"Discussion" with husband about owning chickens

[CarriBrown]

I use fly predators for the horses and chickens and they seem to keep the flies down better than anything else I've tried.

 

[newchickenmomma]

Find someone around that has chickens and you could get some FRESH eggs, then cook one side by side with a store bought egg and let him see and taste the difference. Sometimes, that can change ones mind, fresh eggs are nothing like store bought eggs. I cannot even eat a store bought egg anymore, they are nasty, and at least 6 weeks old by time you get them from the shelves, use that and see what he says. I clean my coops twice a year also, sometimes three times depending, but usually twice, I too use the deep litter method, and have no problems at all. good luck with you DH, hopefully he comes around for you. Where are you located?

Make him eat Fresh eggs lol

 

[snewman]

It's interesting that you mention making him eat a fresh egg next to a store bought one. Sunday I was making breakfast and offered eggs (store) which he declined, saying eggs alone don't do much for him, as there's not much flavor. I should make him do a taste test...

I'm located in Wisconsin, just south of Madison.

 

[newchickenmomma]

well if you were close lol, I would offer you fresh eggs, if you want to pay for shipping, I can send you fresh eggs, but I am sure you can find someone in your area who sells them, I would just make them, and just ask him to taste them and see what he thinks. Store bought eggs really don't have much taste to them, but fresh eggs are delicious. I just made a dozen and half of deviled eggs, they are the biggest hit at parties, cause they are so fresh and good lol. I wish you best of luck on this, I hope you can turn him around.

 

[panner123]

when my wife & I read your tale, we both said "NEWLYWEDS". He will learn over time if he wants to eat, have his clothes washed, as well as the act that makes children, he will let you have all the chickens you want.

 

[MTchick]

My husband balked at first just a little bit, but ultimately we decided that if he can justify expensive permits, new guns, many days away from home, and blood everywhere for a single deer carcass then I can certainly have my own little flock of low maintenance food producers myself. Less gas money than a full hunting season, that is for sure!

Besides, now he is enamored with "his little girls" that live in a big galvanized tub in the bathroom. They eat little tiny pieces of cheese out of his finger tips. He even went to the vet the other day for me to get some anti-coccidiosis medications for the chicks- very unmanly, but worth it for the little girls.

-MTchick

 

[birdlover]

I just have two small things to say (other than what everyone else has already said, to which I whole-heartedly agree)!

Instead of fencing the chickens, why not fence the garden??

If he will eat a soft boiled egg, I find you can REALLY taste the difference when it's fresh from the hen. There's nothing tastier than a bowl of soft boiled egg and a piece of toast!!

Keeping my fingers crossed that your aspirations become fulfilled!

 

[VirginiaAR]

Along with all the other suggestions, let me throw in my own. I raise guineas, chickens, bantams, & a stray peahen. They all freerange. We live in an acreage subdivision, & the neighbors love them.

The one change I made since I started my medium size flock is that after a few months I went all organic. I don't feed them chicken feed. I make a mix of barley, oats, sunflower seeds, & cracked corn, plus a little DE. The difference in the smell of the coop was almost instantaneous. In less than a week I noticed it big time.

And yes, the eggs are yummy. Though nothing beats a guinea egg.

 

[SunChick]

I didn't know you could eat a guinea egg! I was told many years ago that you couldn't they were too hard to crack into...maybe they were hard boiling them? How are they different?

 

[Backyard Buddies]

I agree with a lot of what has been said here. We live in the city and only have three little chickens but they have ended up being a great addition to our home. This started as a project for the kids and me and hubby had nothing to do with it, other than helping to build the coop/run. As they've grown, hubby's love for them has grown as well. He enjoys sitting out in the yard with them running around his feet. He talks to them and lets them sit in his lap. If I'm caught up in something else, he remembers to lock them up without me even mentioning it.

They do poop, a lot! But, that poop is gold in the garden. My lawn is very green without any additional fertilizing. We scoop poop in the coop/run daily so there is no smell. When I completely clean out the shavings, they go into a compost pile that eventually makes its way into the flower beds and veggie gardens. Both are doing really well! There are almost no pests in my yard and for the first time I have a very lush, bug free patch of lettuce and salad greens.

And, no one likes store eggs any more because they are bland and tasteless. If you've ever compared a home grown tomato and a store bought one, you know the difference can be huge. It's the same with a fresh egg from hens that live happy and carefree lives in my backyard.

Start small, with just a few hens that are good and early producers. With the right hens, you could have tasty fresh eggs in as little as 4 or 5 months. If it works out well for both of you, you can think of adding more later.