How can I deal with this addiction?

[mrbstephens]

I'm new to chicken raising and darn I'm soooooo hooked! My coop is 4x6 and I have 6 - 3month old chicks. I could probably get two or three more in there without seriously overcrowding. I WANT MORE!!!!! My hubby built the coop and would not build another. I'm tossing around the ideas of buying fertile eggs once I get a broody, or getting some cross breeds when my hens and rooster start doing thing they do.

I have 2 EEs, 1 RIR, 1 Austrolorp, 1 Light Brahma and my rooster is a Partridge Rock. Would I be able to sell these fertile eggs? I don't know what kind of weird mix I'd wind up with here. I really love the BOs and would like one of them and I love the blue chickens too! My yard is only half acre so I can't really go too over board. I've also tossed around the idea or getting sheep! Really, my dream is to live on a farm, but don't have the money to buy larger property. How do I deal with this new obsession? How do you all of you deal with this obsession?

 

[Little Ameraucana Mom]

I started out with one coop. I now have 4 big coops and I"m now building chicken tractors. And I want MORE !!!

 

[The Chicken Lady]

Have you seen Silkies yet?

 

[Little Ameraucana Mom]

I have !! I have 15 now !!! Turn your head and look away !! You'll want them too !!

 

[Boyd]

Quote:
Oh you are evil!

 

[joedie]

Sorry, there is no known cure for this addiction!

 

[featherbaby]

TWELVE STEP RECOVERY PRINCIPLES FOR
CHICKENADDICTION



STEP 1: We admitted we were powerless over our chicken addictions and our compulsion to
have more of them. As a result our schedules have become unmanageable.

STEP 2: We came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity,
and his name is NOT Dear Husband or Dear Wife.

STEP 3: We made a decision to turn our life with poultry and will to have more of them over to
the care of God.

STEP 4: We made a searching inventory of precisely how many chickens we have at present
and how many square feet of coops and runs we currently own. (roll eyes here)

STEP 5: We admitted to God, ourselves, spouse and BYC’rs the exact amount of our
overcommitment.

STEP 6: We are entirely ready to cull all the unnecessary chickens from the flock to make
room for upgrading our stock.

STEP 7: We humbly asked God to help us choose which ones to cull and which ones to keep.

STEP 8: We made a list of all the good breeders and helpful friends that have encouraged us
in our quest for breeding excellence.

STEP 9: We made a plan to reciprocate to each of these people for all the good things they
have done to help us happily overindulge in our chickaddiction. We also commit to
‘pay it forward’ to any new convert to chicken raising by being generous and helpful
where ever possible.

STEP 10: We continued to take a personal inventory of how much money and time we spend
with our feathered children, and vowed to give our spouses and children equal time.

STEP 11: We prayed that God would keep our families and flocks safe from predators
and disease, and for greater knowledge of His will for our happiness.

STEP 12: Having had a truly delightful experience in keeping chickens, we promise to carry
the message to others and work tirelessly to help others become as hopelessly
addicted to chickens as we are.



AMEN

Featherbaby (written 7-4-09)
( Chicken Enablers Unanimous)

 

[mrbstephens]

Thank you for that featherbaby.

 

[mrbstephens]

Quote:
You are a bad bad person! Does this mean they take up 1/2 the space that a standard chicken would? So instead of 3 more, I could have 6 more?! Does this go for all bantams? What about egg size? Are they worth eating?

 

[aussieheelr]

Wheww. Glad to hear I'm not the only newly addicted chicken-a-holic.
I have pictures all over my computer, cell phone, and facebook. Seems like I give more updates on my facebook about the chickies than me.

My co-workers say that they keep waiting for me to lay an egg! I too can't wait for different chickens. Started with pretty basic (it's only been 5 weeks) 7 BRs, 2 RIR, 5 EEs, 1 white leghorn and 1 black leghorn... now that I've seen Maran eggs... OH I WANT ONE TOO! And think I might need a token Frizzle, how adorable!

Alas my coop is an 8x8 so we're pretty maxed at the numbers right now I think.