Chortle Chook Posted November 15, 2010 Share Posted November 15, 2010 It took me years to persuade my OH that we could have some chickens in our garden. He always said that the garden was too small (it is 20m long) or that they would make it a horrible mess (they haven't) or that you can't have dogs and chickens together (my dogs are fine with my chooks). Now at last we have some but still my OH refuses to get drawn into talking about chickens. He won't look at any pictures and rolls his eyes if I talk about this forum. The merest suggestion of going to see any seems to bring on an expression of great boredom . Yet I have just this minute spied him hand feeding corn to them and carefully ensuring that the lowest in the pecking order gets her fair share. So is it all a macho front? What do men really think about keeping chickens? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C&T Posted November 15, 2010 Share Posted November 15, 2010 Def all a macho front! My OH was the same - he is now absolutely dotty over them - especially when he thinks he is not being watched! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenopolis Posted November 15, 2010 Share Posted November 15, 2010 My OH is nutty about "the ladies". Feeds them grapes when they are in the nest box (grapes are cut up, mind you), regularly sneaks out some mealworms and if the truth be known has been caught yelling "ladies....biscuits" and they come running. He is now talking about "perhaps we could get some light sussex ladies in the Spring". All this from a man who said, and I quote "I want nothing to do with these chickens". Yeah...right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueandwhite Posted November 15, 2010 Share Posted November 15, 2010 My 18 year old son told me to say 'they are cool' - high accolade indeed! Actually he loves them and spends a lot of time in the garden with them, brings his friends home from college to look at them and let's them in the house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted November 15, 2010 Share Posted November 15, 2010 yes its a macho front My husband moans about the chickens but when I work away he fusses over them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the bradley bunch Posted November 15, 2010 Share Posted November 15, 2010 My OH is nutty about "the ladies". Feeds them grapes when they are in the nest box (grapes are cut up, mind you), regularly sneaks out some mealworms and if the truth be known has been caught yelling "ladies....biscuits" and they come running. He is now talking about "perhaps we could get some light sussex ladies in the Spring". All this from a man who said, and I quote "I want nothing to do with these chickens". Yeah...right. yep, exact same situation here! my hubby is always sneaking the girls treats & bread he is totally smitten with them & they have him wrapped around their little claws! before we got them he wasn't against the idea, tbh he wasn't bothered either way, but the second we got to the farm to collect our ex-bats he pointed at one big hen and said 'i want that one, and she's going to be my Doris', as well as the pointing he also said this rather loudly ... and to this day she remains his Doris, he even has a picture of her as his phone wallpaper...it used to be me on there! however well they hide it (or not in my case), all men love their chickens! (especially those who make sure even the littlest one gets a share of the treats Cheaky Chook! ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella14 Posted November 15, 2010 Share Posted November 15, 2010 We just got our first hens yesterday and my bloke is entirely smitten. This was to be expected though as he wanted them too and generally loves all animals Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marky D Posted November 15, 2010 Share Posted November 15, 2010 My little ladies are fab, wished i'd have got some years ago, was only my missus stopping me now she (although wont admit it) loves the girls as well and is always letting them in the house, giving cuddles and treats etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted November 15, 2010 Share Posted November 15, 2010 My OH isn't exactly smitten with my girls (note I say 'my' ) but he does put their food and water out most mornings without complaint . Not sure I've ever heard him talk to them though . My 18 year old son named our latest 3 girls after his new girlfriend and 2 other female friends . He also has a photo of them on his laptop desktop . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky1 Posted November 15, 2010 Share Posted November 15, 2010 Ladies I have to disagree I had to convince DW that we should get chickens - and it took me some little while. Now though she loves all the Ducks and Chooks. Mind you we divide the work equally. She collects the eggs and feeds them. I do the mucking out and changing the pond water Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coco Posted November 15, 2010 Share Posted November 15, 2010 OH was happy about the first three, the next two were ok, the next two were snuck in and I had to sound very convincing when I told him I'd replaced Coco with another three chickens. I think I might be pushing my luck so shan't be getting anymore for a while. He doies go out and feed them mealyworms when I'm not looking and he has just built them a WIR and house which has taken several of his weekends up so I think he quite likes them really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted November 15, 2010 Author Share Posted November 15, 2010 Mind you we divide the work equally. She collects the eggs and feeds them. I do the mucking out and changing the pond water Hey that's not right Are any other true gents out there in the same boat? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavysqueak Posted November 15, 2010 Share Posted November 15, 2010 My OH loves our girls, but it is very different as he & I both wanted them in the first place. My OH is a fan of animals and loves them all (although our nippy male guinea pig is in the bad books at the mo!) - he loves the pics & vids on this forum as much as I do. Its such a lovely hobby to be able to share, which is what I like about this forum. Happy chicken keeping to all! XxX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abwsco Posted November 15, 2010 Share Posted November 15, 2010 Well, we first got exbatts in April '08 and then DH decided he wanted two more chickens for his Fathers day present in June '08 He's also spent hours and hours faffing around on the run. Even been out all day in torrential downpours to completely redo the roof and regularly helps me clean them out and dig stalosan and garden lime into their area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enpekt Posted November 15, 2010 Share Posted November 15, 2010 My username says it all. I have 2nd class chickenzenship. Their run is cleaner than our house. I have a neverending list of chickenchores. But. She cleans them, their run, the patio and the garden and I get the fun part of catching them if they need treatment. They're like Marmite, you love 'em or hate 'em. I love 'em, but don't tell PeckyBeak... Shhhhh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nattie Posted November 15, 2010 Share Posted November 15, 2010 OH was not keen at all, kept telling everyone it was me and the daughter that wanted them.... so this morning as it was a little chilly he made them warm porridge and this was before i got my cup of tea and tonight was up the garden in wellies and his dressing gown with a bit of 2x2 as he swore he had heard a fox near HIS chickens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Chick Posted November 16, 2010 Share Posted November 16, 2010 My OH loves the girls, I always say he loves them more than he love me He buys them cabbages, fussed over the WIR, does a lot of the mucking out with the WIR (won't do poo trays though), installed webcams so he could watch them in work, has his favourite (now dearly departed) hen as his mobile wallpaper etc etc etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted November 16, 2010 Author Share Posted November 16, 2010 My OH has just been reading these posts. There is a glimmer of a thought now that it might just be OK for a man to like the chickens. but he would still rather look after the car Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenopolis Posted November 16, 2010 Share Posted November 16, 2010 OH did a bit of food shopping last night - whilst I was checking the contents of the bag in the kitchen I spotted an Organic Sweetheart Cabbage - as we were about to have shepherds pie for tea last night I though "Lush - I'll have some of that with my tea". OH then said - "it's for the ladies tomorrow - you know they like a cabbage". I had carrots instead!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna C Posted November 16, 2010 Share Posted November 16, 2010 My oh never ever had any animals as a child, we now have two orps, two guniea-pigs and a lab. Although it was his idea and he will help if asked he really doesn't show much interest. I wish he would although his biggest bug bear is how much eglu cost and we are still trying to water-proof run . The other day a had a very very rare lie-in. I asked if he would do the girls( food, water let them out) After alot of eye-rolling he did it. However when i went to clean them i noticed they were not interested in their food, very odd. He had filled the feeder with GRIT I really wish he would take more interest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gelbel Posted November 16, 2010 Share Posted November 16, 2010 Mine loves them nearly as much as I do! He is known to have long conversations with pals (who will listen) about their antics. First question I hear when he comes home from work is, "How are the girls?" He was never anti them - he just thought he'd be lumbered with cleaning them after I got over the initial novelty. In fact, the only time he's had to do the honours is if I am working away and then that's only checking the food and water - he's never had to clean them. He's even not minded my recent tell tale signs of morehens disease - he can see that two more won't make a difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna C Posted November 16, 2010 Share Posted November 16, 2010 You're very lucky. Still working on mine. I get eyes rolled when ever I mention getting a few more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docsquid Posted November 16, 2010 Share Posted November 16, 2010 DH wasn't keen on my getting them, and it took a long time to persuade him a WIR was a good idea. However he says "they're a good laugh, if they keep you happy that's fine". And he is often spotted giving them grapes/mealworms He doesn't like the mess they make of the garden, but then he never did any gardening anyway, so can't complain. I can count the number of times he's cleaned/de-pood the chickens on the fingers of one hand, but he is good at helping to get them back in the run when they are reluctant (particularly Gwladys who is remarkably good at evading capture!). And he LOVES the eggs and cakes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daxigirl Posted November 16, 2010 Share Posted November 16, 2010 I was asking a builder about concreting the girls a new run base when his mate piped up I wanted chickens a couple of years ago, one of them Omlet Eglu houses, really fancied them. I was quite taken by suprise, he didn't look the sort, rather fit though, he can come and look at my chickens any day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boltonJim Posted November 16, 2010 Share Posted November 16, 2010 Contrary to most of the other postings it seems to be me who performs most of the hen-related chores at the moment. That's probably due to me being first up in the morning. I set table for (our) breakfast, feed cat (Lucy) and clean out poo tray, make porridge for the ladies and open the pop hole all while my OH is in the shower. At weekend, it seems to be me who cleans out the eglu and lets out the hens to free-range. Mind you Isabel did contribute their names (3 'ens - geddit!) and she does wonders with their eggs - quiches, cakes etc, so that makes up for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
