buffie Posted March 26, 2008 Share Posted March 26, 2008 I've had more and more positive reactions, people are genuinely interested in them and my reasons for loving them to bits. Just popping this in chickens now BBX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willow Posted March 26, 2008 Share Posted March 26, 2008 OH was bemused when I said I wanted chckens but I knew he was going to agree when he said lets see what the boys think My eldest loves them and is very good at handling them. The novelyt has worn off some for my youngest although he is happy to go check on them etc. I do all the cleaning and sorting food etc but I expected that. One of my brothers was amazed even though it was due to him keeping chickens and tasting the difference in fresh eggs that had led to me getting chickens. One of my sisters would like to keep chickens as well but the other doesn't like animals. Most neighbours have been positive, one side has commented on liking the noise and they are always very appreciative of the fresh eggs. The other side doesn't like us changing anything in our garden and unfortunately they were getting into his for a while Although if he'd agree to us putting up a fence on our boundary they couldn't get in... Friends surprised. I've tended not to mention it at work as my colleagues are all over the world so we don't really get in to personal conversations (work by phone/email). I've also been reluctant to mention them as I brief on pandemic risk/bird flu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smiler Posted March 26, 2008 Share Posted March 26, 2008 Yes they think we are bonkers too. Visited the national herb centre in Oxfordshire few days ago and my son promptly found the childrens play area and what happened to be there but some chooks. I went over and they all came over to the fence listening to me chatting away to them. I must admit my husband and son are very taken too. Its a family event here to clean them out ............long may it last! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyren Posted March 26, 2008 Share Posted March 26, 2008 The other side doesn't like us changing anything in our garden... Some people are just weird! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted March 26, 2008 Share Posted March 26, 2008 I don't think people really thought it was strange for 'us' to have chickens, as we are both a bit crackers and known as 'alternative'. They just sort of laughed. When you tell strangers that you've got chickens, some say 'ooo how lovely', others say ' oh right'. I think a lot of people do tend to link vermin with chicken keeping - but to be honest any vermin, would have already been there! Other people do enjoy the eggs & when you see people who know you have chickens, they don't ask how you are first, it's always ' how's the girls'? My sister didn't understand how attatched to chickens you can get, but she totally understands now she has her own. They are intelligent, inquisitive little things & give so much entertainment. I love my chickens! Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cluckbok Posted March 26, 2008 Share Posted March 26, 2008 Lost my message somehow! I basically said we had mixed reactions, one neighbour was a bit surprised but when she realised her dogs made more noise I think she warmed to them. It's a bit different to just saying I got a cat or dog eh. We love our chooks and got no regrets getting them should have done it sooner but didn't think would be able to have any. They so cool and funny!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meezers Posted March 26, 2008 Share Posted March 26, 2008 I wonder if it makes a difference where you live ? we are quite rural, and people in general were not at all surprised we wanted chickens. OH took very little persuading - he loves eggs, and mentioned , for the first time in the 20 yrs I've known him, that they kept 40 odd choooks when he was a kid. Youngest son was almost as eager as me, his friend lives on a farm and they spend alot of time with the farm chooks when he goes to play. The woman I work with egged me on ( pardon the pun ) again, she used to keep chickens and wanted an easy source of eggs. My mother was the only one who thought they'd be more trouble than they were worth and didn't I have enough to do ? but she changed her mind after a phonecall to my aunt, who she thought would agree with her - instead my aunt said ' well of course she wants chickens - don't know what's taken her so long' I bumped into our school secretary when I was buying sand for the dust bath and again, instead of being surprised she let me know that the headmaster is seriously considering getting some chooks for the school. Seems that around here, it's the thing to do ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted March 26, 2008 Share Posted March 26, 2008 It was my OH's idea to get chickens, we had them when I was little, mostly bantam crosses and they were given to me as chicks by the gamekeeper of the estate where we moved from because i used to help him out with the pheasant chicks and the few hens they had. I got put off them a bit when we had a couple of vicious cockerels when I was about 10 years old and from then on they were largely cared for by my mum apart from the odd time she managed to bribe me to clean them out. I was quite nervous about getting our girls but I soon realised what fun they are and it reawakened my interest and OH loves them to bits. The children have laregely lost interest but can sometimes be persuaded to clean out the poo tray and feed them. Most of our friends are quite interested especially when eggs are on offer but I don't think our neighbours are that keen but they haven't actually said as much again eggs are a factor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rolo Rabbit Posted March 26, 2008 Share Posted March 26, 2008 Most of my friends are very amused at the idea of us having chickens. They are fascinated though - the first question I get when we meet up is 'how are the girls?' which I find quite touching. Both of our families think it's great so we've been quite lucky really. Mum and dad are telling everyone about it. I did get a response this morning when I was telling my latte friends that I was buying a helter skelter to keep the eggs in... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noodle Posted March 26, 2008 Share Posted March 26, 2008 My mum thinks we are all going to die from bird flu. that is so funny!!!! My 3 teenagers took notice for about 30 seconds, my OH says he is not bothered but I regularly catch him watching them from the kitchen window. He is always letting them out of the eglu at the crack of dawn and he was sooooooo incredibly patient this weekend driving me here there and everywhere to find new chooks. What a fabulous man he is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajm200 Posted March 26, 2008 Share Posted March 26, 2008 My OH supposedly doesn't really care for chickens and just bought them for my son and I as I kept on about them but I think he's quite fond of them really. He gave himself away when he went outside in his dressing gown at 6am in the snow on Sunday to let them out. He likes to watch them out of the kitchen window while he has a cuppa and I think he was missing them. My mum thinks they are great as her family kept chickens when she was a child. The in-laws who keep chickens themselves think that we are mad to keep them as pets when we have a child. My friends who have children and pets think that they are cool whereas my career minded ex colleagues think I've really lost the plot. They thought I was mad to give up work and have a baby - shows how little they know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwichick Posted March 26, 2008 Share Posted March 26, 2008 My OH thinks a lot more of our chickens now that we are getting eggs but he thinks they are quite amusing and I often see him feeding them chicken crack. 11y.o son now prefers the cat (whom he has ignored for the last year) and 4y.o son wants to know why the eggs don't contain baby chickens. My mothers response was "oh they are such dirty smelly things", and this from a woman who was raised on a farm My sisters response "oooo, she's gone all organic" meaning crazy, alternative lifestyle type of person Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superjules Posted March 26, 2008 Share Posted March 26, 2008 ....I often see him feeding them chicken crack. What's that then? Raisins? Mixed corn? Grapes? Sweetcorn? Do tell! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwichick Posted March 26, 2008 Share Posted March 26, 2008 It's the chicken scratch mix. Cracked corn, grains & seeds. The girls go wild whenever they hear us shake the container it's kept in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
