When is it all too much?

[Zahboo]

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Why does it have to be one or the other? Really, I just can't understand the polarity that this discussion seems to bring out. On the one hand we have people spending their hard earned money in whatever way the see fit because it is their right to do so. On the other hand, we have lazy good for nothings milking society. Does this extreme really exist in the U.S. or is it a convenient simplification? {Please don't flame, this is a genuine question}.

No, I know people that work every day and still can't get ends to meet, and people that don't work because they are rolling in it. It's not a polarity, but extreme opposites get the point across. If you had a budget of $20 you're coop would show $20 of effort. If you had a budget of $2000 dollars, it's obviously going to be extravagant or huge, or possibly both. These days it's all about curb appeal, so there are going to be signs, landscaping and such around the coops that increases the cost. Me personally, I have the $20 side of things, as long as it holds out predators, it's all good.

 

[mlorne]

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Amen! I have an old farm fence gate bolted to the side of a barn!

 

[Finn's Mom]

I haven't read this whole thread, just a few pages, but shouldn't this be on Random Ramblings since we are not helping each other build something? Love you all, just a thought.

 

[redhen]

OP..
I dont think that your post was meant to be rude .... but i simply dont understand it...
My question to you is...
What makes you think you have the right to question how I or anyone else spends their money since you didnt earn it?? Just wondering since you started this thread....
You dont find that a bit odd and akward? I know that i would feel weird and ashamed questioning how other people spend their money....
Think i was taught that as a child.... Its just simply bad manners....

 

[texandziggy]

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My thoughts exactly.

 

[calista]

Hey, Michael, the four grand I will end up spending on my coop, storage shed, and two runs with raised garden beds for my 51 ladies will be the money I DIDN'T spend over my 63 years on cigarettes, booze, drugs, travel, fancy cars, a McMansion, kids -- oops, I agree, I HAVE led a very boring life.

I intend to lavish my hard-earned money in my golden years on fully enjoying my combo hobby of chicken-raising and gardening and not lose a minute's sleep over it.

To each his own.

 

[Tigerjane]

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[Oscgrr]

I think I understand what OP meant by asking the question of when too much is too much, I've asked it myself (often) but I think it's unfortunate that he invoked other peoples hard situations. I can't let a sense of guilt over things beyond my control regulate how I spend my time or money. Truth be told, I've built my coop on the cheap out of scraps and reclaimed lumber with only a very few purchased "virgin" materials but that's because I wanted to challenge myself to spend as little money as possible. I fail to see how putting a Playstation in a chicken coop (my chickens prefer XBOX) is a social injustice. OP should have seen that this thread would get political, questioning how others spend their money is the very essence of politics.

I could be mistaken but I tend to believe that most folks here view keeping chickens much the way I do, a hobby. It's something to do. My coop looks nice because I want my yard to look nice. I could spend my time on golf or fishing or any number of recreational activities and it would be my business. I think the spirit of the question is tantamount to asking why someone would spend $20k on a bass boat to chase down a five pound fish they aren't even going to eat anyway. Where do we draw the line?

I don't think we can draw the line. As long as your hobby, in this case keeping chickens, doesn't put your family out on the street, you're doing fine. One person pointed out that the money they spend goes into circulation and others benefit from them spending it. I couldn't agree more. Spending money that you can offord on your hobby rewards entrapraneurial (sp?) people and provides them a job with an income. Some of the coops I've seen here are silly (don't take that wrong, I love them but some are not my cup) and several are strictly utilitarian. I've always believed that form follows function except where form is the function.

I would rather see more people building their own coops, regardless of the money spent, than buying prefab units but that's only because I think there are many rewards to be had by being involved in the entire process. To each his own. Keeping chickens is a fun hobby and it presents a lot of challenges that take either inginuity or money to overcome. Sometimes it takes both. You can only answer the question of how far too far is for yourself. It wouldn't be right to decide how somebody else should have spent their time or money. That would be imposing your value system on them and it would open you up to their scrutiny as well. We are all better off either admiring others coops or politely saying "That's nice."

 

[Zahboo]

The problem is with this question if your viewing them as livestock, they make eggs, when they stop we eat them, then $1000 is too much, that's stupid, ect. If you view them as pets, children, part of the family, it's an extension of your home and if there was no budget, they'd have a replica of your house. Here at BYC most of it is beyond basics, we want to out do the norms and exaggerate everything. So there are different standards. What we view as normal the man down the street would laugh at. In this case, some of us are just crazy stupid wackos (or wanna be crazy stupid wackos) who if they found 20000 on the street would use it to expand the Poultry Palace. Then there are the food, warmth, roost people. Either way is fine, it just depends on the residents, not for others to judge.

 

[4theloveofhens]

I have to quickly post this before I continue to read what everybody else posted!

I think the original poster has a great point. I too am in the process of building and designing my coop and I look at the ones on here and I think, HOLY COW, you lucky people to have that much money to spend on chicken coop! I have to say, and sorry, but they are just chickens. BUT, who am I to say? I love my chickens. And Dogs are just dogs, right? And fish are just fish? ETC. The list goes on. It's hard to compare what we do with our animals etc (YES, dogs may have more brain activity than a chicken) but does it make them less of a pet? Less of a family member? I think not. However, in my personal opinion, it's hard for me to understand when some people make their coops better than my home, BUT on the other hand, I ALSO don't understand how some people can throw a chicken in a cardboard box (or SPCA neglected animals) and call it good. I think there are extremes on both ends. BUT my ultimate opinion? I think we'd ALL rather have the people spoil their pets than neglect them.


That being said, if you have the time, money, and allowance to make your chicken coop, dog house, fish tank, whatever, to be the best on the block. Go right ahead. I DO think though, in my PERSONAL opinion, that some people underestimate their chickens and their "hardiness". I read so many posts that people over dramatize something very little. But we all do that about something. And I'm sure I'll be doing that soon when I have my girls. Which leads me to my last point. I think what I struggle to remind myself of is that most people aren't' building their $1000 coop, fish tank, dog house, cat collar, etc for the animal that occupies it, but more so for their own self. They want to look at something nice, organized, well-designed, and be proud of what is lucky enough to live inside of it. So next time we all look at an "over the top" coop, just remember, The chickens don't need a white 2x4, wallpaper, curtains, or even colors! They just want a safe place to live with full bellies. Remember that all the decorations, paint, layers of framing and structural support, is not necessarily for the chickens, but for the people that actually care about what they look at. (Not to say that those who throw something together are less qualified, it just means that they would rather spend their time, money, effort elsewhere).

Sorry for the rambling. Great thread. Invokes a lot of good discussion!