Hubby says no chickens. No funds for coop

[AVintageLife]

Check out your transfer station, lots of free stuff. Mine has a recycling area (where I found what I needed for nesting boxes), a wood pile, a metal pile, a concrete/brick pile (that I'll be sorting through this summer to build walkways around the coop), a construction pile. The guys who work there are usually very helpful if you tell them what you're looking for. One guy saved me a brand new Harvey window that someone had thrown out. You could even find old doors. I'd definitely think about starting out with fewer chickens as well, easier on the budget feed wise.

 

[ECBW]

He is trying to let you down gently.

It is entirely possible to build from scrap, recycled and reclaimed material, but that is a step into the dark side. Many of us started out the same way. Next thing you know, you have deal with insulation or not, heat or not, lighting or not, sand or shaving, crumble or pellet, predators, neighbors, molting, worms... on and on. When you think you got it under control... chicken math strikes!!! Oh yes, your friends wonder about your sanity.

Your husband is a wise man.

 

[greasearch]

I built this coop for about $12 dollars with used wood and salvaged chicken wire and nesting box. See below or this link:

While the birds don't care, a little bit of paint would pretty it up! Help it helps with ideas!

 

[AVintageLife]

It took years for my husband to finally agree to let my daughter and I turn our shed into a coop. When one of his men's health magazines described the healthy benefits of home raised chicken and eggs, he was in. Now I find him watching the chickens from the kitchen window or in the yard pausing at his yard work to watch them. He (almost) loves them as much as I do. It helps that I have a good job and paid for everything myself.

 

[jasmer]

I wasn't too crazy about getting chickens, either, but my husband wanted them and I wasn't so against it that I was going to deny him his stinky noisy poop machines.

Once we started letting the chickens run around and interact with them I noticed all their little personalities and the silly things they do. I got attached pretty quick, they aren't nearly as gross and dirty as I'd have thought, and it's just hilarious to toss a piece of bred and watch the chickens and cats race to get it first. And then to watch that one ornery RIR peck a cat and take its bread.

It's so easy and cheap to make a starter coop and run out of recycled/repurposed materials, so I'm inclined to agree your husband might just be trying to let you down gently. Maybe he just doesn't like the idea of stinky noisy poop machines. Might not be a bad idea to occaisionally drop little fun facts about the health benefits of farm fresh chicken and eggs vs store bought.

 

[DebFred]

Well, I've thought about it. It isn't just the coop. It is the feed, the upkeep, the whole ball of wax. We talked last night. I understand now. I agree. Money is so tight right now. And probably will get worse with the taxes and all. I just love watching them so much, and hearing their clucking. And they are funny!!!

Maybe next year. A lot going on this year. Son just totalled his car this weekend. Lucky he wasn't hurt. It flipped end over end and landed upside down in a ditch. He kicked out a window and got out. Icy road, met a truck, slid, and the truck didn't even stop.

Still planning on visiting here from time to time.

Deb

 

[McCormack Farms]

So sorry to hear about that, glad he's okay! Hope things work out for the best!

 

[kellieetal]

I have one of those husbands who says no to everything. I don't know why he bothers because after 20 years of being married to me, he should know me better than that. lol I just realize that when HE says 'no,' that means I can plan on doing it entirely without his help, and that I'll have to get really creative with resourcing and financing. You can cut the feed bill significantly by growing chicken forage (I seem to be especially adept at weed growing), and if you research it carefully to make sure you don't feed them No-no's, you can feed them many of your kitchen scraps. You'd be amazed at what you can gather for free if you spread the word around what you're trying to do and that you're looking for scraps/lumber/supplies etc. Seems like there is always some farmer or hobbyist looking to scale back or get rid of unused stuff, or someone needing to move an old shed or kids' playhouse in order to replace it with a new one...your church, your neighborhood, any clubs you might be associated with, or even go post fliers at a VFW or rotary club etc. Chances are, there is someone/people who work in the local school who has or is raising chickens or some other livestock, who has old spare stuff around you can collect.
I think I collected baby supplies/clothes for 8 years before I acutally ever got pregnant, so when I eventually did, I had most of what I really needed. Even if you can't start your coop now, you could create your "chicken hope chest" of stuff you find at thrift stores, etc. that you plan to use with your birds. Eventually, you'll have so much stuff it won't seem like a big financial hit to get started, OR your circumstanced will have improved enough that you'll be all ready to get the show on the road. Don't give up. You're as entitled to YOUR hobbies as your husband is to his--especially one that comes with so many perks like chickens do. Hey!...without even knowing it, your husband could be providing you with one ready-made coop wall. If you build your coop using the outside back wall of his shed as one wall of your coop? Hey, remind him marriage IS compromise, and you're a lot more snuggly than a bandsaw is! lol

 

[katoranger]

I have one of those husbands who says no to everything. I don't know why he bothers because after 20 years of being married to me, he should know me better than that. lol I just realize that when HE says 'no,' that means I can plan on doing it entirely without his help, and that I'll have to get really creative with resourcing and financing. You can cut the feed bill significantly by growing chicken forage (I seem to be especially adept at weed growing), and if you research it carefully to make sure you don't feed them No-no's, you can feed them many of your kitchen scraps. You'd be amazed at what you can gather for free if you spread the word around what you're trying to do and that you're looking for scraps/lumber/supplies etc. Seems like there is always some farmer or hobbyist looking to scale back or get rid of unused stuff, or someone needing to move an old shed or kids' playhouse in order to replace it with a new one...your church, your neighborhood, any clubs you might be associated with, or even go post fliers at a VFW or rotary club etc. Chances are, there is someone/people who work in the local school who has or is raising chickens or some other livestock, who has old spare stuff around you can collect.
I think I collected baby supplies/clothes for 8 years before I acutally ever got pregnant, so when I eventually did, I had most of what I really needed. Even if you can't start your coop now, you could create your "chicken hope chest" of stuff you find at thrift stores, etc. that you plan to use with your birds. Eventually, you'll have so much stuff it won't seem like a big financial hit to get started, OR your circumstanced will have improved enough that you'll be all ready to get the show on the road. Don't give up. You're as entitled to YOUR hobbies as your husband is to his--especially one that comes with so many perks like chickens do. Hey!...without even knowing it, your husband could be providing you with one ready-made coop wall. If you build your coop using the outside back wall of his shed as one wall of your coop? Hey, remind him marriage IS compromise, and you're a lot more snuggly than a bandsaw is! lol

I think this is a good plan. Just start accumulating free stuff.

 

[SD Bird Lady]

I have one of those husbands who says no to everything. I don't know why he bothers because after 20 years of being married to me, he should know me better than that. lol I just realize that when HE says 'no,' that means I can plan on doing it entirely without his help, and that I'll have to get really creative with resourcing and financing. You can cut the feed bill significantly by growing chicken forage (I seem to be especially adept at weed growing), and if you research it carefully to make sure you don't feed them No-no's, you can feed them many of your kitchen scraps. You'd be amazed at what you can gather for free if you spread the word around what you're trying to do and that you're looking for scraps/lumber/supplies etc. Seems like there is always some farmer or hobbyist looking to scale back or get rid of unused stuff, or someone needing to move an old shed or kids' playhouse in order to replace it with a new one...your church, your neighborhood, any clubs you might be associated with, or even go post fliers at a VFW or rotary club etc. Chances are, there is someone/people who work in the local school who has or is raising chickens or some other livestock, who has old spare stuff around you can collect.
I think I collected baby supplies/clothes for 8 years before I acutally ever got pregnant, so when I eventually did, I had most of what I really needed. Even if you can't start your coop now, you could create your "chicken hope chest" of stuff you find at thrift stores, etc. that you plan to use with your birds. Eventually, you'll have so much stuff it won't seem like a big financial hit to get started, OR your circumstanced will have improved enough that you'll be all ready to get the show on the road. Don't give up. You're as entitled to YOUR hobbies as your husband is to his--especially one that comes with so many perks like chickens do. Hey!...without even knowing it, your husband could be providing you with one ready-made coop wall. If you build your coop using the outside back wall of his shed as one wall of your coop? Hey, remind him marriage IS compromise, and you're a lot more snuggly than a bandsaw is! lol

My husband says no too but he has learned it just means I get more creative. We made an agreement 2 years ago when he wanted to get back into rodeo. I said the birds are my hobby and rodeo is yours. The only difference is my hobby actually helps keep us in the black not put us in the red lol. But basically we agreed to disagree and if someone picks about the others hobby then the gloves come off so to speak. It is like the line from Lonesome Dove when Gus says Clara has got a sharp tongue she's tomahawked me many a times. a women can slice your jugular as quick as any Comanche. (didnt put quotes b/c although I have seen it more times than I care to say I sometimes add in words that dont belong) Moral of the story is I always win!! haha
If my husband sees this he will laugh but deep inside he knows the truth

It can be an expense and if you are getting them as pets with perks than you will be more prepared than someone in a tough spot who thinks I will get chickens and wont have to buy eggs or meat anymore. Yes it is healthier but generally speaking with a few birds in the back yard you wont be able to be completly free of the factory farm. If it was easy and more economical everyone would do it. However, if you are paying for organic then it is sometimes cheaper to do it yourself. I agree with kellieetal start that hope chest and even if you never get there one of these days maybe you can help someone else out that is in your same position. I got lucky and my parents built a garage and had an old garden shed they wanted gone. It needed a new door, a coat of paint, and a hole in the side and then the rest was details that I am still working on due to my limited budget. The birds are the easy part, but they aren't picky!