despite adversity.

Hopefully your little one improves as it matures. Sometimes they thrive after a bit, and sometimes they just can't. Probably due to an internal birth defect. All we can do is try.

They aren’t growing, or doing much besides chirping loudly all the time, and I can’t keep their butt clear. Cleaning 2x day. Just cleaned again today. Does it look normal? I have clipped away as much of the feathers there as possible

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

You could try posting in the emergency forums. There's some pretty helpful members on here. I usually wipe their bums until it stops. Sometimes it's because they are too warm or too cold, but I'm never sure which it is.

 

[Duckduckgoosie]

You could try posting in the emergency forums. There's some pretty helpful members on here. I usually wipe their bums until it stops. Sometimes it's because they are too warm or too cold, but I'm never sure which it is.

good idea, done!

 

[NuggetMama]

So… my backyard flock is up to 11. I have one bantam rooster. The two chicks we got in Dec are finally mostly integrated into the mix. So things are peaceful. So of course at the poultry show I decide I can get five chicks, a real assortment, including my first Silkie. And then a day later take in a splayed leg silkie chick because maybe more than one Silkie is a better idea.

I had decided three more chicks was reasonable. But am raising six.

Doing the most annoying math in my head that I should give away three… just do three as “planned”- then start thinking about the fun egg colors with the assortment I selected, and how I “need” another Buff because my favorite had died and we just have to have at least one Buff, really, and if I give away three chicks, well, maybe just give away two, four more isn’t much more than three more… and honestly if four is ok then really what’s six…because that’s only 2 more…

anyway are crazy people drawn to chickens or does keeping chickens make you crazy. Asking for me.

ok off to check on special needs chick and put my rooster to bed in his indoor nighty night spot (neighbor relations)

I mean… I feel you there! I have seven, and am hatching 21 plus a duck.. I think the math gets us and doesn’t let go

 

[Brink]

So… my backyard flock is up to 11. I have one bantam rooster. The two chicks we got in Dec are finally mostly integrated into the mix. So things are peaceful. So of course at the poultry show I decide I can get five chicks, a real assortment, including my first Silkie. And then a day later take in a splayed leg silkie chick because maybe more than one Silkie is a better idea.

I had decided three more chicks was reasonable. But am raising six.

Doing the most annoying math in my head that I should give away three… just do three as “planned”- then start thinking about the fun egg colors with the assortment I selected, and how I “need” another Buff because my favorite had died and we just have to have at least one Buff, really, and if I give away three chicks, well, maybe just give away two, four more isn’t much more than three more… and honestly if four is ok then really what’s six…because that’s only 2 more…

anyway are crazy people drawn to chickens or does keeping chickens make you crazy. Asking for me.

ok off to check on special needs chick and put my rooster to bed in his indoor nighty night spot (neighbor relations)

I feel this post in my soul!

I've always wanted my own chickens and birds but my father was adamant on not having them as he grew up with them and had bad experiences with some of his.

However, he and I were talking with our neighbor and my dad so casually mentioned "you know, I have always wanted a goose!" And well I took that as a sign! If I get a goose he won't be upset because he's always wanted one! Well I couldn't get just one goose; she'll need a mate! So I got two! Well while my little geese were on their way to being hatched I was watching my neighbors yard and we had a little fiasco with the smaller chicks getting through a teeny tiny whole into the duck coop and sadly three of their babies drowned in the duck pool.

Even though they kept telling me not to worry about it I still had to replace their babies! So I went to the local Tractor Supply to replace their three birdies. Well TS has a four bird minimum. If I got four birds and gave three of them back to my neighbors then that leaves one little birdie all alone! So of course I had to get five of them so they'd have a buddy! And my logic was, I'll get these meat birds and tell my dad that they'll only be with us for 8-10 weeks and then they'll be dinner! You know not a permanent fixture on the property. Needless to say he wasn't too thrilled.

However, 12 hours later he is sending me article after article and video after video of Rhoad Island Reds and telling me about how these were the birds that his mom raised and they were so beautiful and sweet. So I took that as a sign, if I find RIR I could get those and he'd be happy!

Well I get the call from the post office that my geese have arrived! Heading on over to pick them up and would you look at that! The post is right across the street from TS. I take a peak in and what do you know! They just got a shipment in of RIR in that morning. We'll their minimum is four so of course I get four of them! That evening my mom realized that my two meat birds have now morphed into six chicks and two geese. She wants to know what color eggs the RIR will lay and when my dad and I tell her they'll be brown eggs she says "well we need some white eggs for me to eat!" So we load up the car and travel to two more TS stores that are further away. We'll she just falls in love with more than just the white egg layers. So we come home with six more birds!

Well now we have ten layers, two meat birds, and two geese. What could a few more hurt? Over the next couple of weeks our flock grew some and shrank some. At the end of the day we now have 18 layers, two meat birds (ready to process this weekend or next!), two geese, and two ducks, and one rooster! I swear they're little mogwai you have a few in the brooder, they happen to get a little wet and bam! All of a sudden you have more! It's the strangest thing.

I don't know how these numbers came to be, no one seems to believe they're secretly mogwai, but I do know I am not allowed to walk into TS by myself anymore!

P.S.
We built on the property, which is 1.3 acres, a large dog run a few years ago. Said dog run was never being used so I converted it into a chicken coop. It has ample space for the birds and they're only in there at night to roost typically as they free range the fenced in property from about 0500 until they go in on their own at dusk. They have, I'd guess, about .75 acres of grass to roam. The dog run/chicken coop is 16' wide x 48' long with a roof that slants from 8' tall down to just over 5' tall.

 

[Duckduckgoosie]

I feel this post in my soul!

I've always wanted my own chickens and birds but my father was adamant on not having them as he grew up with them and had bad experiences with some of his.

However, he and I were talking with our neighbor and my dad so casually mentioned "you know, I have always wanted a goose!" And well I took that as a sign! If I get a goose he won't be upset because he's always wanted one! Well I couldn't get just one goose; she'll need a mate! So I got two! Well while my little geese were on their way to being hatched I was watching my neighbors yard and we had a little fiasco with the smaller chicks getting through a teeny tiny whole into the duck coop and sadly three of their babies drowned in the duck pool.

Even though they kept telling me not to worry about it I still had to replace their babies! So I went to the local Tractor Supply to replace their three birdies. Well TS has a four bird minimum. If I got four birds and gave three of them back to my neighbors then that leaves one little birdie all alone! So of course I had to get five of them so they'd have a buddy! And my logic was, I'll get these meat birds and tell my dad that they'll only be with us for 8-10 weeks and then they'll be dinner! You know not a permanent fixture on the property. Needless to say he wasn't too thrilled.

However, 12 hours later he is sending me article after article and video after video of Rhoad Island Reds and telling me about how these were the birds that his mom raised and they were so beautiful and sweet. So I took that as a sign, if I find RIR I could get those and he'd be happy!

Well I get the call from the post office that my geese have arrived! Heading on over to pick them up and would you look at that! The post is right across the street from TS. I take a peak in and what do you know! They just got a shipment in of RIR in that morning. We'll their minimum is four so of course I get four of them! That evening my mom realized that my two meat birds have now morphed into six chicks and two geese. She wants to know what color eggs the RIR will lay and when my dad and I tell her they'll be brown eggs she says "well we need some white eggs for me to eat!" So we load up the car and travel to two more TS stores that are further away. We'll she just falls in love with more than just the white egg layers. So we come home with six more birds!

Well now we have ten layers, two meat birds, and two geese. What could a few more hurt? Over the next couple of weeks our flock grew some and shrank some. At the end of the day we now have 18 layers, two meat birds (ready to process this weekend or next!), two geese, and two ducks, and one rooster! I swear they're little mogwai you have a few in the brooder, they happen to get a little wet and bam! All of a sudden you have more! It's the strangest thing.

I don't know how these numbers came to be, no one seems to believe they're secretly mogwai, but I do know I am not allowed to walk into TS by myself anymore!

P.S.
We built on the property, which is 1.3 acres, a large dog run a few years ago. Said dog run was never being used so I converted it into a chicken coop. It has ample space for the birds and they're only in there at night to roost typically as they free range the fenced in property from about 0500 until they go in on their own at dusk. They have, I'd guess, about .75 acres of grass to roam. The dog run/chicken coop is 16' wide x 48' long with a roof that slants from 8' tall down to just over 5' tall.View attachment 3527031

what a great setup, and so glad you’re enjoying a flock