Poll: Reason(s) for more chickens now than when you started

[myfivegirls]

After reading some of the posts on Chicken (Poultry) Addition Anonymous , incubator hatching stories , and how some people have started out with a couple chickens and now have a dozen or more, I thought it would be fun to do a poll.


You can also post a brief story of how your flock "grew" from what you originally thought you'd have or "need".
Most of all, have fun!

For me, I started out with 5 pullets in 2008, got 11 more chicks in April 2010 and ordered 6 more chicks for April 2011.
Why did I get more?
I wanted more eggs and needed to replace the flock.
I wanted to try some different breeds, including some that were more colorful!
And they are so entertaining and fun to spend time with!

 

[Illia]

Started with about a dozen, now I'm up in the 80's. . . Why?

- Wanted to start an actual breeding program here. Preserve some non-hatchery, rare breeds and/or colors of breeds. Also want to later on show them, too.

- I LOVE getting so many different colors of eggs and am still working on even more colors.

- Need enough for meat AND eggs. . . So while hatching out chicks and selling the females to people, I keep the roosters for food, both for the family and for the dogs. I also am working on different meat bird projects. Hate Cornish X's but I love working on my own ideas.

- I couldn't have just a few. . .

So technically, none of what you listed.

 

[thechickenchick]

Well DH said 12, I never agreed to that

besides he didn't say how long it had to be 12

We now have 32 chickens, 3 guineas and a duck

 

[Pet Duck Boy]

If only getting more was possible for me...

 

[thecochincoop]

It all started when I wanted a couple for eggs and that was it. Now I breed show chickens

 

[annaraven]

Well, I wanted a particular breed, but had to get a couple to go with, and then ended up with two of the three being boys, and so I had to get another girl to keep the lonely girl company and well...

 

[PaleMelanesian]

I wanted more variety in chicken and egg colors, but the biggest reason was this:

More eggs.
We already had more than my family can eat. All the new production goes to selling. A higher percentage of selling eggs vs eating eggs makes the operation more economical for me - customers are paying for a higher percentage of my feed costs.

 

[Pinky]

My reason is I wanted some colored Easter chicks from the feed store. I was told I could only have 5 chickens. The next year I needed more eggs, and the year after that I talked my parents into getting some BO and RIR, and to make the odds of us getting some hens I said we need at least 10 BO and 10 RIR chicks. Last year my hens went broody crazy and would not stay off the nests. Now I have 30+ chickens. The number will go down soon because many are young roosters and I need more room for chicks in the Spring.

 

[teach1rusl]

I sincerely thought I was immune to the chicken addiction. Had my five assorted girls; loved my five assorted girls. Then my little EE died. My flock just seemed off

So I decided to add another hen, but didn't want to just add a single bird, as I've read that can be difficult. So I added a pair of pullets. And DH really enjoys the sound of crowing, so we added a bantam rooster. So now we're at seven, which is still a small flock. I figure I'll max out at 10, since I'd like to try a few bantams come early spring. And THAT'S it!! No more!! Truly!!

 

[The Turken Lady]

I inherited half of the chickens we have.

Then,well we found a local breeder who had turkens and easter eggers. We bought some,and then found out about other breeds. My mom couldn't stop getting them and I couldn't either. 30 goes to 40,then 50. And we found out about showing chickens. We got rid of some of the "mutts" to make room for my show birds. Now,We have 60 something chickens,or more.

Most look the same,and well I'm so tempted to put some eggs under the broodies. I have a frizzle who breeds a turken,well you get the idea,a frizzle turken chick,so so so tempting.