Understanding Chicken Math

[JessicaThistle]

I understand chicken math. I just don't understand why this happens to us.

My chicks are nine weeks, which means I don't have any chickens. I'm getting 30 meaties in 3 weeks but they will never count. I eyeball every chick bin that I can, ever since the day that I'm sure I saw 3 (possible) Sultan chicks in the bantam bin at the feed store and I didn't buy them. Ugh! I knew I shouldn't have left without them!!

Today the feed store said no more bantams coming in.

I guess that leaves Craigslist. I want chickens darn it!

In my defense, my children are 11, 17 and 18 with my 18 year old moving out of state in 4 1/2 weeks. A mom must having something to fill the void. Lol!

 

[Gingersnap722]

I understand chicken math. I just don't understand why this happens to us.

My chicks are nine weeks, which means I don't have any chickens. I'm getting 30 meaties in 3 weeks but they will never count. I eyeball every chick bin that I can, ever since the day that I'm sure I saw 3 (possible) Sultan chicks in the bantam bin at the feed store and I didn't buy them. Ugh! I knew I shouldn't have left without them!!

Today the feed store said no more bantams coming in.

I guess that leaves Craigslist. I want chickens darn it!

In my defense, my children are 11, 17 and 18 with my 18 year old moving out of state in 4 1/2 weeks. A mom must having something to fill the void. Lol!

AHA!!! Another part of the chicken math I didn't realize. The "empty nest". With three daughters leaving in the last 5 years, that helps explain my chicken math even more!!

 

[rnchick74]

Ok, so here's my attempt at chicken math.

In my locale, I can legally have 5 hens and 1 rooster...but I really don't want a roo & I have a great relationship with my neighbor which would become not so great if I got a roo...

SO, I originally wanted 3 female chicks. BUT, knowing that there was a chance that not every one of them would survive, I ordered 4. THEN I decided that I didn't want to have the chicks shipped for my 1st flock, that it would be a better learning experience for my son & I to drive to the hatchery & pick them up. Called, no problem, they gave me a credit on the shipping & asked if I wanted to add more chicks or use for merchandise. Well, I added 1 more chick to the order. So that brings my total up to 5 chicks.

My hatch date isn't until July, and my son decided he really wanted a chicken that lays blue eggs....but I'm not fond of easter eggers and the hatchery isn't going to have any other blue egg layers available in females for my hatch date. So today I added a black copper maran thinking the really dark brown would be different enough from the other eggs to make him happy. Of course if one of the other blue egg layers comes available I will switch it out...

So that brings me up to 6. So legally I can have 5 hens + 1 roo which = 6 chickens total. I'm still legal right? If "inspected" the one that looks most like a roo with be called a roo! I have some polish in my mix - they are hard to tell

 

[JessicaThistle]

AHA!!! Another part of the chicken math I didn't realize. The "empty nest". With three daughters leaving in the last 5 years, that helps explain my chicken math even more!!

An empty nest must be filled!! Right?

 

[rnchick74]

An empty nest must be filled!! Right?

YES! Anything that looks, acts, is shaped like, or can be made into a nest MUST be filled...that's part of chicken geometry, therefore part of chicken math!!!!

You are welcome - go stalk your favorite breeder or hatchery webpage now & report back on your order!

 

[annelions]

Here's my chicken math:

I can have 10 poultry. I currently have 4 hens, getting an egg a day from each.

I wanted 2 more, so I can get about a half dozen eggs per day. So I went to the feed store the other day to get more chicks.

I have no proper brooder, but it's very, very warm so I figure they'll be okay. But 2 birds isn't enough to keep each other warm if it gets chilly and 3 is a bad number (I want them to have friends) so I get 2 more for a total of 4. Now, since I'm pretty sure these are straight run and I am not well versed in sexing chickens, then I have 2 roosters, 2 pullets. Maybe it gets too cold one night then half of them could die, so I have 1 rooster, 1 pullet. There are neighborhood cats that haven't shown any interest in my hens, but one of them could get the littles. That leaves me with 4 hens, 1 rooster and no pullets. Clearly, I need to go back to the feed store!

 

[JessicaThistle]

YES! Anything that looks, acts, is shaped like, or can be made into a nest MUST be filled...that's part of chicken geometry, therefore part of chicken math!!!!

You are welcome - go stalk your favorite breeder or hatchery webpage now & report back on your order!

OOOOOOHHHHHHH!! I was horrible in geometry and if this applies to chicken math, the whole neighborhood is in trouble!! LOL!

 

[Gingersnap722]

An empty nest must be filled!! Right?

Absolutely!!

 

[rnchick74]

OOOOOOHHHHHHH!! I was horrible in geometry and if this applies to chicken math, the whole neighborhood is in trouble!! LOL!

The beauty is that you are EGGCELENT in chicken math geometry!!! You can generally calm down the neighbors by delivering any overflow of fresh eggs and baked goods

 

[JessicaThistle]

The beauty is that you are EGGCELENT in chicken math geometry!!! You can generally calm down the neighbors by delivering any overflow of fresh eggs and baked goods

I'm thinking that I got this!

Lucky for me, I live in a semi-rural area just outside of the city limits. I am surrounded with neighbors that have horses, 50+ goats, sheep, cow and lots of chickens (roos included) and ducks. There is even someone with an emu. I would be very surprised if anyone was unhappy. I could probably even park a chicken tractor on their pasture with the promise of some fresh chicken for their freezer.

I am loving my life!! Woot woot!