Should I get rid of all of my birds? Advice much appreciated

[FeatherLace]

So I have 2 turkeys, 6 guineas, 2 ducks, 2 geese, and 9 chickens who i all love VERY much. I absolutely adore them and I dont want anything to happen to them.
Recently, I've endured a fowl pox outbreak, bumblefoot, a snapped wing, a torn ligament, and a vitamin deficiency almost back to back. None of them were extreme and we all fixed withing a couple of days except for the fowl pox and broken wing.
I wasnt able to get any of these seen by a vet, because we are on the lower side of money and my mom doesn't even believe in taking a bird to the vet. While minor, I realized how saddening and worrying it is to have anything bad happen to the birds and not knowing what to do.

My mom has been working really hard and spending a lot of money on making them a new coop, so I feel really guilty saying I want to get rid of them now after it's almost done.
Another thing is that I have Ayam Cemanis, and my mom has been wanting to keep them just to sell the babies. I don't think thats a very good idea, as she is busy all the time and I dont think shed be good at hatching and finding good buyers. Not that she won't take care of the chickens, but she won't have the time she wants to have.

When I mentioned selling them, she got mad about the coop and specifically said "You can sell all but the Cemanis", because she thinks that they will be able to produce a sole income, which i think is kind of insane given that I only have 4 cemani hens. Id believe it if it was a full scale operation, but it isn't.

I'm shipping off for the Navy in 30 days, so I won't be here to make sure they are getting the care they need. But I desperately love my chickens, and my mom wants to keep them for money and for the work she put into the coop already.

What on earth do I do? I was thinking send all to a rescue except the ducks, geese, and guineas, then sell the cemanis. However, I can't find anyone who will take my chickens and injured turkey that is closer than 2 hours away...please give any advice or recommendations. I'm pretty lost

 

[Ruthster55]

How about a compromise? Maybe rehome the ducks, geese, guineas, and turkeys. All of these make more noise than chickens do and require quite a lot of space and water (like a pond for the ducks and geese). Is there someone nearby who will take the ducks and geese?

Is your family just your mom and you? Are there any brothers or sisters who could help take care of a reduced number of animals while you are in the Navy?

Once the ducks, geese, and turkeys are gone, assess the situation again. It sounds like your mom has invested in the coop largely because she would like to breed the Cemanis and raise some chicks. She may not be as interested in the rest of the menagerie other than the chickens.

You didn't mention having a Cemani rooster or an incubator. Pictures would help with the question, especially to see how is the quality of the Cemanis.

You won't be able to have any Cemani babies unless you have a Cemani rooster! You and your mom will also need either a broody hen or an incubator+brooder in order to raise the babies....

 

[EggSighted4Life]

There are no guarantees in life.. letting someone else take them just means you won't know what you don't know and ignorance is bliss. Doesn't mean the animals will actually be better off. I mean, Mom raised you.. so she knows SOMETHING!

Sell or give away what you can and have more trust in your Mom than you do strangers. Guarantee you.. other people ALSO keep animals to make money.

I agree with the other poster that once the other birds are gone maybe Mom will have more time and energy to enjoy the Cemani herself.. I personally don't even think they're desirable, I think they're incredibly challenging to breed good quality compared to some other breeds and varieties, with many folks now having them and all thinking the same thing as your Mom... make $. Their claim to rarity is dwindling by the day with amateurs multiplying not selectively breeding their birds.

Anyways, give Mom a break and recognize that we are all trying. Why not help her NOT have any empty nest syndrome as you head off to the military. And let her try to have a grand adventure while making a little money at the same time.. or NOT.. it doesn't matter.. She's an adult and she will do HER best and learn HER lessons along the way.

Use craigslist farm and garden section to offer your animals. Or you local feed store posting board.

Many folks cannot afford or offer veterinary care.. that doesn't make us bad keepers!

I hope your Navy adventure is incredible, and you find a solution for your animals that brings you peace. Thank you for serving!

 

[Ridgerunner]

You are leaving, your mother is the person that will have to deal with it. She came up with the money for the coop, I don't know who paid for the birds or feed. My suggestion is to listen to your mother, she is the one that will have to manage things.

When I left home, I left home. I was not around any more to gather eggs, put up hay, feed the horses, or help out at all. I was no longer sleeping in my bed, my younger brother got that. I was gone and did not exercise control over things I left behind. You are in that kind of situation. You are taking on a big responsibility on joining the navy. Focus on that and try to leave it as your mother wants. And if she changes things, that is her right. She is the one in control.

 

[FeatherLace]

How about a compromise? Maybe rehome the ducks, geese, guineas, and turkeys. All of these make more noise than chickens do and require quite a lot of space and water (like a pond for the ducks and geese). Is there someone nearby who will take the ducks and geese?

Is your family just your mom and you? Are there any brothers or sisters who could help take care of a reduced number of animals while you are in the Navy?

Once the ducks, geese, and turkeys are gone, assess the situation again. It sounds like your mom has invested in the coop largely because she would like to breed the Cemanis and raise some chicks. She may not be as interested in the rest of the menagerie other than the chickens.

You didn't mention having a Cemani rooster or an incubator. Pictures would help with the question, especially to see how is the quality of the Cemanis.

You won't be able to have any Cemani babies unless you have a Cemani rooster! You and your mom will also need either a broody hen or an incubator+brooder in order to raise the babies....

I was planning on finding a new home for the turkeys anyways because one of them just broke her wing and I know I can't provide the best care. However, I am absolutley in love with my geese and ducks, amd already had plans for a small pond in their coop and have the materials for it. There are only 2 geese and 2 ducks.

The guineas are what my mom wanted to alert her if anything came near the coop, so i wanted to keep them as well. As for the chickens, I am concerned that she will forget about them, ie if she has eggs in the incubator then she'll forget about them or forget to turn the heat lamp on for the babies or not integrate properly if she doesn't sell them in time.
I do have a cemani roo, and he is beautiful solid black and very protective. I'm not sure if any of the hens are broody because they haven't started laying yet, but we do have an incubator. I tried to compromise saying let me Aunt who lives right down the road who has LOADS of experience hatching chicks take the eggs and hatch them, then sell chicks and split the money, but my mom insists she wants all the money for herself...which I think is pretty selfish and doesn't have the birds best interest. Yet another reason why I have serious doubts about her keeping them

 

[FeatherLace]

My mom is always making remarks like "I don't know why they even need a coop, when i was growing up we just threw the chickens in the yard and they were fine" even though I am always telling her how many predators we have. She refuses to pay attention to what feed I buy, what medicines, etc. Even when my turkey broke her wing, her humerus bone was snapped in half, my mom told me "she's fine just throw her back in there with the others".

Its not that she doesn't care about them, it's that she refuses to believe that birds can have actual health issues like people. She doesn't know why I buy electrolytes or ACV for my birds, doesn't know why I'm always checking them over, making sure they have shade and fans, etc because "they are just birds".

When I give away my animals I always make sure they go to a good place, and most often I send them to a santuary or rescue. I even sell them for meat sometimes, but only as long as I get pictures of their living quarters and a promise that it will be humane.

My mom has bad ADD and has a tendency to forget a lot of things, especially when she's stressed, which is very often. I fear she will forget to feed the birds or replace their water every couple of days because she'll be tired form work and not bother checking, then when she remembers just throw a bunch of food in there and they be fine.

When my chickens had fowl pox, I tried to get her to come look so she knew what to look for and she refused. When they had bumblefoot, she also refused to look.

When I paid $55 to take my chicken to the vet because her eye was swollen shut, she called me crazy because "it would have just went away on its own anyways"

 

[FeatherLace]

I'm thinking it will be in the best interest of the birds to send them away, but I'll also feel extremely guilty because my mom has put all that work into the coop and brooder.

Whats the right thing to do here?

 

[Birdielee]

You can also rehome or sell them here on the buy/sell/trade forum.
I agree mostly with what @Ridgerunner said. Basically, when you leave, leave it as your mom wants it and realize that decisions will be made in your absence that you may not like. Signing up your years-long departures involves sacrifices of personal belongings and often is rough on relationships. I'm sure your mom will love you when you get back. Realistically, i doubt all your ducks and geese will still be in the family after all that time. Maybe someone around has a property with a real pond?

 

[Ruby Rogue]

Maybe you can introduce her to this site. She has an interest in the birds, even if it's for financial gain. She's put $$ and time into this as well, it definitely would not be fair to make any decisions without her input. You said your aunt down the road has lots of experience with birds, and you trust her to hatch and care for your chicks, perhaps she will be a big help to your mom. Not everyone will visit a vet when their birds are sick, but everyone should do what they can to help the animal. Introduce her to the site, she will have a wealth of information, and try not to worry so much.

I feel for ya, it's not easy leaving home and pets.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Whats the right thing to do here?

You've already asked and been answered.. you already have made up your mind and you're trying to get us to agree with you..

We gave our recommendations.. but you're still making excuses.

Just do what you want, you don't have to justify it to anyone to try and make yourself feel better. Sometimes we make choices that not everyone is in agreement with and that's okay! We MUST do what WE think is right, period.

To me.. maybe Mom needs something to focus on.. and she is way more important than ANY of those animals!

So.. what did YOU do for the broken turkey wing?

I AM on YOUR side and here to support YOU, even though it may seem not so. Hang in there, and best wishes NO matter what!