Record Keeping - How do YOU do it?

[MamaDragon]

Greetings All!

What kind of records do you keep (if any) on your flock(s)?

How do you have Yours set up? computer, notebook, filecards, in your head?

Do you band your birds? if not, how do you keep track of your birds?
If you do, do you use the number bands, or color combinations, or some other method?

Advice for a newbie to the paperwork end of all this?


With contemplating setting up a breeding project, I know I need to keep records, just still "fuzzy" on what I need to track, and the best ways to do it.

For breeding - I would think you use some kind of pedigree tree set-up?
For Layers - number of eggs/week, ?
For Meat Birds - (draws a blank - weight gained/week?)
General Flock Records - feed purchased amount and cost, amounts used how often, medication used, why, when; ?
Hatching - date and number of eggs set; number hatched, when;
Purchase date and source for "outside" birds/eggs;

I KNOW that I need to get this going, and I don't want to be "hodge-podge" about it, but find a system that works for us (myself and 10 yr old son)

Thanks!

Kathy

 

[Cetawin]

I do mine in a spreadsheet in Excel. I have colums for the cost of the chick, shiping charges, food costs, equipment costs (feeders, waterers etc), coop costs (construction), medical stuff and eggs laid, if sold selling price.

Each chicken is recorded by breed, sex and hatchery.

I am not breeding so, I do not need the detail for that stuff.

Not sure how it will work because only 6 of my 32 are laying age.

EDIT: I also have a pic of each bird but have not banded any of them yet.

 

[KellyHM]

I keep my records on the computer. I only have 6 chickens (and 32 eggs) right now, so not enough to need bands or anything. I keep track of costs (and profits when I get there), breeds, traits, where they came from, etc. I keep track of laying by pens since I don't know exactly who lays what. When the chickies hatch I'm going to paint their toenails at first to keep track.

 

[silkiechicken]

I use one big excel file with multiple tabs.

 

[debilorrah]

I'm supposed to keep records? Uh oh.

 

[HenMamma]

I was just thinking the same thing!!!

 

[bluey]

I have a ledger and keep pretty much all information pertaining to my chickens. Includes all the the information aforementioned and also game cam sightings and predator kills.

 

[cjeanean]

What records?

 

[Black Feather]

I started keeping records this year. I wanted to see how my coop performed in regard to expenses vs income. I don';t expect to break even, but I just wanted to see how things were going.

I use an excel spreadsheet with one tab for expenses and one for income.

Urban Coyote

 

[debilorrah]

Ok so far there are only three of us on this thread that are a bit dumbfounded at the thought of records. Maybe one of you seasoned chickens farmers out there can tell the reason for record keeping.