How to get spouse on board about chickens

[chicksbestfriend]

Prior to meeting my husband, I had always raised ducks and chickens. He literally hated both of them. When we decided to get married and move in together, he told me that I had to get rid of my chickens, so I did. Well for 6 months, he had to endure my face hanging to the ground, hear all my stories of how much I loved and missed my chickens, and how lonely I was feeling without them, so I told him that I was going to start going out and hanging with my friends. Well, not too long after that, he decided to buy me chickens and gifted me with 5. After he saw how much joy that brought me and how my desires for going out with the girls disappeared, so he gradually allowed me to keep adding to my flock, though he wanted nothing to do with them. What sold him out on chickens, was his first experience with hatching chicks. He is now totally involved with the chickens, maybe even a little more educated than myself, he bought me a huge bator on wheels, has built me several runs and coops and he insists on being home when people come to buy our chicks so he can educate them.

He sits outside for hours on end watching them range around the property. Funny thing is, he will no longer eat chicken with the bone, says he cannot stomach looking at the bones since he started liking them.

I wish you the best of luck of getting yours on board. I am definitely one happy chick now!

 

[4mychicks]

Just show him the price of eggs. Daughter was gonna buy a box of store boughts and decided against paying 10.00 for them.

 

[mississippifarmboy]

Quote:
Oh how true. My wife talked me into getting a horse with a fried chicken dinner and getting two pot bellied pigs with homeade lasagna. Us guys forget to think when we smell food.

 

[mburpo]

Quote:
I got my spouse into chickens and ducks and turkeys and guineas and pigs... She's a city girl, I'm a country boy. We finally moved back to the country and I took the "Better to ask forgiveness than permission route."

 

[they'reHISchickens]

Note my name.
*he* is the city boy who decided on the spur of the moment that he wanted chickens when he moved to the country. And his initial 6 has turned into 40+. I have to keep things in a reality check for him.
I've already told him when I retire I'm getting a cow. He can have his chickens.

My DD's bf had said he would get married before he allowed a dog in his house. The dog came with her. Then he got married. Now they have 6 beef cows, 3 dairy heifers, dozens of cochin banties, 2 goats and a new baby boy! SIL has never been happier!

 

[Qi Chicken]

You don't have to win him over, either the chickens will or they won't. But chickens are so darn cute and entertaining I'm sure they will! My husband has been fine, it's not his thing but he's not going to really say anything either way. Last week though he went outside to read and sat in the chicken watching chair and is going to bring eggs to work this week to hand out. He also built an awesome run. He's definitely not as into as I am, but then I'm not into the guitar like he is. And that is fine by me! I really like the alone time out in the yard. 2 hens, seriously, that is a much smaller deal than a puppy.

 

[savingdogs]

I think baby chicks are the way to win anyone over to chickens.

They are so dang cute!

My husband and I both wanted chickens, but not especially. But those chicks won us both over. Now we are true chicken people.

 

[michickenwrangler]

Next time he wants to make a fairly big purchase or do something "big" ask if you can get chickens. Worked for me.

"Sure, I'll help you buy the 4 wheeler if you let me get chickens and help build a coop."

DH tolerated chickens for over a year until we were downstate at a friend's house when he saw their big blue cochin rooster. He fell in love and offered to buy him on the spot. They didn't sell, but the following summer we found a cochin rooster on CL. So, when we got DH "his" rooster, we naturally had to get some hens to go with him

He doesn't particularly like the other chickens, but he LOVES the cochins and eventually wants to switch over entirely to cochins.

Maybe try to get him on board by letting him see some different chicken breeds. If he sees one he likes, make an effort to add a hen of that breed to be "his" chicken. You should be able to keep 3-4 hens in your acre.

 

[zippitydooda]

My husband thought I was crazy for wanting chickens. Complained they would be noisy, messy, expensive.... I got them anyway. I figured I work, I can buy what I want. I didn't ask him to do one thing. I built the coop. I feed & water & clean. He was left completely out of the "responsibility" loop.

15 weeks later...... HE is the one asking if we need to get feed, if "the girls" had any treats today... he spends time watching them and talking to them.... he admitted he likes them.

You could tell him you want to get 15-20, and compromise down to the actual 2 you wanted in the first place.... just sayin'......

 

[LadyWoodsong]

I agree with the others of "just do it". When we knew we were moving back to the country I warned my dh that I wanted chickens. He wanted to know "why"....I have always wanted a little acreage with chickens pecking around, that's all!

I don't usually put my foot down about too many things, but this was one thing I wanted to "try". I told him we'd just get a few and try it out, if it didn't work out we'd get rid of them.

He agreed even though he wasn't really into the thought of it. I got some last April as babies and he didn't have one thing to do with them then. Our boys and I took care of them as babies, completely.

He did do a lot of work in re-building an old chicken house for me and building a run. He has put a lot of time into. Then he was saying, "Now you're gonna HAVE to have chickens whether you want to or not!" Because of all the time and work he put into the building/run.

Now that the building is done and we have 12 chickens free-ranging around our acreage all day long, he is actually getting smitten by them. I'll catch him out there talking to them once in a while. He gets perturbed about them being on our deck once in a while or about the chicken poop on the sidwalk, but they're growing on him. When he goes outside they go running up to him to see what treat he has for them. He's really starting to get a kick out of it now.....even talking about adding to our flock!

So, I say, let the chickens do the work of turning your dh's heart.....in time, they will.