What is Chicken Math?

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What is chicken math? According to Meyer Hatchery, “chicken math is the addition to your flock in quantities and maybe even species that are beyond what you originally planned.” A good example would be my flock.

Last year I had an amazing plan to get some birds to help with bug control. I was thinking about guineas. They are excellent for all kinds of bugs. But then I found this thing called a surprise box from Cackle Hatchery. Well 50 random birds means more bug diversification and the shipping was free and the chicks were cheaper that way! So I ordered a box.

Then I had to wait, but my coop was already ready. So why not experiment with a few from Orchlen’s to make sure I got it figured out before the big batch comes. So we got a dozen. Then on a separate trip a month later Tractor Supply was trying to get rid of some older chicks. So we brought home 30ish chicks. Then a month later the Surprise Box of 50 arrived with various chickens and guineas!

I thought I was done for a while, my coop space was beyond full. But my husband asked about more chickens, because you know you have to keep various ages for continual production. I said I was maxed on space. Then he told me he was going to build a bigger coop! So I ordered another surprise box for this spring!

Hoping for a bit more variety of birds I set it for April delivery. I got 2 ducks and 2 turkeys with that box! Well two ducks didn’t seem like enough, so I found a local boy who had some for sale and bought 10 more from him. Then late this summer my husband saw some geese at Bomgaars and we came home with 2.

What started as we’ll have around 20 guineas has resulted in more breeds of chickens than I can name, guineas, ducks, turkeys, and geese. Currently as we prepare to move the two flocks together into the hen house, we have around:

49 laying hens

4 roosters

12 ducks

2 turkeys

2 geese

40 young chickens

And every time I add more birds I just call it chicken math!

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