Ways our husbands (or wives) surprise us (Long).

[cyanne]

When I first mentioned the 'chicken idea,' my DH didn't really take it seriously, he just sort of mumbled something along the lines of, "Sure, I guess that would be okay if we bought some land and moved out to the country someday."

Then, as I did more research and got more serious about it, he was more than a little alarmed about the idea of keeping chickens in a suburban backyard. He told me that he mentioned it to his friends at work and they told him it was downright crazy. (Yep, he called in 'guy backup')

When I started buying stuff and planning chicken tractors, he sort of grudgingly gave in to the inevitability of the whole ordeal. He even stopped by the feed store a few times to pick up supplies and chicks because it was on the side of town where he works. The first time he did that, he came home and told me that his coworker said he should win the husband of the year award for not only allowing me to have the chickens but for actively helping with the project.

Well, it's been several weeks now with a messy brooder sitting in his office, and a 12 wk old australorp pullet (Sheila) sleeping in my master bathroom because she was sick and needed daily shots and special treatment for a while. At first she was in there full time when she was sick, but since she got well she's been spending the day in the chicken run and meeting me at the gate in the evening to be carried in so she can sleep perched on the bathroom sink.

We've long since scrapped the plans for a couple of small chicken tractors and instead built an 8 by 8 coop that is finally reaching the point where we can put the chickens out in it full time.

Today I told the hubby, "Guess this means Sheila can sleep in the coop from now on instead of the bathroom!"

To my surprise he answered, "But she's happy sleeping in the bathroom! And besides, it's nice having a bathroom chicken peeping at me when I get up in the middle of the night."

So does this mean that I'm going to have to buy chicken diapers?

Anybody else have any good stories about their significant others surprising them?

 

[buc]

Anybody else have any good stories about their significant others surprising them?"

Sure, but this is not the place for that kind of discussion.

 

[wegotchickens]

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[buc]

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Thanks


Humor in a marriage is a must.

DW does some of the sweetest things for me as it relates to the raising of our chickens.

 

[wegotchickens]

My DH is also supportive, except when he thinks my addiction is getting over the top

 

[buc]

Quote:
uh, just a minute, an addiction by definition is - over the top, however, when it come to chickens I know first hand one can not go "over the top" because too much is never enough

 

[mjolly]

I had been getting eggs from a local woman and my boyfriend jokingly sggested that I could raise my own, "it didn't look that hard!". This was followed by laughs, and comments abut how crazy it would be to raise chickens in my backyard in the middle of the city!

Little did he know he planted a seed. About a month later, after doing some research online and from several books (I am an engineer!), I announced one day that I was thanful for his suggestion and that I had ordered my first set of chicks from the hatchery! He about fell over! Shortly after that, he was over looking at my books, fascinated at how many breeds there are, etc. He again expressed utter surprise when I let him know we got a turkey as well! He was the first one to bring his turkey call over and "play" it for her! When the poult heard it, she jsut stopped dead in her tracks and couldn't help but start to make the kiki (lost in the forest) sound (series of 4 whistles)!

We jsut finished building the coop and surrounding run and you should have seen him standing on the roof pounding shingles! He has volunteered to help me dig trenches and bury the hardwire cloth a ft below ground. He even likes wathcing the chickens when he's over and will comment on their current growth, colorations, behaviors, etc. He is almost as involved as I am in this project!

He has been wonderful and supportive! I think he is a remote chicken hobbiest! He asked me the other day if I wanted to hatch some eggs next year - as if I need convincing! LOL! He wants to do a few rio-grande turkeys in addition to my chicks I want! LOL

 

[wegotchickens]

Quote:
uh, just a minute, an addiction by definition is - over the top, however, when it come to chickens I know first hand one can not go "over the top" because too much is never enough

Trust me, I know that too much is never enough, but he doesn't know that yet. He thinks it's his job to keep me in reality.
But he's built me a tractor and a modified swingset coop. He's been supportive through 2 hatches in the incubator, and was grateful I said I'd take a break 'for a while' after this third one ends. And he helps keep the run and nest areas clean.

 

[cyanne]

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uh, just a minute, an addiction by definition is - over the top, however, when it come to chickens I know first hand one can not go "over the top" because too much is never enough

Don't I know it! When I started, I planned on a little 3 by 8 chicken tractor with 3 or 4 hens. Then I thought I'd get two 4 by 8 tractors so I could have 6 - 8 hens...then I started buying chicks and realized that they are all so special and unique and there are so many cool breeds and you have to buy extra in case there are losses or surprise roosters....

Now I have an 8ft by 8ft coop with a 12ft by 30 ft run AND a 4 ft by 8 ft chicken tractor that I plan to keep on my veggie garden plot in the winter for fertilization purposes. I guess that's as much as I can do with the land I have...but we are looking at houses with acreage and thinking of moving away from suburbia so who knows how many chickies I will end up with?

 

[buc]

Quote:
uh, just a minute, an addiction by definition is - over the top, however, when it come to chickens I know first hand one can not go "over the top" because too much is never enough

Don't I know it! When I started, I planned on a little 3 by 8 chicken tractor with 3 or 4 hens. Then I thought I'd get two 4 by 8 tractors so I could have 6 - 8 hens...then I started buying chicks and realized that they are all so special and unique and there are so many cool breeds and you have to buy extra in case there are losses or surprise roosters....

Now I have an 8ft by 8ft coop with a 12ft by 30 ft run AND a 4 ft by 8 ft chicken tractor that I plan to keep on my veggie garden plot in the winter for fertilization purposes. I guess that's as much as I can do with the land I have...but we are looking at houses with acreage and thinking of moving away from suburbia so who knows how many chickies I will end up with?

Aint that the truth, I started with two hens and a rooster, SLWY, I wanted to raise a few for eggs and a few to eat. Well, let me shock you all with the results, I am now the proud owner of 16 SLWY laying hens, two Bluff hens and a rooster and 4 rhode island red hens and a rooster, and 4 dozen or so chics of differing ages.

and 2 store bought white broad brested Turkeys and 5 bronze broad brested Turkeys, just fof grins, and the whole time DW has been supportive .