When I originally began with 5 pullets, I had heard about this strange chicken math within Facebook groups and on miscellaneous blogs. I thought to myself “Oh, I will be fine with five hens!”. Drum roll please… You guessed it!
A hen showed himself as a roo and four hens just didn’t seem like the perfect number. And so chicken math on the homestead began.
Some of you may or may not know that I work for an animal shelter in my area. When our staff brings in new livestock they usually come to me with questions on proper pen set up and the follow up question “Will you want to take it home?”. Somehow having a homestead just leads to having room for all the animals! Last week a friendly and gentle hen came into our facility, how could I say no?
*Face palm* I brought home a free loader. She didn’t have the stance of a laying hen but she looked and felt healthy. So I took the chance on her. Luckily, I am still knee deep in weeds and this is helping supplement the feed expense. My hope is that her stress levels have just been high and hopefully she will begin laying sooner than later. She seems like a bit of a loner and prefers my company over the company of the other chickens. A little sad if I do say so myself. Although, when I went to pick her up to trim her talons the rooster immediately protected her from the evil nail clipper! So at least Roo has accepted her into his flock.
As of today I have had the homestead a whole year! Wow, time has truly flown by. I am astounded by the progress and the turn around this little homestead with a view has made. Every day I love my little heaven more and more.
