almost flipped out at work--UPDATE

[TheSpiceGirls]

Oh, I'm so sorry. Perhaps not talking about it is best.

I know that we all have such diverse styles about how we raise our chickens and it's not that any of them are right or wrong, it's just how we choose to raise them and what works for us.

I know I spoil my hens rotten. But it's a choice I made. I only have two so I can afford to do so. I take them to the vet when they are ill. I talk to them. The obviously have names and we have made a choice that we'd never kill one. They will live out their lives until they choose to leave us. Even if that means no eggs for a period of time. And I'm fine with that.

Not everyone on this site will share those same values and that's perfectly okay.

But criticizing someone who has different values is simply not right.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Quote:
I've run into that exact same thing out here, too! I went to the feed store down in Plymouth one day & they didn't have the feed I was after but said they had plenty of scratch and cracked corn. This was in July when the median temps here are in the mid/upper 90s. I told the lady at the feed store that I don't feed my chickens cracked corn or scratch unless it's cold outside, and the gentleman in line behind us said, "That's all I ever feed my chickens and they do just fine." I told him that's great for him and his birds, but I like mine to live longer and be healthy and won't give them substandard food, that everything I'd ever learned about chickens was that scratch and cracked corn help them keep their body temperatures up, which they certainly do not need in 90-degree heat. I asked him out of curiosity if his chickens live a long time, and he said, "Yes they do. I've had some live as long as 2-1/2, sometimes even 3 years." When I told him I personally know people who have had some of their flock for 7 or 8 years and going, he laughed, did everything short of calling me a liar, and said he'd never heard of a chicken living longer than 3 years. I asked him to join us here on BYC and meet other chicken folks who've had a lot of success with long-lived flocks. He just stared at me, and I didn't want to argue with a stranger so I left the store and drove up to Placerville to get the right feed.

I would have loved to have been in line and heard that conversation.

 

[seminolewind]

Commercial feed is best, along with nutritious snacks like leftovers, grass and bugs.
You may be enabling her to continue with her behavior. Just smile and nod your head, since she's your boss, and you will consider her information. Ask her if she'd like to try some of your feed. Make it like your are both sharing your own experiences rather than the one way flow of this information.

Smile to yourself in knowing that she's had chickens for years, and you still have that passion and joy of having that relationship with your pets. And 100,000+ members here give you better education than one with ideas that you don't agree with. And you are having the most joy and happiness.

I love what Wyododge said. She may be resentful that you have this forum and wonderful info, rather than just taking her advice as the only correct way.

When people put down chickens as just chickens, I tell them that when my dogs depart from old age, my next housepet will be a house chicken with a diaper.

Sometimes , smart people like you will consider all information, and decide for themselves.When she brings up a "how to", bring up a cute story about one of your chickens.

Bosses are hard. You don't want to pi$$ them off, but you don't want to be the "uneducated one".

Handbasket, feed store personel are most likely the worst source of good information.

 

[farmer9989]

Quote:
or people tipical boss!

 

[sommrluv]

You've gotten some great advice about how to deal with your boss. It certainly sounds like a frustrating situation but it's possible her intention wasn't to mock you. I think also, it wouldn't hurt to sit down with her and just let her know, 'hey, I felt criticized and singled out and it hurt my feelings. I'm sure that wasn't your intention.' I can personally say I've been in that position of manager of a group and have hurt someone's feelings COMPLETELY inadvertently, and because there was no reaction at the time, I would have never known and adjusted my behaviour when it came to that person and made their working place more pleasant. I'm glad they took the (admittedly very uncomfortable step) of talking to me. I find a workplace where there is more women versus men also seems to be charged more towards the emotional side and people take things more seriously (I'm a gal!).


As far as the diet itself is concerned, I wanted to chime in with the other comments. I think often people misunderstand it's not always the diet alone, a big factor has to do with exactly what purpose your chickens are to you. If you want a cheap food source (eggs and stew meat after the chickens useful life) than there is nothing wrong with free-ranging, providing a scratch or cracked corn, and feeding leftovers and calcium/grit. Are you going to get eggs everyday without fail? Most likely not. Your egg production will go down. However, your feed bill will also decrease significantly. Chickens are very good at converting whatever they take in and putting it towards egg production.

It's safe to say also, on a diet like that, that a chickens life span could potentially be decreased as well as leaving it open to a weakened immune system. I can say that's not always the case, but I'm sure the percentages are higher.

If you want daily eggs, or you sell eggs, and you want a chicken that will live for years and years (being aware than a chicken will molt every year, and than lay less often, but however also lay bigger eggs, regardless of feed after every molt) Than a complete feed is fine for you. It will give you an egg laying machine. Your feed costs will reflect that, but they will also be reflected in the amount of eggs in your fridge or that you sell.


I personally, have been doing a lot of study on not doing a complete feed and mixing my own whole grain organic ration combined with free-ranging that will be cost effective and productive. I'm also having problems with wild birds and critters eating out of my feeders so I do not want to free-feed any longer. I also want a medium to large egg on a somewhat regular basis versus an XL egg or a double yolker less regularly, so keeping chickens past two-three years isn't something I think is effective 'for me'.


Just like in anything, there's different ways to doing things and everyone has their opinion and will do what's best for them. Sometime's it's difficult to step back and accept that when you feel like someone is judging you for your opinion.

 

[sommrluv]

I'm curious how things are going at the office?

 

[MadameDork]

I can tell you that I would have ended up in tears.

I work with two ladies who have/had chickens. The owner is a farm raised woman who loves her chickens, but still views them as a farm animal and not so much a pet. She couldn't believe it when I told her my chicks were climbing on my hands. She was more fascinated than calling me a liar though. I feel fortunate that I can talk candidly about the chickens with her, get advice but she respects that mine are more pet like to me. She understands that many people can't view their chickens as a food source. Like when I asked what she did when she ended up with a rooster. She said that she knows many can't do this, but he ended up as dinner. Yep, I couldn't do that. If I have a rooster, he will find a new home and not for dinner.

It's funny how some people view the way they were raised doing something as the end all be all. "It's always been done that way!" I hate that response. There can be a better way. There isn't much in my life that I do because it was always done that way. My I use my mind and there are better ways. You will have healthy, happy, long living chickens and they won't because they are stuck in their ways.

 

[moetrout]

I would not have taken that. I would have schooled that woman in front of everyone. Most people can see through the bull$hit if you give them the facts. I am known for chickens around work. I don't think anyone else here has any. I get lots of questions and many curious people that want to hear my chicken stories.

 

[Beekissed]

They say that with age comes wisdom. I've learned that sometimes age shows up to the party all by itself.