Math skills are important when raising chickens...

[bethandjoeync]

since january here is our flock math:

18 laying currently
lost a few-3
broody hatched +2
incubator hatched +6
tsc 1st purchase +6
cackle order +27
tsc 2nd batch +6
= chick madness and will have tons of eggs by the end of the summer!

ended up with 39 chicks in 2 week span
so 18=62ish

I feel ya on losing track!

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

No, no, no -- Do not count the chickens! Just know their names

that way you can tell if anyone is missing.



Honest, I do not know how many I have - I know their names, even if they are headed for freezer camp we/I name them. I do know I am down to 14 chicks in the house, 20 in the garage and just moved 5 - 8 week olds out to the coop (a full coop).



I tried counting my ducks

I thought I had 12 but then could only find 11, now I am back to 12 adults but two moms have clutches (one 6 ducklings) and the missing 12th duck has 8 ducklings.

 

[gryeyes]

When I started this whole thing last summer (the planning part, then building the immovable A-Frame "tractor") I thought four to six chickens would be fine.

Not four, but "4 to 6." That's already fuzzy.

Well, now I have 20 fowl, which includes 2 Cayuga ducks, plus four six-week-old chicks in the brooder. My legal limit is 13. Ooops.

...bought a kit coop, then built a real walk-in coop, and a small duck house. Expanded the back yard poultry run three times. So the housing situation is under control. If I don't add any more birds after THIS VERY MOMENT IN TIME, RIGHT NOW.

 

[SkyWarrior]

Quote:

Six chicks ended up being 29 birds (2 geese, 2 turkeys and 6 meaties). My crack, er..., chicken dealer offered me barnevelders and said "would you like some cuckoo marans?"

I said, "Let's do the deal when my DH is on a trip..." I so have a problem.

 

[missionarywife]

Had 5 hens
3 roosters
3 ducks
2 guinneas
lost the female guinnea to the dog-1
butchered the agressive rooster -1
Bought 10 layers from the bazzar

13-2+10=21
Hatched in April 14 chicks
1 duckling

21+14+1=36 before todays hatching

Now have 14 new chicks hatched today

Gives me a grand total of 50 birds before the ducks hatch. HAAAAAAAAAAA! My dream has come true= to have enough eggs here to not have to buy eggs at the store.

 

[HathawayHens]

"fuzzy math"... I knew politicians must have been chicken farmers!

Our idea to have "2 -4" in a chicken tractor has already turned into 6 in a huge coop that will be at least 12 this fall!!!!!

Funny thing is, I used to be really good at math... Oh well!

 

[darkmatter]

Do not count chickens

Incubate 52 eggs, hatched 48, loss 4 to 6 before moved to coop, loss 4 to 6 before new eggs , loss 1(?) to predator before getting a broody, steal eggs, slip guinea eggs under, when they hatched another broody, slip 12 eggs of my choice (I liked the color and shape) and waiting for them to hatch. I now have #? chickens. Not counting the 18 adults I had before incubating. Not counting the 20+ Guineas roaming around roosting in the coop and trees. Repeat, "Do not count chickens (or eggs)"

 

[candicesj]

That's funny! At least you know you're not alone!!

I have to not join you guys!! I have 3 chickens now and it's supposed to stay this way, although I'd be willing to have up to 4 or VERY max 5!

 

[St-Hubert]

We only have three out in the coop and two more a few weeks from going out there....but I really would like more. The only thing stopping us is the lack of a second coop (I'll be working on that in the next few months

) and being unsure of the legality of having them in the first place.
They are very addictive.....

 

[MotherJean]

Candicesj - I'm not sure how to tell you this...but...I think you have a...problem. Only 3 chickens? You're just not trying, girl!