Undecided- Anyone ever feel the same?

[OneLostHen]

Thanks all! Gave me a lot to think about.

When I think about actually listing them, I get sad. But when I think about the issues I have with keeping them, I feel over it. Lol

I may try to loosely solve my top most issues and go from there.

Was thinking about qail as I have also kept them in the past in a raised hutch with all their needs and it was enjoyable too. It was a smaller task than chicken keeping, they're more quiet than hens, take up less space. So in my mind I wonder if I'd enjoy it more. But at the end of the day, it is still another group of lives to take care of. And less personable than hens.

 

[OneLostHen]

As a quail keeper I can say that they are very cute but also require as much care as chickens. So there's not much difference in the big picture. You might feel a bit more excitement with them at the beginning as you do with every new beginning, but eventually it will wear out too. And when you said that you are not a big fan of eating eggs, I don't see much point in quails either as they lay a lot and make terrible pets.
If it's all getting too overwhelming I think taking a break is a good thing. This way you can take some time to consider whether you need livestock or not into your life. And if the answer is yes, maybe you should consider someone who gives you meat or milk instead of eggs?

Those are good points about quail! I think they're adorable, but they'll think I'm terrifying. Forever

 

[2ndTink]

Thanks all! Gave me a lot to think about.

When I think about actually listing them, I get sad. But when I think about the issues I have with keeping them, I feel over it. Lol

I may try to loosely solve my top most issues and go from there.

Was thinking about qail as I have also kept them in the past in a raised hutch with all their needs and it was enjoyable too. It was a smaller task than chicken keeping, they're more quiet than hens, take up less space. So in my mind I wonder if I'd enjoy it more. But at the end of the day, it is still another group of lives to take care of. And less personable than hens.

Any chance you could down size? Only keep 2 or 3 favorites and see if that improves how you feel? Add the tarp too?

If you do downsize there is a chance that whoever takes the ones you offer would be interested in getting the remaining couple if you did decide that taking a complete break is the best option in a week or two.

Keeping chickens is not fun if it is just a chore. I hit that last year, I just had too many and too much going on, they were just more work to have to deal with. I improved some setups I had and added more bulk feeders to decrease the time I had to spend caring for them and got a bit more time to just enjoy them instead.

Best of luck!

 

[OneLostHen]

Any chance you could down size? Only keep 2 or 3 favorites and see if that improves how you feel? Add the tarp too?

If you do downsize there is a chance that whoever takes the ones you offer would be interested in getting the remaining couple if you did decide that taking a complete break is the best option in a week or two.

Keeping chickens is not fun if it is just a chore. I hit that last year, I just had too many and too much going on, they were just more work to have to deal with. I improved some setups I had and added more bulk feeders to decrease the time I had to spend caring for them and got a bit more time to just enjoy them instead.

Best of luck!

I only have 4. I think I also need to possibly take a chill pill and be happy with what I have instead of seeing everything as a chore.
Every time I go outside to tend to them, they make me smile and laugh.
They're precious (when not broody) lol

 

[McChooky]

My chickens are limited in how far they can go when I turn them out.
Theres a steep hillside behind us and a highway out front which only leaves the clearing where the coop is(couple hundred feet wide) I'd probably get rid of mine too if I had to keep them contained.It sounds like your unhappiness comes from keeping them contained (which you never did before) so you'd be happier with just a few ...if any at all

 

[McChooky]

I only have 4. I think I also need to possibly take a chill pill and be happy with what I have instead of seeing everything as a chore.
Every time I go outside to tend to them, they make me smile and laugh.
They're precious (when not broody) lol

View attachment 4306852View attachment 4306853View attachment 4306854View attachment 4306855

Your chickens are beautiful!

 

[Appalachickens]

My chickens are limited in how far they can go when I turn them out.
Theres a steep hillside behind us and a highway out front which only leaves the clearing where the coop is(couple hundred feet wide) I'd probably get rid of mine too if I had to keep them contained.It sounds like your unhappiness comes from keeping them contained (which you never did before) so you'd be happier with just a few ...if any at all

Mine have a hillside that is too steep for me to climb, but they have flown over the creek and gone up it many times. Not so much now that I have a rooster since he is a big boy and can't really fly.

 

[OneLostHen]

My chickens are limited in how far they can go when I turn them out.
Theres a steep hillside behind us and a highway out front which only leaves the clearing where the coop is(couple hundred feet wide) I'd probably get rid of mine too if I had to keep them contained.It sounds like your unhappiness comes from keeping them contained (which you never did before) so you'd be happier with just a few ...if any at all

I wish I trusted my area enough to try supervised free ranging, even if only once. But mine are all bantams and I see hawks all the time looking for an easy meal.

My yard unfortunately doesn't have much coverage for them to retreat to so I'd worry. Even if they're supervised.

We have recently added a 10x20 'pasture' I call it around the side of the run that has netting over it. They visit it 1st thing every morning. I think they feel like they're free ranged out there

Some pics of the set up may help.

The run is attached to the end of our catio

The chain of kennels and the crummy tarp up top at the very front of the run that I'm going to upgrade today or tomorrow

The pasture lol

It has a little passage way they can reach it.

 

[Appalachickens]

I wish I trusted my area enough to try supervised free ranging, even if only once. But mine are all bantams and I see hawks all the time looking for an easy meal.

My yard unfortunately doesn't have much coverage for them to retreat to so I'd worry. Even if they're supervised.

We have recently added a 10x20 'pasture' I call it around the side of the run that has netting over it. They visit it 1st thing every morning. I think they feel like they're free ranged out there

Some pics of the set up may help.

The run is attached to the end of our catio
View attachment 4306886

The chain of kennels and the crummy tarp up top at the very front of the run that I'm going to upgrade today or tomorrow
View attachment 4306887

The pasture lol
View attachment 4306888
View attachment 4306889

It has a little passage way they can reach it.

I think that pasture area makes a difference. And you are right - if you have hawks they need places to run for cover.