Mixed feelings -- need therapist!

[williamsl77]

Well, so I am posting due to my addiction to chickens. And always wanting more. Despite not.having.room. I have ten sweet hens and one sweet rooster at the moment. They are so happy together. They have the social structure thing all worked out. They know each other. They know where home is and who throws them treats. They are very healthy, happy chickens.

And now I want more. I got three silkies a few weeks ago that I added to the coop a few days ago. Overall, they are accepting the newbies pretty well. They pecked a bit at first, but now things have mellowed out and no one seems to be sporting any injuries. I definitely witnessed how the social structure got thrown off. I don't want to keep upsetting them at all.

But I want more chickens. I want a richer variety of egg colors. I want a bigger variety of chicken breeds. I want one coop & pen of chickens for their eggs (brown, olive, green, white, etc). And I want one coop and probably several different pens for breeding groups of silkies. I'm building another coop and pen that will eventually be only these silkies. The first coop we built, our friends kinda made fun of us saying that we went a little overboard. I don't think so. And now we're building another one. And wouldn't it be great if I had another breeding group of something else besides silkies?

So... is this bad? Do I need meds? Did I mention that I have chicks in a brooder in the basement. I do not plan on keeping all of these (my first hatch produced 21 chicks!). I will grow out a few to keep and do one introduction in the spring when they are bigger. Some are silkies and they will get their own pen. To be fair, I love watching them and I keep thinking that I don't know which ones I could possibly give away!

Hmmm.... I definitely think this spells addiction or imbalance and I suppose I'm just glad it's not a harder substance, right? Thank goodness my husband "is enjoying the chickens, too"!!

Alright, I just needed to get it out. Thanks for listening. 8)

 

[m.kitchengirl]

I think you sound normal.
Not sure what that says about either of us.

I lived in Kingston, NH & Rye, NH for years & worked as the Sous Chef at The Three Chimneys there in Durham for years.
(Yes, I know it has gone downhill, that is why I left.

)
I used to play at The Stone Church pretty regularly on Tuesday nights, and at The Press Room Wednesdays and Fridays.
I live in Durham, ME now & get confused every time I address a letter & write NH instead of ME.
Maybe by the end of next year I'll break the bad habit.

 

[duckinnut]

Let me get this straight, you asking chicken addicts if its OK to be addicted to chickens? I think you are looking for reassurance and not help.

Although the first step of recovery is the admission of a problem, most here admit they have it but still contribute to it. I am certainly no different. I started with 14,minus 3 plus 6. On way way home from the feed store with the 6 new additions last April I was already thinking about what breeds to get this coming year. If that doesn't signal a problem,not sure what does.

Myself like you like variety, RIRs,Barreds, Cinnamon Queens and BOs give me different colors of brown,pinkish brown and tan. I want to expand my horizons to green,blue,white(for easter eggs,my reasoning anyway) and really want chocolate. My DW said she will not enable me with this.

 

[williamsl77]

Hi. My name is Laura. And I am a chicken addict. And I love each of you. 8)

I think it's a good thing to have a hobby (and if you're lucky, a job) that you love. I just have laugh at myself that I can do nothing in moderation. I hear someone say, Oh, I got three new chicks and we're so excited. And my thought is, only three?

 

[williamsl77]

We just moved to Durham last summer (from Dover, NH and before that from California). My husband has been to Three Chimneys and said it was good. We didn't know what it was before, though. We are loving New England with all of its intricacies. 8) It's a huge cultural shift from CA, of course. But NH and ME are GREAT places to live. 8)

I think you sound normal.
Not sure what that says about either of us.

I lived in Kingston, NH & Rye, NH for years & worked as the Sous Chef at The Three Chimneys there in Durham for years.
(Yes, I know it has gone downhill, that is why I left.

)
I used to play at The Stone Church pretty regularly on Tuesday nights, and at The Press Room Wednesdays and Fridays.
I live in Durham, ME now & get confused every time I address a letter & write NH instead of ME.
Maybe by the end of next year I'll break the bad habit.

 

[StarLover21]

Normal! I have a whole list of the chickens I want to get when we move to the country (which will probably never happen )

Well, so I am posting due to my addiction to chickens. And always wanting more. Despite not.having.room. I have ten sweet hens and one sweet rooster at the moment. They are so happy together. They have the social structure thing all worked out. They know each other. They know where home is and who throws them treats. They are very healthy, happy chickens.

And now I want more. I got three silkies a few weeks ago that I added to the coop a few days ago. Overall, they are accepting the newbies pretty well. They pecked a bit at first, but now things have mellowed out and no one seems to be sporting any injuries. I definitely witnessed how the social structure got thrown off. I don't want to keep upsetting them at all.

But I want more chickens. I want a richer variety of egg colors. I want a bigger variety of chicken breeds. I want one coop & pen of chickens for their eggs (brown, olive, green, white, etc). And I want one coop and probably several different pens for breeding groups of silkies. I'm building another coop and pen that will eventually be only these silkies. The first coop we built, our friends kinda made fun of us saying that we went a little overboard. I don't think so. And now we're building another one. And wouldn't it be great if I had another breeding group of something else besides silkies?

So... is this bad? Do I need meds? Did I mention that I have chicks in a brooder in the basement. I do not plan on keeping all of these (my first hatch produced 21 chicks!). I will grow out a few to keep and do one introduction in the spring when they are bigger. Some are silkies and they will get their own pen. To be fair, I love watching them and I keep thinking that I don't know which ones I could possibly give away!

Hmmm.... I definitely think this spells addiction or imbalance and I suppose I'm just glad it's not a harder substance, right? Thank goodness my husband "is enjoying the chickens, too"!!

Alright, I just needed to get it out. Thanks for listening. 8)

 

[jlovelady]

Get as many as you can feed!! When you reach that point, get another job!

 

[Smiles-N-Sunshine]

I cured my chicken addiction by getting ducks and turkeys!