rude comments! how to respond?

[joanm]

Okay, I have a question for everyone. When I tell people I’m getting chickens, they say things like “Yuck! Why do you want chickens? They are nasty and stink and the tear up your yard! What are you thinking?” Does anyone else besides me get this response? I think it's rude and don't know what to say!

 

[CarriBrown]

I just say, "I'm sorry you feel that way!" and leave it at that. Saying anything else (Such as, "Well your dog smells", or whatever) will just put them on the defensive.

 

[millicent]

who are you telling that are responding this way???? i found that the people that i chose to tell were for it, or at the worst shaking their heads saying 'only you, patty...' I guess i would answer with our family motto..."why not? how hard could it be?" follow that with "if it dont work out, well eat em" and see what happens.

 

[Saltiena]

ya i agree, just say that your sorry they feel that way but you strongly dissagree with them, then leavit at that, you'll always have a few sour grapes in the bunch you just have to swallow it quick and move on to the next one

 

[Juliechickens]

Most of the people I tell give off a big laugh at first and shake their heads,,,,then they start asking a bunch of questions,,,after I tell them that I can have fresh eggs daily to eat,,,next thing you know,,,they want some! Okay, here's what you say:
Fresh eggs daily, a wonderful insect repellant for the yard, eats moskitos!, takes up a small space in yard, theraputic to watch and always quite humorous. They are affectionate and friendly pets,,,,mine are anyways.
They only smell if you let the coop get funky,,,if you clean it once a week or so,,,it's fine. I have to clean my dog kennel more than that. Tell them also, that back in the olden days,,,everyone had chickens and it's becoming a lot more popular again. Also, tell them that if they will try fresh eggs for once,,,they would NEVER go back to store bought ones! Yolks are bright orange, the white is whiter than any others from store. Just better! If they still don't get it,,,they are idiots! LOL
Julie

 

[Whirlwind]

Juliechickens wrote:

Also, tell them that if they will try fresh eggs for once,,,they would NEVER go back to store bought ones!

 

[MTchick]

People that respond like that should just get an awkward silence from you, followed by, "I guess that means you don't want free, delicious organic eggs. More for me!"

I had two people say things like that, and for one I basically said, "You are full of s***" because I didn't value his opinions anyway. That was the end of that story, which was fine. The other person is a bit nicer and more reasonable, and we had a good talk about how chickens don't smell- chicken poop smells, and therefore because I am neat and keep a very tidy backyard, my hens and coop will not smell. She thought it through and eventually agreed with me (and she even came to our coop warming party with a chicken-coop-warming gift!)

Good luck. Remember- if arguing is what they want, don't give it to them.

-MTchick

 

[chickenwoods]

lol that is strange,,where i come from, if you dont have chickens everyone thinks your odd.. "All different kinds of people make this world,Thats what makes the jukebox play"-Roy Acuff

 

[joanm]

Well, after the first time I told my co-workers and the response I got (yuck, stink, etc.) I've never mentioned it again.

 

[Rosalind]

“Yuck! Why do you want chickens? They are nasty and stink and the tear up your yard! What are you thinking?”

I'm thinking...What an ignorant, impolite thing to say!

I've heard a lot of versions of this comment:
"Ewww, you don't really want apple trees. They'll drop a bunch of apples all over your yard, and then your yard will get wasps and stink."

"You don't want some old house, it's too much work. You should get something new construction."

Then, when I was thinking about new construction: "You don't really want a log cabin, they get termites and then what will you do? You should get something with vinyl siding, that way you have a plastic barrier to keep out bugs."

When I decided to rototill my grass under and replace it with low-growing (lawnmower-free) ground covers: "Your neighbors must hate you. What's wrong with grass?" (It needs mowed, I hate mowing, duh!)

When I bought a house with a pool: "Pools are so much work, and then they get frogs in and stuff. Just join a gym or something!"

These people are just not worth talking to. They are trying to validate their own choices by trying to besmirch yours. Eventually they will conclude that you are "just weird" and stop bothering you. Someday they may come around and figure out that just because you have different interests does not make you stupid. I have one friend who thought I was nuts, but now he thinks the chickens are funny and he can see why I like them. So, if people come around, that's great--if not, don't sweat it.​