Chickens just not appreciate by teenagers

[Must Be Losing It]

Tonight at dinner my two boys were giving me a bit of grief about the 5 chicks in my sunroom. It seems my 15 year old is totally embarassed by the fact that his mom is hatching chickens and raising them in the sunroom of their new home.
And that their mom's guinea hens are all laying for the first time and I'm incubating a few eggs.

My younger son seems to appreciate the process, watches the eggs hatch with me through the window of the incubator but he still thinks I'm nuts.

Am I nuts for thinking this would be a fun family thing?

I told my 15 year old that when he has children of his own he'll very proudly tell his own children how grandma hatched eggs and raised chickens and that most likely I'll still have chickens when he has young ones and maybe then he might see the joy in this as they watch chicks hatch for the first time, up close and personal.

Does this really happen w/ grandkids or am I living some romantic dream?

 

[Oblio13]

 

[CarolinaGirl]

Perhaps your son will outgrow the embarassment?

I've had chickens all my life so I seem to think they're the norm and very cool... But I quickly learned that it was "horrifying" to my overly dramatic 13 year old cousin

She quickly let me know that I was nuts when I asked her if she wanted to help me gather eggs when she spent the day with me last week. Oops.

However, there is hope for the grandkids! The reason why I love and have chickens is because of my grandparents chickens... Plus, my 4 year old niece thinks my chickens are the best things ever while her parents roll their eyes. Her favorite thing to do since she was just toddling was gathering eggs and cuddling silkies

 

[Must Be Losing It]

Thanks guys. I'm hoping he has a change of heart.

Julie

 

[wegotchickens]

My 15-year old daughter refuses to eat our eggs. Says she doesn't want to know where her eggs come from. "I don't want to know who's butt they came out of!" were her exact words.

My 12-year old loves to eat them. But after we got the bator has decided she would rather hatch each and every one of them to see what they look like.

Conversely, when hatching eggs in the bator the 15-year old watched avidly and the 12-year old wandered away bored.

Teenagers are just weird. I've told them not to make a grandmother until they are in their 20's. But I'm really looking forward to BEING a grandmother someday, too!!

 

[AussieSharon]

It's the age. My 13 year old wouldn't dare tell his friends about our chickens, ducks or incubating but the second he comes home from school he is checking on everyone and playing with HIS ducks.

He was actually teased at school for being in 4H and wanted to quit. We live in a farming community!!

 

[NS2A]

I think it depends. Growing up, I was raised in a small town. I had access to friends and family's farms that we could go out to on a whim. Spent a lot of time at grandma's farm, which was a true classic farm and had everything.

It influenced me greatly. But my sister is the most suburban woman there is.

So, it kind of depends...

I was a bit sad reading your post. I have 2.5 acres, and 25 chickens, had goats, want sheep, and have 2 kids - ages 3 and 5. The problem is I work a "city job" and have an hour commute to my job. Honestly, it's getting a bit of a tiresome drive so I've thought about selling. My wife assures me it's the place to raise kids and it's all good for them and such and when they get older this will be the place for them etc....

So, hearing that a 15 year old isn't into it, is kind of sad. But, I suppose it all depends...

 

[wegotchickens]

It depends on the kids and the situation. I think it depends on the personality of the child in question. I have chickens now because I LOVED talking care of them at 12-15. It wasn't until high school that I got into other things and focused less on chickens.

So don't be disappointed NS2A. I wish I could've raised my kids in the situation you are in now.
And although my younger sis and I were both raised the same, she is like your sister; VERY suburban. But I've always missed farm life!

 

[mangled]

My 5 and 2 year old love our chickens. The 2 year old follows them around saying Chick chick...

My sister's kids are 7, 11 and 16. The 7 year old is terrified of them (city kids

) the 11 year old thinks they're neat, and the 16 year old wants to come live with us on our "farm."

My husband's best friend has a boy who is 15, and tries real hard not to be interested in the chickens, but always ends up crawling into the coop with my kids and helping them get the eggs or holding a chicken or chick.

I think it's probably the age. I think if you would have asked me at 15 if I wanted or liked chickens, I would have given you the old eyeroll and scoffed, like as if!!

Em

 

[M.J]

not all kids are chicken haters i raised chickens as a young kid and i loved them and still do and i was the only one in the family that takes care of them