My girlfriend dumped me because of my chickens..

[Happy Chooks]

Quote:

I agree on finding someone who loves animals. No animal lover would be angry for you making sure your animals are safe.


And an automatic door opener is the best money I ever spent. It will give you more "freedom" without compromising the safety of your chickens.

 

[cherylcohen]

Good friends are really hard to find and I'm sure she will come around. Give it some time. I'd send her a card with some heartfelt messages. Explain that while the chickens are an important part of your life, your friendship is just as important. What you may not know is that maybe she really needed to spend time with you because she is going through some tough times and needed your ear and advice. I'd explain that you always try to be there for her and would really like to clear the air. Maybe a lunch....that doesn't interfere with the chickens

 

[Ladyhawke1]

The first thing I do when I meet someone, be it a friend or a potential someone, I try to find out how this person feels about animals.

It does not matter whether the animals be pets, wild or barnyard critters. If there is an intelligence present in this person and an empathy with all living things then I feel I can proceed with the relationship. If I do not see a caring, kind or a considerate person, or one that is interested in learning more….then it’s ta..ta baby.

I have no time to waste on those who do not have some kind of feeling or connection with the other living things of this world.

Signed,

Dances with Chickens

 

[IDIOT HUSBAND]

I bought chickens hoping my wife would leave, no such luck. she likes the girls too. My kids love em. I really would'nt worry about a girlfriend. If she didn't like chickens, no problem find another one who does.

 

[Wifezilla]

I can't believe all the comments on here saying to dump this person over CHICKENS?! I understand we all care about our chickens and other pets, but certainly not more than people?!?! Give me a break!!!!!!!! My husband adores our chickens, but if gets to the point where he has had enough, the chickens are GONE, not my husband.

I don't think it is about the chickens. He had a responsibility. She got mad he was attending to his responsibility. The fact that the responsibility is a chicken isn't the point. It is her reaction to him fulfilling an obligation. Doesn't necessarily mean she is evil, she just sounds a little immature.​

 

[Chook-A-Holic]

Quote:
That's exactly what mine told me 29yrs. ago. I married her almost 28yrs. ago. Yes, she was a keeper. When we met I was into chooks and drag racing. She was into playing sports. We learned to enjoy each others hobbies as that was part of who we were. We didn't get into a relationship to tell or be told what we can or cannot do, or to be frowned upon for doing it. When we purchased our home we had to make sure the cats had a room and that we had a room for the incubators/brooders to hatch and start chicks. That is part of who WE are.

firehog, that someone will come along, trust me!!!

Marty

 

[chickensioux]

I tend to agree with all who say you are better off without her. A true friend would have understood, helped you, etc. Hardly any of my friends have the animals I do and I know they would understand. Finding like minded friends is hard to do. A real friend loves you for who you are, your differences, etc. A friend is someone who will bail you out of jail, a true friend would be sitting in there with you saying "Man that was fun!"

 

[Nyrial]

Yep.

I told my DH, love me, love my birds. The chickens came later, but I had lots of others.

He also knows I'll get rid of him before I get rid of my cockatoo

 

[horsejody]

Quote:
I once over heard a conversation my husband had with somebody about my dog. The guy was criticizing DH for putting up with having a dog because we always have to take him places or make arrangements for him and because I give so much attention to the dog. I heard DH say to him, "I can pretty much guarantee that she would get rid of me before she would get rid of that dog." Don't worry, I do love DH and I won't get rid of him. He actually loves the dog as much as I do. It seems that some people just don't get it. If anybody ever encounters a potential significant other that tries to control the things you love to do or asks you to get rid of or not take care of pets you love, send them packing. It's a control issue. It will never stop.

Asking somebody to choose between protecting the lives of your pets and sitting around chit chatting with them and then getting mad because you decided to save the pets is silly. On the other hand, if you promised to spend the evening with them and inconvenienced them with a shortened evening because you failed to make other arrangements for the birds may be a bit rude (not because the chickens aren't important - but because you shouldn't have made the plans with the person if you had advanced knowledge that you couldn't follow through).

 

[firehog]

Wow, wasn't expecting so many replies. My GF and I started seeing each other last May. I got my first 6 older hens in June and the 6 pullets in July. So, to be fair to her , she did come first but she knew I was getting the chickens since I had already built a walk-in chicken coop and cleared a brushy area for them to roam free range but still fenced in.

She just doesn't like pets and let me know that with so much misery in the world with humans, it is wrong to become involved with pets, and while I agree with her to some extent , I think there has to be a reasonable balance. Whenever we went out to dinner, she was constantly texting or receiving texts from her daughters which was annoying. Her daughters did not want her dating again and I think they were doing that just to help speed up the "parting of ways".

I considered the automatic chicken door closers, but I am always leery of mechanical devices and would always be thinking that a chicken got caught in the door while it was being closed (I'm sure that is not possible, but..) Also, some chicken might be hanging back and get locked out when the gate closed. I always do a head count every night when they are in their house.

I originally did not get the chickens as pets, but you kind of get attached to them when they eat the snails out of your hands that you pick up during your morning walk and how can you not feel bonded with them when you walk out the door and the younger pullets fly over the fence (a habit I am trying to discourage) squawking loudly and running full tilt towards you with that weird chicken gait, wings flapping to get a piece of bread or grape from you.

My chickens were not the sole reason my GF stopped seeing me, but she did mention it in an e-mail that I was too connected to them. I think she was just stringing me along because she was moving and liked the idea that I could help her move (5 loads) with my pick-up truck..after the move things went south.. Gee, maybe someone should get a hold of Garth Brooks or Clint Black..there might be a country hit in this story...Heart ache, chickens, pick-up trucks e.t.c.

I accept responsibility for the break-up, it's not all her fault..I spent a week patching up a big Spongebob Squarepants balloon (the ones that were on the tops of Burger King restaurants a few years ago) and got it sitting on top of my garage roof and I like to go out in the yard with a shovel and dig for worms for my chickens. We call it "time to ride the shovel" which they actually do, they get so worked up that when I lift the shovel up, one of the hens will actually be on the pile of dirt scratching frantically for the worms before the other hens can get it...now that is crazy on my part...but I'm sure other people do weird things to make their pets happy. I just happen to really like animals..except the racoons and coyotes that want my chickens.

Well, it's time to go give them their evening corn scratch treat. Thanks for the responses and I guess chickens can live into their teens from what some posts suggest.