Scooby Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 I'm getting rather annoyed about this so I'm just gonna have a bit of a rant about it here because I'm sure you will all understand where I'm coming from. Ok, we rescued one of our ex-battery ladies, Jan, 14 months ago and watched her turn from a very bald shy and timid hen into a lovely feathered cheeky little madam who has never missed a days lay. A while ago she started to produce softies everyday and we haven't had an egg from her for a few weeks now. People who know us always ask how are the girls laying? So I've been telling them great apart from Jan who I think must be coming to the end of her laying life. The general question is then 'oh, so what will you do with her?', to which I reply 'what do you mean, what will I do with her?'. Then I'm asked if I'm putting her in the pot!!! 'NO, I shan't be 'putting her in the pot!', she will live out the rest of her days in happy retirement thank you very much!' And then I get looked at as if I'm daft! What is it about these people?? ok, rant finished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoice Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 I always reply with 'would you cook and eat your dog or cat?' Usually puts it in perspective for them. People have a difficult time thinking a chicken could be a pet. They should try it, they'd like it. Some people do it to wind us up too, which is just mean. My sympathies you've been treated like this. I often don't share how my girls are now. Just come on here instead!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Solitaire Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 Funny you should say this - I've told several people I'm thinking about getting chickens, and one of the first comments has tended to be "so will you be able to dispatch them then?" WHAT?! Where did that come from?! I'm not planning on raising table birds... It does seem to be an automatic assumption though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moochoo Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 It's really stange. I got the same response when I got my layers. Now I AM growing some "for the pot" the same people are saying, "Oh, you can't kill them they're so lovely". You just can't win. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooby Posted June 3, 2009 Author Share Posted June 3, 2009 It's really stange. I got the same response when I got my layers. Now I AM growing some "for the pot" the same people are saying, "Oh, you can't kill them they're so lovely".You just can't win. that is so typical! I'm glad it's not just me then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooby Posted June 3, 2009 Author Share Posted June 3, 2009 Actually, maybe if I start nodding and saying yep the pot it'll be for her soon, they will back off and be horrified. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 I would say to them "your dog looks a bit old - when are you going to kill it? - after all it's past breeding age". Louise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debbier Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 Surely it's easier to just explain that they are pets? It's not unreasonable for people to make the initial assumption that you are keeping the as layers, given the overwhelming use of chickens for that purpose in our society. Whereas dogs are far more likely to be a pet than a working dog, statistically speaking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Chick Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 It is madness!!! When my Martha died a few weeks back, loads of people asked "Did you eat her?" 1. How insensitive - I'd lost one of my babies and was very upset. 2. Even if I was that way inclined - she'd been ill! Even though, my OH keeps joking that Donna will be for the pot if she doesn't start laying soon At least, I think he's joking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ness3103 Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 i've only had my girls since friday and they're not laying yet. people are obsessed with the eggs and don't understand why i'd want them wether they lay or not. i've also been asked if i'll eat them when they die people are strange and i learn't that when i had my twins, i'd have arguments with complete strangers insisting they were identical (they're very similar but not identical) and they also felt they had the right to ask wether they were ivf or not sometimes i'd just say yes just to get rid of them and i'm going to do that with the chook comments too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*mummy_hen* Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 Argh!!!! I know exactly how you feel as this also drives me crazy, how can people not get their head around the concept they are pets!!!! It's the same if they get poorly people are like 'oh well' whereas they wouldn't be like that if it was my dog. I sometimes think people try and pee me off on purpose but i don't care what they think!! We all understand what each others chickens mean to us Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mags Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 I had the same comment when Tish died , how could anyone think you would eat your pet hen. "I smile and Wave boys" when i get dumb remarks ! mags Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodcat Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 hey A cuple of people started to say that when my first girl died. They felt awful afterwards cause when they did i burst into tears...... it soon stopped them asking the question n they have never made another comment like it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Watch Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 Same here.... loads of people over last 2 years have said, "will you kill/eat them when they stop laying and get some more?". Now, even more frustrating, when people ask how the chooks are and and I say 2 are poorly, they are amazed that I have taken them to the vet and say to me "why don't you just kill them and get some more"....... I get so annoyed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budgies Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 I think that many people still see chickens as a food source, rather than as a friendly, inquisitive pet. Many of my friends too simply don't "get" how important my girls are to me! When we lost Mango and Chutney a few weeks ago someone actually said "well never mind, just get some more." But I guess if you don't understand, you just don't understand! I try not to let it bother me though, because I believe that the more of us that own chickens for the pleasure, the more that attitude will change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bronze Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 I don't think they're deliberately being mean or anything. Chickens are traditionally livestock so most people will still see them as such. Its a fair question really Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peggotty Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 I have proved to be very challenging to people with traditional views of hen keeping, as I am vegan. You should see people's faces when the conversation is - 'yes, I have hens' - 'no, I don't eat the eggs' But it has led to some interesting conversations with 'traditional' hen keepers. One co-worker said that it made her see hens in a different light to meet someone who sees hens as creatures with value in their own right, regardless of what they produce. So even though it gets a bit wearing, it's probably worth having that sort of conversation. Although I also quite like the idea of asking when they are going to kill their unproductive dog/cat! But it will probably make people think I am even more freakish! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooby Posted June 4, 2009 Author Share Posted June 4, 2009 I try not to let it bother me though, because I believe that the more of us that own chickens for the pleasure, the more that attitude will change. I would agree with that Budgies! I'm really pleased I had this rant now because I was thinking I just knew loads of people who were out to upset me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redranger Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 Some of the first things people have said to us, when finding out we have chickens, is "will you eat them?" and "will you be able to kill them yourself?" - I wasn't offended in the slightest, guess I'm just not that sensitive The answer to both has been an emphatic NO tho Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pecky Paula Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 Yes I find that people who dont have chickens dont really understand why I keep them. Im sure they think theyre stinky things and dont understand my real passion for them.They make such lovely pets, my favourite one 'Pecky Paula' is SO tame as I always pick her up and kiss her - dont laugh! Im sure you all understand though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ness3103 Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 Yes I find that people who dont have chickens dont really understand why I keep them. Im sure they think theyre stinky things and dont understand my real passion for them.They make such lovely pets, my favourite one 'Pecky Paula' is SO tame as I always pick her up and kiss her - dont laugh! Im sure you all understand though. i kiss all of mine and i caught my oh kissing ebony, he's got a soft spot for her, which i thinks hilarious because he wasn't that interested in them to start with, but he disappears every now and then, only to be found giving her a cuddle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pecky Paula Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 Hi Ness3103, I also call my 'hen area' Peckingham Palace and was in this weeks local paper ( Surrey area) with the headline "Ex battery hens are given new lease of life at Peckingham Palace". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
