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designer labels and designer chickens...

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bear with me cos I'm intrigued to know and I'm not judging anyone...

 

I've never been into 'designer' lables, if something is stylish and well made and value for money, that's what appeals to me, whoever makes it- I don't really care. I don't aspire to the 'designer' sort of lifestyle.

 

I don't know if my attitude/ethos extended towards my choice of chickens. My first instinct was to go for battery hens, I only considered going to a breeder briefly but only because of the egg laying issue (i.e. we might not get many eggs from our ex-batts, turns out we've had loads and they're still laying) but once we'd thought about ex-batts, in my heart of hearts, I couldn't then make a U-turn and I am so glad I didn't. I love my girls and their quirky little personalities are totally adorable.

 

I hadn't really thought about the connection until I saw all your posts about all your different weird and wonderful breeds of chickens. Some of them very exotic indeed! :)

 

Anyway, how many of you with 'designer' chickens go for 'designer' labels and vice versa? Please be honest :)

 

Just curious...

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ha ha yes I go for both. For a number of reasons, its not a case of cause its a label I like it, but a few years back I had a major wardrobe sort out, I had a mixture of label clothes and highstreet store stuff. Lot of the clothes had become stretched and mishappen, or faded or badly bobbled and I noticed that all the clothes that I was throwing out were cheap highstreet stuff, some stuff only a few months old but looked awful. And yet I have designer stuff that I have had for 10 years or more, still fit and still look like new, even after a lot of wear. I also like the way lable stuff pushes the boundaries more in terms of design and I can get more outlandish and interesting designs and stuff that is less likely to have loads of other people wearing the same.

 

With chickens I think again breeds have a bit more reliability in terms of temperament and characteristics, and they look good and like clothing they are better quality as inlike hybrids they are hardier and longer living and healthier in a lot of cases. I guess like my clothes I dont want them to fall apart on me lol!

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With chickens I think again breeds have a bit more reliability in terms of temperament and characteristics, and they look good and like clothing they are better quality as inlike hybrids they are hardier and longer living and healthier in a lot of cases. I guess like my clothes I dont want them to fall apart on me lol!

 

Interesting. I am a dog lover above all other pets. I always end up with

mongrels/mutts from rescue homes, all of which live to 14/16 years old.

My vet told me that mongrels usually outlive pedigree breeds because they

are not prey to the various inherited ailments caused by inbreeding. I guess

it doesn't work like that with chickens :) One of my pet HATES is to see

'celebrities' carrying those tiny 'fashionable' dogs who are dressed up in

designers labels :evil::evil: dogs should be running around in the mud

rolling in unspeakable things :roll: well that's my opinion anyway. Rant over :)

 

Tessa

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My chickens have been chosen on egg laying ability and which ones i liked the look of when choosing.

 

I definately don't buy designer clothes, i just don't see the point. I'm the sort of person who spills her dinner down herself most days anyway so it seems pointless to me.

 

My clothes are cheapish, but not Primark cheap, in fact i get quite a few bits from charity shops.

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Fully agree on the dog front, I was surprised to see its the other way round with chooks.

 

I think also its good to support the pure breeds of chicken, as hybrids produce better meat and more eggs, if it wasnt for people wanting to collect and preserve the pure breeds they wouldnt exist. So I like to think Im helping this too.

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Had to reply to this one didn't I :wink:

 

My two girls are both hybrids but have designer names to match my style! I do love some designer stuff and save up to buy it. But I dont have a wardrobe full of clothes, shoes bags etc - for example, I own two handbags, one Prada and one Louis Vuitton and I have not yet got bored with either of them. They are also so well made that they look as good now as the day I bought them.

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I don't do designer labels either (can't afford them anyway!), although I do appreciate things that are better quality and therefore longer lasting.

 

I decided against battery chooks because of the children. I have 3 boys, the 2 little ones are very 'hands on' with the chooks. Firstly I know I wouldn't have the time to care for one if it needed a bit of TLC and I didn't want one to be even more traumatised by attention from my boys. Egg laying ability does come into it as well - mine do have to justify their existance from OHs point of view. If I had the space I'd have loads of each - pure breeds to keep the breeds going, hybrids for the sheer personality and range of colours and eggs, and ex-batts just to see them enjoy life. I do my bit by not buying battery eggs, spreading the word amongst friends (and providing them with an alternative to battery eggs). :D

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When we went to Garden Poultry we just asked the man what breeds he recomended for beginers. We liked all the ones picked out (magic looked quite scary though.....) We didnt buy them for eggs. Just as pets.

I dont agree with celebritys carrying round little dogs in their handbags, it is very cruel and there is no need for it.

I do own some designer clothes, but they are just passed down from my cousin, I have to admit I do love Louis Vuitton. But the prices are rediculas, £80 for a mini purse!

But saying that I love Primark! They do some gorgous stuff!

 

We didnt pick are girls based on looks, although they are very pretty. I admit, Clover's hair style was very appealing.....

 

xx

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I don't think designer clothes and quality always go hand in hand but that's by the by- I like well made, long lasting things too but for some reason I bawk at the thought of paying silly prices just for a name. You can buy well made things without paying daft prices. I think that whole 'display of wealth' thing annoys me too, you know where the name is plastered all over the item?

 

Trust me, I really, really don't aspire to that life and am not jealous at all. I've recently given up work due to ill health and had to cut back on the finances and become more self reliant (another reason for getting the chooks) and, despite being poorly, I've never been happier! :D I can't afford costly things and therefore don't lust after them like I possibly used to. It's a big relief not to constantly want the next new gadget etc.

 

 

I just wondered if my ethos had carried over into my choice of chicken. My immediate reaction, when deciding to go into chicken keeping, wasn't to rush to a breeder. There was possibly a little of that 'I don't want a designer chicken' thing but I think it was more the desire to rescue the poor things that drove me.

 

It's very interesting to read your various reasons for choosing the type of chicken you went for, keep them coming :)

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I don't consider my pure-breed chickens to be 'designer' - which to me suggests that something basic has been made/designed to be better/more efficient/ more expensive. Pure-breed chickens existed 1st, before hybrid 'designer' chickens were developed.

I used to be into clothes 'labels' - when I was able to fit in them :roll: . The only thing I'm a bit 'designer' about now is my car - I've always liked driving nice cars.

And don't forget......most of us here own a 'designer' hen house :D

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I don't tend to go for designer labels either - I prefer to get loads of bagfulls of stuff than one item of clothing. But saying that I will have something more expensive if I know it will last - quality not the price that influences me. Plus, if you buy cheaper stuff, then you can afford to change your entire wardrobe more often & you know how quick fashion changes!

I will however pay a lot for my handbags, but that is because they last a long time, never date & I rotate them with my mum & sister.....kind of hire a handbag.

 

On the chicken front, I went for the Omlet chooks as they were recommended for beginners and it seemed a good set up kit.

When I chose my newbies this year - I wanted a white egg layer. I looked round various places then finally found a place with white leghorns and a good mix of hybrids well cared for & near to home. I am over the moon with them!

My next chookies - will be pure breeds large fowl (cream legbar, wyandotte, araucana) or pekin bantams!!! Only because I want some long living chooks! But saying that, my heart says - get some ex batts! So I'm not sure yet what I'll do!

 

Emma.x

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having said all that, it's still nice to see a pretty girl now and then.

 

My girls are beautiful to me but beauty is in the eye of the chookholder ;)

 

I don't begrudge anyone their pretty girls, life would be boring if we were all the same :)

 

I suppose it's like art, I wouldn't shell out for a Picasso but I like to go to an art gallery to look at one. I'd just hope those whow own Picasso's donate to charities, like the BHWT ;)

 

keep the pics of the pretty girls coming, I love to see them :)

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I went for pure breed Bantams because I could have more of them.

 

I don't do designer labels. My clothes come from Matalan, Tesco and Primark, even then I only shop for clothes about twice a year to replace clothes that are worn out. I have been the same size in clothes since I was 16 years old, (except when I was pregnant). OH thinks I am very low maintenance :lol:

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We went for pretty chickens and pretty eggs. I think some chicken breeders have been a bit bemused by me ringing up and saying 'I'd like a blue egg layer and a white egg layer , oh and have you got anything interesting and pretty on the bantam front?'

 

I go for cheap as chips clothes generally, but have a few expensive bits that have lasted years. I tend to make anything formal/expensive rather than buy.

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Interesting comment on the art bit Poet, I also spend a great deal of money on tattoos, around about £300 a month on sessions, and have reasonably heavy coverage. The clothes I wear are not designer in terms of fashion, so I dont have to worry about keeping up with trends and having the latest 'thing'. My style is very american retro 50s, so not the sort of thing you find on the high street. I like that I have a unique style that is very me and my identity. I also like to spend money on this as its good to have something to show for what I earn. I never understand people who go out on the lash at the weekend and spend a £100 a week on going to pubs and clubs and drinking and smoking. I would far rather have some fab artwork on my body or a funky boutique designed shirt, or a cute feather legged chocken!

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The whole reason for me getting my Eglu was to rehome battery hens. I missed the May rescue in Essex, the August rescue was postponed until

September, and then it became October. I just wanted chickens NOW

:roll: very childish I know :) so I caved and ordered them from Omlet. I have

promised myself I will rehome ex batts one day.

 

As far as 'designer' clothes etc., are concerned, I buy all my clothes from

charity shops or car boot sales, I have some very nice things :) Underwear

new from M&S :) shoes are my weakness, I don't like cheap shoes that fall

apart after 6 months so 'when' I buy new shoes, which isn't very often, I shop in Bally or Russell and Bromley, which has gorgeous shoes at reasonable prices and very good quality. Without causing offence to anyone I would never buy clothes from Primark or Tesco because they are all made in horrible sweat shops where the workers earn zilch, that seems to go for Gap

as well :( I know there are all sorts of arguments about cheap labour in foreign countries, in as much as without this work people would have no pay at all, but I feel quite strongly that it is wrong to treat people this way.

If I buy a Gap garment second hand then I don't feel guilty. Hope "Ooops, word censored!"ody takes offence at what I have said, it is just my opinion.

 

Tessa

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Interesting comment on the art bit Poet, I also spend a great deal of money on tattoos, around about £300 a month on sessions, and have reasonably heavy coverage. The clothes I wear are not designer in terms of fashion, so I dont have to worry about keeping up with trends and having the latest 'thing'. My style is very american retro 50s, so not the sort of thing you find on the high street. I like that I have a unique style that is very me and my identity. I also like to spend money on this as its good to have something to show for what I earn. I never understand people who go out on the lash at the weekend and spend a £100 a week on going to pubs and clubs and drinking and smoking. I would far rather have some fab artwork on my body or a funky boutique designed shirt, or a cute feather legged chocken!

 

I'd love to see a picture.

 

£300 a month you say! Wow. :shock::lol: Good for you.

 

I totally agree with what you say about spending huge amounts of money on booze. You may as well pour it down a wall. :lol:

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my DH is addicted to his guitar and Miami Ink and LA Ink etc- I promised him a tattoo but that was before I had to give up work, now I think the expense is a little out of the question but we'll see.

 

Do you have a chicken tattoo? :)

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Umm not got many pics on the computer at the mo,

 

had this half sleeve finished recently though

SNB20954-1.jpg

 

Im thinking I might get a chicken done somewhere too!

 

Fantastic!

 

How many hours work went into that one?

 

My son has SUFC tattooed on his leg. :roll: Not quite the same. :lol:

 

Definitely have a chicken done.

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im far from designer labels....way far.....!! :D

 

My 1st 2 chooks were rescue hybrids that my husband got from a chicken farm (he's a chicken catcher)..they were free range chooks supposedly for a major supermarket shelf - but they were runts - so they didnt make the weight. So we had them. :)

 

My other 3 were chosen purely for "docileness" and quietness. I chose Cochins because they are very quiet, they cant fly and they are easily tamed. My other chook Ella is extremely vocal and me and my neighbours couldnt be doing with another loud hen!! :shock:

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