What were your BEST mistakes in poultry keeping?

[HuffleClaw]

Title pretty much speaks for itself.
What were your best mistakes since you’ve started keeping poultry? Was it the breed? Time of year? Eggs? Broodies? Whether it was getting a bigger coop or culling a rooster! Let’s see!

My best “mistake” was getting chickens in the first place. I never knew they’d be so absolutely amazing! They help me with lots of things...
Eggs - they provide me with beautiful fresh eggs daily
They pretty much pay for themselves. A 5lb bag of feed here costs $7.50, I sell eggs for $3 a doz., do the math, and before I need to buy feed again, I’ve sold eggs to pay for it!

Having a lifelong addiction - Another thing I want to add is my addiction to chicken keeping! I set/hatch eggs/chicks and I LOVE it! I like to think of my chickens as my friends, they’re always there when I need them

So what do you have to say?

 

[Shadowfire]

My best mistake was thinking my rooster was purebred- after he passed away we tried to hatch another chick (successfully hatched him) and that chick wouldn't have been hatched if it weren't for that mistake.

 

[JedJackson]

Maybe raising bantams with large fowl. I know this doesn't always work, but I've never had problems and I've done it for ages. The trick is to provide plenty of space and plenty of hiding places.

 

[HuffleClaw]

My best mistake was thinking my rooster was purebred- after he passed away we tried to hatch another chick (successfully hatched him) and that chick wouldn't have been hatched if it weren't for that mistake.

Aww I’m so happy it hatched for you

Maybe raising bantams with large fowl. I know this doesn't always work, but I've never had problems and I've done it for ages. The trick is to provide plenty of space and plenty of hiding places.

I do this as well, it works great for me, or at least is has so far!

 

[Killer Tomato]

Grabbing my neighbors old tin garden shed they were going to throw away. I didn't even have chickens yet, and was still a renter. I hadn't even thought about buying my own house, but was envisioning my future chicken coop with some renovations to that shed.

One year, and less than $100 later (no lie! We re-used and recycled everything, including our 80's style waterbed frame and headboard!), I owned my own house and my Sweetie built the coop (the plastic is up for extra winterizing):

 

[IamRainey]

I guess mine was getting a cockerel in an order that was supposed to be all females. NOT what we were expecting or wanting to be inflicting on our neighbors. But, so far, at about 6 months, he's beautiful and we love him. The neighbors haven't complained.

We're hoping it will continue to work out. But my order for this Spring is all females.

...and as soon as the girls start laying, the neighbors will be getting eggs.

 

[JedJackson]

Grabbing my neighbors old tin garden shed they were going to throw away. I didn't even have chickens yet, and was still a renter. I hadn't even thought about buying my own house, but was envisioning my future chicken coop with some renovations to that shed.

One year, and less than $100 later (no lie! We re-used and recycled everything, including our 80's style waterbed frame and headboard!), I owned my own house and my Sweetie built the coop (the plastic is up for extra winterizing):
View attachment 1628583

Nice!

 

[Killer Tomato]

Nice!

The coop cost less than $100, not my house, I should note. I'm glad I'm a borderline hoarder, all that crap comes in handy sometimes!

 

[Killer Tomato]

I guess mine was getting a cockerel in an order that was supposed to be all females. NOT what we were expecting or wanting to be inflicting on our neighbors. But, so far, at about 6 months, he's beautiful and we love him. The neighbors haven't complained.

We're hoping it will continue to work out. But my order for this Spring is all females.

...and as soon as the girls start laying, the neighbors will be getting eggs.

My neighbors are all old farm gals. They were in raptures when one of my chicks ended up being a rooster, "I luurrrrve waking up to the sound of rooster again! It reminds me of back home!"

You might get lucky with your neighbors, too!

 

[JedJackson]

The coop cost less than $100, not my house, I should note. I'm glad I'm a borderline hoarder, all that crap comes in handy sometimes!

Okay, but if you do find a nice house for $100, please let me know.