I'm never gonna get an egg!!!

[Killer Tomato]

It took my husband a long time to see how toxic some of his family is! The first time I met his family was at Thanksgiving. I had met his sister prior to that and she and I hit it off right away. She kept warning me about "Sheila the monster sister in law"...man I had no idea! His sister and I were in her kitchen doing prep when they arrived...Sheila walks into the kitchen and looks me up and down while Jan was doing the introductions...then in response to the introduction she says "It's just weird having you here...Jerry never brings anyone to family gatherings...I guess you're special?" (Apply a very sarcastic tone to that statement) I said...you have no idea how "special" I am. I was really ticked off till I realized that to talked to everybody that way! Thus began the beginning to the end of me boycotting those family gatherings! Life is way too short!

I feel like Danny Glover in the Lethal Weapon movies:
"I'm getting' too old for this bleep, Riggs!"

And too sane. Just don't have time to feel stressed and picked at by a group of people that I don't like (and who obviously don't like me).

 

[Killer Tomato]

Congrats!!! My first couple eggs were laid in random places, behind the feed bin for a while. I stuck a nest box back there b/c it was THE place to lay eggs. We have many boxes, but they prefer a certain one & fight over it. I'll still find one in the run once in a while.. not a new layer, but someone who must have been out enjoying the nice day and didn't realize it was time.


I def don't have a normal family. I often wonder what it's like. I imagine it's wonderful, but I'll never find out. Do you ever read those stories online that are like You'll never believe what happened next! And are like Pfsht... I can totally top that. I get why people hide their mental illness, but seriously, WHYYYYYY do people hide their mental illness? It's going to come out sooner or later. And for that matter why do their families help them hide it? I didn't find out until AFTER I was married that my husband was kicked out of the navy as soon as he arrived at boot camp b/c they discovered he had 'anger issues'. Yeah, anger issues is code for untreated bipolar disorder. Easy to hide if you only spend short periods with people, but difficult to hide when you're living together. Apparently his bio mother had mental issues, which his father knew about but apparently ignored in his son... but I'm the reason our marriage didn't work out (b/c I didn't just accept his behavior). They always hated me. I didn't like them either. I let his mistress have him (they're married now). He isn't any kind of prize... I seriously realized one day What am I fighting for? He wasn't worth it and I'm much better off now. I just feel bad that I saddled my kids w/ that nutjob forever. Plus I have to keep an eye out for problems w/ them and decipher if it's mental illness or regular teenage hormone issues. Of course there's mental illness in my familly too, (who's doesn't?), but that side of the family is small and it currently only affects 2-3 of our family members.

One in 4 people has mental illness. So, pretty much ALL of us has someone in our family who has mental illness, it's only in the last few years that mental illness is finally losing it's stigma as a parental failure, so it will be less hidden, and people will begin treating it more. (previously viewed as a "nurture vs nature thing" and that's why family's hushed it up, society blamed parents)

Your kids will be fine -- fair, firm, consistent, loving. That's what they get from *you* and that will counteract the toxicity of *him*. If they do have mental illness, you're not going to lump a big bunch of guilt on your plate, because that does nothing to help, and none of this is your fault. You will watch, treat, and love, and they will grow, and thrive.

You totally got this, Mom. I'm not a hugger, but I'm sending you my version of awkward, arms kind of touching you, hugs.

 

[Crooked Chicken]

it's a funny talk show on nj101.5 i listen to all the time on the way home. i've been on it at least a dozen times. they have these topics and people call in. they were talking about animal hoarders so i was the first caller talking about my 3 dogs and 14 chickens (that's the second time i got on there talking about my chckens, lol, once i was on the morning show for a long time when the topic of banning chickens in eatontown nj came up).

i've been outed by work people who've heard me on the radio, haha! i'm "cindi from the parkway south," lol

Well I wish I was able to hear it here so I could hear you talking about your critters! Do the coworkers whisper to eachother when you walk in? hee heee

....and then bite your poopy fingernails 15 minutes later, cuz you1.) forgot, and 2.) just don't care. salmonella, my arse!

that's right!

Congrats!!! My first couple eggs were laid in random places, behind the feed bin for a while. I stuck a nest box back there b/c it was THE place to lay eggs. We have many boxes, but they prefer a certain one & fight over it. I'll still find one in the run once in a while.. not a new layer, but someone who must have been out enjoying the nice day and didn't realize it was time.

I def don't have a normal family. I often wonder what it's like. I imagine it's wonderful, but I'll never find out. Do you ever read those stories online that are like You'll never believe what happened next! And are like Pfsht... I can totally top that. I get why people hide their mental illness, but seriously, WHYYYYYY do people hide their mental illness? It's going to come out sooner or later. And for that matter why do their families help them hide it? I didn't find out until AFTER I was married that my husband was kicked out of the navy as soon as he arrived at boot camp b/c they discovered he had 'anger issues'. Yeah, anger issues is code for untreated bipolar disorder. Easy to hide if you only spend short periods with people, but difficult to hide when you're living together. Apparently his bio mother had mental issues, which his father knew about but apparently ignored in his son... but I'm the reason our marriage didn't work out (b/c I didn't just accept his behavior). They always hated me. I didn't like them either. I let his mistress have him (they're married now). He isn't any kind of prize... I seriously realized one day What am I fighting for? He wasn't worth it and I'm much better off now. I just feel bad that I saddled my kids w/ that nutjob forever. Plus I have to keep an eye out for problems w/ them and decipher if it's mental illness or regular teenage hormone issues. Of course there's mental illness in my familly too, (who's doesn't?), but that side of the family is small and it currently only affects 2-3 of our family members.

Oh my family is far from normal too. Luckily both sides haven't commenced to breeding much, lol. I'm pretty sure I've got my share of craziness too, but I blame it all on my mother....

 

[Chickassan]

Anybody else want to pull their hair out when somebody copy and pastes that how to deal with your roo post?

 

[CABINHOLLOWNC]

Anybody else want to pull their hair out when somebody copy and pastes that how to deal with your roo post?

Yes...and that featured article makes me feel the same way! I will not have an aggressive rooster. Period. I just gave my 8 month old cockerel Clyde to my "Rooster Guy" on Friday. He attacked me 4 times. Each time I wasn't anywhere near him or the girls. I was hanging the feeder up the first time, he came out of nowhere and took a chunk out of my arm. Out of reflex I smacked him in the head with the plastic container I had in my hand...that just made him come at me again. From that point forward he would stalk me when I went in the coop and run. He also became aggressive towards my husband...so off to freezer camp he went. I have another cockerel (Zaffer, the big guy who is my avatar) who is a big puppy dog. He is the same age as Clyde was, but a completely different personality. People are free to do what they want with their aggressive roosters...I personally won't tolerate them or spend time trying to rehab their behavior when there are plenty of roosters out there who aren't aggressive. I'll get off my soap box now...

 

[Chickassan]

That's pretty much what I'm saying, why bother to keep posting that lol!? Why not just tell people if he's good he's good if he's rotten move on? You can go in and "dominate" until you're blue in the face,a crappy roo is a crappy roo and just because he doesn't get in your space dosent mean a darn thing except he's got to travel a bit further when he's finally had enough of you. Ok off my soap box as well.

Yes...and that featured article makes me feel the same way! I will not have an aggressive rooster. Period. I just gave my 8 month old cockerel Clyde to my "Rooster Guy" on Friday. He attacked me 4 times. Each time I wasn't anywhere near him or the girls. I was hanging the feeder up the first time, he came out of nowhere and took a chunk out of my arm. Out of reflex I smacked him in the head with the plastic container I had in my hand...that just made him come at me again. From that point forward he would stalk me when I went in the coop and run. He also became aggressive towards my husband...so off to freezer camp he went. I have another cockerel (Zaffer, the big guy who is my avatar) who is a big puppy dog. He is the same age as Clyde was, but a completely different personality. People are free to do what they want with their aggressive roosters...I personally won't tolerate them or spend time trying to rehab their behavior when there are plenty of roosters out there who aren't aggressive. I'll get off my soap box now...

 

[Crooked Chicken]

Funny you should mention that about the roosters. I started out with 3, but the 2 low men got very agitated about not being able to mate with the girls. I was the one that had to deal with the aggression. One of them was my baby until her turned ultra hormonal. I'm not going to keep a bird that attacks me no matter how much I love them.

My remaining roo, Red Rider, was barely handled in comparison, but he is such a gentleman. I do now occasionally pick him up and give him a nice head and ear rub and tell him what a good boy he is.

He's never once gone after me, but did knock down my friends toddler granddaughter when he felt she was a threat and chased my dog Ruby.

 

[Chickassan]

Yep! Perfect example CC! It is what it is, they are what they are. Just some of the stuff people tell these newbies to do,if their roo wasn't mean he soon enough will be. I treat them good, it's up to them to return the favor or not. If they do,they stay if not bon voyage.

Funny you should mention that about the roosters. I started out with 3, but the 2 low men got very agitated about not being able to mate with the girls. I was the one that had to deal with the aggression. One of them was my baby until her turned ultra hormonal. I'm not going to keep a bird that attacks me no matter how much I love them.

My remaining roo, Red Rider, was barely handled in comparison, but he is such a gentleman. I do now occasionally pick him up and give him a nice head and ear rub and tell him what a good boy he is.

He's never once gone after me, but did knock down my friends toddler granddaughter when he felt she was a threat and chased my dog Ruby.

 

[CABINHOLLOWNC]

Yep! Perfect example CC! It is what it is, they are what they are. Just some of the stuff people tell these newbies to do,if their roo wasn't mean he soon enough will be. I treat them good, it's up to them to return the favor or not. If they do,they stay if not bon voyage.

That is Exactly how I feel about it too!! On a happy note we integrated our three ISA Browns and three California Whites today without incident (15 weeks old). They have been living in the coop for a month with the bigs. There was only a couple of pecks and Zaffer was especially excited and did his "How you doing" dance for all of them! My husband was like...what is he doing??? LOL...I explained it to him.
Here are out integration areas. They would sleep in these and be in a run next to the big run during the day...it seemed to work out. The 13 week old Faverolles have been moved in tonight!

 

[WVduckchick]

Roosters are too abundant to keep mean ones.
I actually moved a young cockerel in with 2 older hens today. One is raising babies. those girls will teach his cocky little butt a lesson. Little fella is gorgeous, but he was picking on my Zippy, so if the girls straighten him out, I'd like to use him to breed. But not if he stays ornery.