The Middle Tennessee Thread

[emmalynn]

Sam so glad you had a good hatch. They are your chicks to do with as you see fit. Let me know when you eant some sbel too.

Sorry i have not been on much. I left my hubby sunday morning. We r still trying to get some normalcy in our life. I dont have internet or cable yet so out of touch for the most part.

Lori sorry you are having problems and i hope i have not contributed since i have not pick up my birds. People have just been strange this year.....idk why.

Sam- nope nothing to do with you at all


DONNA- OMG! I am so sorry to hear that ya'll are having marital problems. Call me at home if you want to talk or scream. I have often had shoulders used for that myself and am more than willing to help in any way I can. The Orps are fine. Strolling all over the yard and they are not a problem. They have only been watched more carefully so nothing eats one before you get to pick them up.

 

[emmalynn]

Matlock, that's different. I have given eggs and birds away to all sorts of people. I have also cut deals for nice people (especially kids). It is the ones who get snarky because they think they deserve a deal or because, as Lori said, they want to be breeders themselves but don't want the up front costs. It all comes down to attitude.
I admit that my attitude about this has gotten worse over time. While i have met a ton of really fun, interesting people along the way, I've also been screwed by those that know better (mostly those in the chicken community). It is frustrating and disheartening.

I worked in a customer service call center years ago. It was the ideal job for a student -- benefits at 30 hours and flexible schedules. But dealing with unhappy person after unhappy person is draining. There are some folks who are entirely unreasonable and even abusive. They are the ones who make you want to quit and I suspect they are like that in their personal relationships and are generally wanting others to be as miserable as they are. But, then there are all of those others who only have a need and who ask for help politely and thank you for your assistance. Those folks needed me there and, frankly, I needed my paycheck. Not sure how much I'd put up with for a hobby. But, I hope that when one my gals gets the broody itch, somebody here will help me scratch it with some eggs. I was sure happy to get some grown pullet breeder culls to add to the layer flock when I needed them.

Carol and Ann- I appreciate knowing that I am not the only one.

I do a very difficult job dealing with the public. Let's just say it is in the government and I have learned to hate people as a species. I would have quit this job for sanity reasons but not a lot of jobs are floating around that are online with my pay rate. We lose people all the time but are on a hiring freeze so those left just get more work. We have lost several co-workers to suicide from the stress within the last 6 months. I got chickens as a stress relief outlet over 5 years ago and then it grew into the hobby and farm that we have now.

I was not always like this. I STILL try to make kids/4Hs some great deals if not free birds. I give eggs away. I have covered other people's obligations due to laying issues, etc with their birds just to be a friend. I give advice and tips- solicited only.... I try not to be a busy body or portray myself as, and I know I don't think of myself as, an authority. I enjoy this hobby and have tried repeatedly to give back to it. It is often the "chicken community people" that have tried to screw me the most. I am disenchanted in general. My husband doesn't understand my chicken love and he was okay with seeing some type of return in selling stock and eggs. At this point, he sees them as a drain, and I can't argue.

I am going to reduce my flock further (into my freezer), enjoy some omelets and turn off the incubators.

 

[Moretimefarm]

Not a chicken, but does anyone have black lab puppies? I figured I would ask on here first.

 

[Penny Hen]

Carol and Ann- I appreciate knowing that I am not the only one.

I do a very difficult job dealing with the public. Let's just say it is in the government and I have learned to hate people as a species. I would have quit this job for sanity reasons but not a lot of jobs are floating around that are online with my pay rate. We lose people all the time but are on a hiring freeze so those left just get more work. We have lost several co-workers to suicide from the stress within the last 6 months. I got chickens as a stress relief outlet over 5 years ago and then it grew into the hobby and farm that we have now.

I was not always like this. I STILL try to make kids/4Hs some great deals if not free birds. I give eggs away. I have covered other people's obligations due to laying issues, etc with their birds just to be a friend. I give advice and tips- solicited only.... I try not to be a busy body or portray myself as, and I know I don't think of myself as, an authority. I enjoy this hobby and have tried repeatedly to give back to it. It is often the "chicken community people" that have tried to screw me the most. I am disenchanted in general. My husband doesn't understand my chicken love and he was okay with seeing some type of return in selling stock and eggs. At this point, he sees them as a drain, and I can't argue.

I am going to reduce my flock further (into my freezer), enjoy some omelets and turn off the incubators.

I can understand, I was in the Army for 4 years and you see all types good and bad. Then I worked 6 years for a health insurance provider which started out good and then screwed everybody when the economy began to tank. Try this method when dealing with abrasive personalities

Imagine yourself surrounded by a force field of golden light or blue light which ever feels more right to you. Chant in your head this simple mantra: "Maintain, Maintain, Maintain." You will find that their abusive comments bounce off of you and don't worm their way under your skin any more. These kind of people are caught in their own misery. Sometimes you see one that is close enough to the edge of that whirlpool that you can offer a hand out of it. But if you are not anchored firmly yourself don't try it and be drug in with them. You have been seeing too much of the negative side of humanity lately. Your job shoves it in your face until it seems to become the whole world. There is still sweetness and beauty and kindness out here. Search for it. Believe in it. If people allow themselves to believe that only the negative is true, that that is all that remains to mankind, then that will become the truth. My mother is a parole officer and she sees so much criminal scum that she has a hard time believing that good people are still out there. People who would drain you are sad damaged souls. Of course you can't let pity for them drop your guard for they will be quick to take advantage. Your anger at them is because you resent that they have managed to steal energy from you. Energy that you needed for yourself. Shield yourself each day with the visualization and the mantra. I know it seems silly that a little mantra makes that much difference. But it will.
One more mantra before I go. When I was in the Army and what they were asking us to do in Basic training was tough or made us hurt and pushed our limits, the drill sergent told us to say: "It's only just a thing." Seems ridiculous that that phrase would bring relief when your muscles were screaming and you had this huge hill to climb with a 90lb pack, but it does. And it helps in the non-physical stress issues too. They also were fond of saying "Suck it up and drive on." Maybe you should pass that last phrase onto the next person that whines about your prices.

 

[joceeghost]

I bought 25 blue wyandottes, when I picked them up from the post office they had covered them with a garbage bag, so they would stop peeping! Within hours of having them home 7 died. Then in the next 3 days all of them died. I am so up set. Why in the world would you put a toxic garbage bag over anything live.

 

[Penny Hen]

I bought 25 blue wyandottes, when I picked them up from the post office they had covered them with a garbage bag, so they would stop peeping! Within hours of having them home 7 died. Then in the next 3 days all of them died. I am so up set. Why in the world would you put a toxic garbage bag over anything live.

You should be able to go after the Post Office for the worth of the chicks. Of course that doesn't bring them back but perhaps it will result in the education of some ignorant postal workers. They have instructions on how to treat the birds and I am sure that draping them in a plastic bag isn't on there. I mean you wouldn't bag a crying baby with one now would you?

 

[soroco]

Have just finished reducing my base flock to 7 One Olive egger ! Americana (white egg ) !Splash from the eggs I bought from Country Girl ... and 3 Black Copper Maran I got from Raven1 That Black Copper Maran that I got from Raven1 also. I have had 4 good hatches this spring and presold all of them. I have some $50 eggs in the incubator now will see how that turns out. I am just a back yard chicken man and have no expectation on turning a profit feel lucky to get back some feed money.. From what I've been reading looks like MidTenn producers have outgrown the Speacialty market so I decided to have a few laying hens and see what the high end looks like.

 

[Masonicflock]

Does anyone on here have Barred Rock eggs or know anyone who has Barred Rock eggs? A coworkers friend is wanting to incubate some Barred Rock eggs and I have Barreds but not enough to fill the order lol.. Any help or info will be greatly appreciated! PM me if you have any leads lol

 

[Happy Henhouse]

Does anyone on here have Barred Rock eggs or know anyone who has Barred Rock eggs?  A coworkers friend is wanting to incubate some Barred Rock eggs and I have Barreds but not enough to fill the order lol..  Any help or info will be greatly appreciated!  PM me if you have any leads lol

BKPucket has super cute bantam barred rocks

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

Quote:
I guess that's the problem, Carol. I do want people to be pleased with the eggs/chicks/birds that I am selling and when they are hateful or I get cheated I take it personally. I try to be honest and fair and just assume that everyone else will be too. Sadly, that's not how it is. And to quote Lori, it does seem like the worst offenders are others in the chicken community. Sad.

The plus side is that I have met some really nice people and have had a blast helping others get into chickens. I stay in touch with a bunch of them and it's great fun seeing where they have gone and how they are doing. This is a hobby and it should be fun. It is when it is not that I question what I'm doing.