When is it all too much?

[ranchhand]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=4514327#p4514327

OP has a rustic but very large setup.

Having read the OP's previous posts, I believe he could house quite a few refugees from anywhere on this planet.

 

[cafe]

I can't afford anything fancy myself, but I do love looking at all the pics of pretty coops. I don't know that I'd make ones like that unless it was for a business, regardless of how much money I had, but I still think they look fun. I'm just utilitarian by nature, in general.

My hens live in a couple of tractors in the front yard. We live in town and have no back yard, so that's just how it is for now. We used mostly new materials because I didn't want to wait around to find used. Before winter we are going to convert an old dog house the neighbor gave us into more permanent quarters.

All that said, we are geeks, so though our mini-van (we have seven people in our household -- so it's just the right size) is a few years old, and our house is on the low end, we do have some pretty nice computers.

I am very pro-social justice and much in favor of holding corporations accountable for wages, the environment, working conditions, etc. I know people that are extremely poor and are doing everything they know to do to make ends meet -- now keep in mind they might not know much because they were raised in very dysfunctional situations. A lot of people don't realize how much their innate abilities/intelligence and their environment growing up effects their ability to function and provide for yourself -- the US has less social mobility than a lot of European countries, for example but we are so saturated with the Horatio Alger-type propaganda that it's not even funny. Add that to all the social Darwinism that has become like mother's milk for so many and it's just not a pretty picture -- unless you like the idea of living in an society that resembles a Charles Dickens novel.

HOWEVER, the folks that are responsible for our rapidly diminishing middle class are most likely NOT the folks on this forum building fancy chicken coops. Most of them probably don't give a second thought to the conditions the hens laying the eggs they eat live in. Everyone has priorities and as a general rule, somebody else making a comfortable living does not cause me or my family any kind of hardship. I'm happy when good things happen to and for others as long as those things don't come at the expense of other people.

Haiti has been hundreds of years in the making. They are the victims of crimes going back to colonial days and from what I understand, the area is not abundant in natural resources. I have no idea what the solution is and as far as I know, Americans have been pretty generous with aid to Haiti. Our generosity is one of the things I love best about my countrymen, actually. We are a people of excess and generosity is no exception.

We are also excessive with our hobbies and our pets. But, heck, I'd rather see somebody spending money on something like that than a Hummer, to be honest.

 

[agnes_day]

wow..those pictures were kind of sad..its like the auschwitz of chicken coops.

 

[lacasitarojafarm]

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What a thoughtful post! Thank you for giving me something to think about today and to remind me to count my blessings!

 

[serendipityfarm]

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I agree 100%!

 

[MaggieRae]

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I agree. I volunteer my time as much as I can and am schooling to go into a profession that saves lives. I help anyone that needs help if that help is within my capability to give. But life is short and I find joy in having a cute little chicken cabin that matches my own cabin. I love getting in my car and turning the seat heater on some cold monday morning. Sure, I don't need a cute chicken cabin or a seat heater, but people always underestimate the little daily joys of life. If I can pass some of those joys on to others, by being the happy person who greets them at the refuge and makes their day all that much better, well, who wouldn't want that?

 

[MissJenny]

I live in a neighborhood where, although chickens are allowed, that little law hasn't much been tested -- my coop can't be a nuisance, a stink hole, an eye-sore. And if I'm going to have to work in it, look at it and entertain near it, it better be cute. Cute is required.

As for where I spend my money and on what -- I will do as I please.

Jenny

 

[harveyhorses]

I work hard, I pick and choose my pleasures. I have an 8 year old ipod, a pay as you go cell phone
1 horse, two cats 5 chickens.
My coworker, who has an iphone got a $175 tattoo is constantly asking to borrow bus fare. As if it is her right.

I no longer carry cash, my money my choices.
Stopping before the rant gets going.

 

[texandziggy]

Ok, I spend a lot of time lurking on these forums. I enjoy reading everyone's posts, but hardly ever post anything of my own. However, I just had to jump in on this one.

I believe the vast majority of people on here are American, and the last time I checked, this country was founded on a principle of individual freedom. Our founders believed that we, as human beings, had certain freedoms that could not be interfered with. The freedom to think as we choose; the freedom to say what we think; the freedom to worship whatever God we choose; the freedom to not worship if we choose not to; and, yes, the freedom to spend as much money on a chicken coop as we darn well please. They believed we have the freedom and right to live our lives as we see fit, so long as the way in which we choose to live our lives doesn't interfere with the freedom of others. This right to live our lives as we see fit is a natural right -- it isn't a right that has been given or bestowed upon us -- it's a natural right that comes from our humanity and NOBODY and no GOVERNMENT has the authority to take away that which comes from our humanity.

The biggest problem I see in today's society (on many levels) is a growing tendency and willingness by people to try and tell everyone else what's best for them. Whatever happened to the concept of simply letting people be? Don't get involved in my business, and you can rest assured I won't get involved in yours. If my neighbor wants to paint his house pink with teal polka dots, have the most god-awful looking chicken coop in his backyard, and three dozen junk cars in his front yard, it's his property and his business. If I don't like it then I'd better get used to not looking over his way. And if he comes home with a brand new Hummer that cost 60 grand and gets about 9 mpg, I'm not gonna run over and say "How could you buy that? Think of all those CO2 emissions coming out of that exhaust, and oh yeah, think of all those poor Haitians that could've used that 60 grand." People these days seem to think they have the right to judge everybody else's actions and it just burns me up. If I want to live frugally and use whatever money I have left to help my fellow man, great. If I want to horde all my money on cigarettes, scotch, gas for my truck with a loud exhaust, strippers, and a several-thousand dollar chicken coop, that's fine too.

We've really become a society that's forgotten the whole "judge not, lest ye be judged" thing, haven't we??

 

[Beekissed]

Yeah....just check out how many people apply that principle when it comes to how they think people should be caring for their animals. Mind yer own business when its MY business but I have animal control on speed dial when its in YOUR yard!

Quite the double standard I am thinking....