almost flipped out at work--UPDATE

[beach livin']

my boss has had chickens all her life, so that makes her the expert i guess. but today i almost lost it. she was trying to make me feel like an idiot and like i didnt know what i was doing or talking about. proceeded to tell me that i wasnt feeding the chickens the right food. i am not to have a feeder hung all day filled with layer food. that i needed to feed only leftovers from my dinner and cracked corn only. and that i am rediculous for wanting to treat my area with the de powder and stupid to ever think of worming the chickens. and she makes fun of me for having "city chickens", which by the way, i live right outside town limits so its not like i can leave them loose all day; and that im trying to turn them into pets(because i was holding them). my co-workers were sitting right there laughing too. i just felt so angry that i could have cried and could still do it now. i honestly cant talk about my girls anymore there, because i feel that i will just be made fun of.

Update: I think she could tell that she hurt my feelings yesterday. She never mentioned anything to me, and I never brought anything up. I was thinking she could be a voice of experience and offer advise; But I now realize that what I do, and what she does, are two different styles. I will keep on with my way, and she can keep on with hers

 

[ChickiKat]

sorry you had such a rough time...

 

[cassidy22]

That's absolutely terrible! It doesn't sound like SHE knows what she's doing with chickens.

Mine are certainly not pets, but I still hold some of them! There are a few that are super friendly and my daughter carries them around everywhere.

Everyone raises their pets and livestock differently - some folks would tell me I was stupid for letting my birds free range, others feel the opposite. Because this person is your boss, I don't know what to tell you, except to ignore her and know that you can raise your animals how you would like to, spoil them all you want.

But don't worry, I get laughed at all the time at work, because I am the crazy farm lady. But I know it entertains people to hear silly stories about turkeys roosting on my roof, a cow that fell asleep in my lap, and baby lambs coming inside by the fireplace in winter - I get laughed at, but I get laughed with, too.

 

[Illia]

You need to inform her otherwise then

Now, commercial feed indeed isn't the best route, but it in most cases is healthier nutritionally than just table scraps and ESPECIALLY cracked corn.


I get so upset when I think of the fact that our feedstore out here goes out of cracked corn waaaaay before any other poultry feed. My gosh is that all people feed their chickens around here?

No wonder they tell me their chickens stop laying or die at 3 years old. . .

 

[Godsgrl]

You don't deserve to be treated that way at work. Or ever, but especially at work. I know times are tough, and it is a terrible time to be looking for a job, but you deserve to have a boss that respects you and treats you kindly. Like my mom told me, "I won't have a boss that yells at me and treats me cruelly. I get enough of that at home." Sorry your boss was so rude to you.

 

[TigerLilly]

Dont know what kind of place you work in, but you may want to consider filing a "hostile workplace" grievance. I'm not a big fan of such, because it can end up making things worse, but at least brush up on the subject matter. Sometimes just the threat of taking things to a 'written' level (privately, of course) will make someone put things in perspective.
Of course you could always just tell her, again--in private, that "with all due respect" you don't appreciate being made fun of, etc in a public manner. Maybe invite her to visit your city chickens.
Of course, if she's just a naturally contrary old biddie, nothing will really work. Good luck--and try not to let it get to you.

 

[the3ofus+oursixchicks]

some people just are stupid. my hen gets up in my lap and gives me hugs and puts her head on my shoulder and rests. sweet i love my hens .

 

[fiddlebanshee]

Quote:
Can you elaborate why commercial feed is not the best route? I'm a complete newbie and was led to believe that commercial feed (as in purina etc) was the end-all and i shouldn't be feeding my chickens anything else?

Confused.

 

[Ole rooster]

She sounds pretty smart to me. The boss lady. She is the boss, but ask if you could visit to see her hens. And take some meal worms. But don't make her feel like a heel, she is the boss. Even if she is an idiot boss.

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

Sorry to hear about that, if I were to guess, it's not the first time she's belittled you in frount of others, thats how some bosses get their kicks, I take it, she is not a god fearing woman., but a little advice, keep track of all the mean and inappropriate things she says and does to you, write it down on paper...say yes m'am and no m'am and never contradict her...perhaps she'll lay off you and move on to someone else, and you will have a log of grievances if you should have to file for unemployment.
Try not to feel badly, we all started out with our chickens and made some mistakes, yours is not so awful! Just because she has so very many years of experience, doesn't make it good, maybe in her own mind, and just think of all the new friends you just made on byc that understand...hey I gotta go, my chicks are insisting that I take them out for alittle one on one time