4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Chickaboo]

Grrrr, just had my mother in law to stay for a few days ( ). Which is challanging enough in itself, but yesterday she started shouting at my poor little Phoebe - admitedly she does peck at her varicous veins, try to steal her food and poo at her feet but it really got to me when she started to get all inpatient with Phoebe and telling her off constantly; she just would'nt leave her alone, even when Phoebe was standing in the rose bush pot minding her own business she gave her an earful "don't you eat those flowers !!". Its Phoebe's garden too, and she just isn't used to be told off like that. I'm sure its totally irrational, but it really upset me.

[Henhathnofury]

I can really understand. Unpicking her unsightly veins is one thing....but the poor chicken was just minding her own business. Being a chicken in fact. Oh dear. Is your m-i-l approachable? I think you have to nip it in the bud, explain that if she speaks to your chicken again in that tone, it will distress the chicken. Tell her that such animals have weak hearts and that they could have an attack, or somesuch.

 

We are so indulgent with our girls, aren't we? It really hurts when someone comes in stamping all our that trust that has built up....

[Chickaboo]

No she is not approachable !! And this is a one of many annoyances during this stay!! (not least nearly setting fire to my house ). Taking it out on Phoebe was one step too far though

[Chook n Boo Mum]

I don't think you are irrational at all, when my friends come to visit they know they have to accept me and my menagerie as a whole, if I feel the creatures are being unreasonably attentive, they get removed but usually they get bored of the new company very quickly & go of to do more interesting things like snoozing (dogs) or dustbathing in my (almost ex) lily's pot (chooks)! I do always check that new visitors/tradesmen etc are ok with my creatures & do take the necessary steps....I'm not as hard as the previous comment may sound

 

It's quite simple, no food is taken into the garden and the old bat...sorry MIL keeps her varicose veins covered up.......Phoebe is only being interested & friendly & if MIL can't reciprocate then she has to go the other way & avoid the situations which distress her.....I feel like I'm talking to/about a small child not a grown woman

 

If she can't accept your living arrangements, then she has to make short visiting plans ie day trips not overnight stays, sorry if this is harsh but some people don't seem to be able to live & let live. Is she always stroppy or does she save it all for Phoebe who can't answer back I wonder?

 

Sorry, a bit of a rant, but I feel that if people visit me they take me as I am....fur & feathers (and soon to be bees too!) and all!

 

Sha x

 

p.s Nearly setting fire to your house ........whatever did she do....I bet she didn't apologise whatever it was, doesn't sound like it's in her nature xx

[Steph101]

I'm afraid a lot of that generation (not all, before someone jumps in telling me off for generalising)! just see chickens as stupid animals; they don't treat them like pets they way we do.

[Henhathnofury]

I told my mother that my little Desdemona was upset because her friend had to separated from her for a while because she was poorly and had a pecked bottom. 'Don't be silly,' my mother replied. 'You read too much into those daft creatures.' I had enough of her telling me that chickens don't think but to suggest they don't feel either............

 

 

Your pyromaniac, ranting, varicose-vein sprouting mother-in-law sounds awful. To be chicken phobic or to loathe or disrespect them.......well, she may have to be pinned to the lawn as in Gulliver's Travels and chickens set upon her person. Just imagine that when you are talking to her and it should help a little. How about getting her son to tackle her? Mothers and sons are usually a strong unit....

[Steph101]

Ha, ha! Bring it on! This is all sounding very familiar to me...

[Chickaboo]

Thanks for so much support The thing is she actually quite likes them (from a distance) and is always taking pictures of them etc - otherwise I would put them away, and we'd been out shopping all day, so she'd only had a hour or so of Phoebe before she started to get irritable with her. If you invite yourself to stay you have to take the rough with the smooth, they live here too!! I'm actively encouraging the varicose vein pecking now

[BocBoc]

What a difficult mother-in-law - or should that be monster-in-law?!

 

Poor Phoebe

 

I'm getting a bit fed up with one of my lodgers being horrible to our girls all the time too - I got my OH a silly little Fathers Day card and pressie from the girls on Sunday - the lodger was non too complimentary about it, in fact he was rather rude - but I think that might be because he got nothing from his two children

[Olly]

I'm afraid I constantly talk to my chickens - and the cats - in disparaging terms, it's just something I've got used to doing!

 

I usually let them out of the run with the words 'come on then, you mangy old birds' and spend the rest of the time nagging them to get out of my way and stop squabbling. I'm sure they know from the tone of my voice that I don't really mean it!

 

Maybe your MIL is just someone else who is used to doing that.

[Helly Welly]

I would have told her off for shouting at my pets. It's more their house than it is hers. She was just being rude and rude people make me