Hard decision, to sell 2 flocks or not. rambling a lot...

[AHappychick]

I have been hit with yet another outrageous lawyer bill. By this point I have sold most all of my jewelry and am putting together the silverware and other antiques that my sister and I can bear to part with that we inherited from my Grandmother. I am even debating pawning my wedding ring (but with the intent of buying it back before the 90 days are up).

I have to come up with $25,000 in the next few weeks.

So I am left looking at my chickens.

I have an awesome trio of Araucanas all double tuffted and rumpless - 2 LF blacks and one Bantam blue these guys struggled with fertility they finally worked that out and gave me a few fertile eggs they promptly went into molt and all I was able to do was hatch out 3 chicks from them this whole year.

Then there is my favorite pair Alabaster my white tufted and rumpless Araucana who is THE GREATEST roo in all the land, so much so that even though I had no use for him I spent $150 buying him the perfect mate, Bianca a double tufted white araucana hen.

I don't want to sell any of them but neither group produces much of anything so they are more of a financial burden. Now emotionally I could care less and would like to keep Alabaster and Bianca forever even if I never got an egg or chick from them in the rest of their lives. I am not as attached to the trio but very fond of the blue bantam as she is very sweet.

First off I could not just shove them on eggbid as I really would want to hand select the buyer but at the same time the whole point is cause I need money.

I think all together they could bring in at least $500 judging on the prices I have seen others go for, but really is $500 worth it? but then again it would not only be the sale money but also freeing up some time, space and lowering my feed bill.

I am literally almost crying and I do not shed tears easily.

The other issue is that both groups are kept inside a lot more than I would like. I build a coop for Alabaster and Bianca but he would not take a break from crowing and I am not allowed roos so they had to go back in the garage coop while I worked out a solution. same with the trio. Now that the leaves are on the trees and the sound wont travel as far I try to give each group at least an hour or 2 free ranging outside each day but it is not always practical.

I have trained Marty, and my 3 silkie roosters, and my black Ameraucana Rooster to not crow much if at all from 11pm-8pm (this is a whole nother thread but I did train them lol) and I hoped to do the same with Alabaster and the other black Araucana roo but havent been able to yet.

I had hoped to sell my home as soon as the lawsuits are over and move to a farm so I tell myself that my not being able to house all birds in outdoor coops with runs is only temporary but it still makes me sad knowing that Marty's flock and all the silkies get to enjoy the outside every day all day long and the Araucana groups do not. So knowing that they could all go to great homes in real farm areas with real freedom makes me feel as though maybe I am doing them an injustice by keeping them here.

so any opinions? am I just nuts? should I just suck it up and keep them, or stop crying and sell them? am I over thinking it?

I mean in a month or so I can build a better outdoor coop that is more insolated so they are not heard at dawn, and that has been the plan but the lumber is going to cost me and again I am dealing with the debt I need to pay.

heres a pic of Alabaster and Bianca in what I hoped would be their coop but after a few days I had to move them back inside as Alabaster was being obnoxious and having crow debated with Fuzzy. Not wanting Bianca to be alone I kept her with him.

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

sometimes life can make you just want to

I can tell you, that any time I have sold an animal to pay a bill (an animal that I was not origianlly intending to sell) - I always regret it.


Wish I had a pot of gold for you, or even some worth while advice.

 

[Backyard Farm]

Can't do much to help except send a big hug!

..a terrible choice to have to make!!

 

[WingingIt]

Sorry you have to make this choice. Here's something to consider and maybe it will help you decide a tiny bit. Think about when you buy your farm land and move. Say you do not have these breeds at that time. Would you go spend quite a bit of money to get them again? Do you feel that strongly about having them? If so, don't sell them because you'll just have to research sellers and start over again. If you don't think you'd like to have them (or some of them) again, then that should make it easier to let them go and, like you said, free up some space and feed money for you. I don't know the back story about the lawyer (and not asking, not my business) but that's a ridiculous amount of money to ask someone to come up with in such a short amount of time, IMO.

 

[speckledhen]

I'm sorry you're going through this. I know how I'd feel if I had to part with my flock for financial or any other reason. If you need that much money, certainly $500 is just a drop in the bucket. If they provide you happiness, try to keep the ones you're closest to, whether they eat without producing much or not. I'm not much help here, don't know the situation, but you really need a

 

[19hhbelgian]

I'll tell you this, don't pawn your wedding ring. That is a dangerous thing to do. I know for a fact that things tend to go ary at the very worst time, and I'm sure you wouldn't want that to happen with your ring. As for the birds... That's a hard desicion. I have finally come to the conclusion that I must sell my stallion whom I've had since he was a year old

obviously a horse and a rooster are apples and oranges, but it's the same type of situation... We could really use the $ to get ahead on a few things. It has honestly taken me about a year to make the final decision to let him go. I have thought about it like this: I do not want to breed anymore so I obviously don't need a stallion. Smoky is a very nice horse and produces awesome babies which makes me want to allow him the chance to go to someone who will use him for breeding, rather than having him gelded. When I look at it that way, it makes sense to sell him. It still kills me to do it, but I know it's for the best.

Here's a crazy idea for your flocks. Could you "pawn" them to another breeder? Write up a contract with the stipulations of the agreement, and allow someone else to breed them while you get things sorted out? Once you've got everything squared away, buy them back as per the agreement

I know it's a bit out there, but people do like to get new blood in their flocks, and you'd be able to get them back.

Hope you find your answer!! Good luck.

 

[AHappychick]

ugg I really do want to keep them, and I would want them back.

I know the money is not much but enough drops in the bucket and I will be able to pay at least half and that would get him to finish the case or at least not feel as though I am not trying.

I have already sold most things of value and am left with just the most precious stuff so I need to do something. I thought about unloading my car but I need to drive something.

If I really put my mind to it I can make it happen it is just going to be hard but that is nothing new.

I am gonna see how much stuff I can unlaod and then try the birds if I am still stuck I think.