Will chickens help my depression?

[nasus]

Good Morning,
I know my chickies make me laugh, especially right now as they gaze at the snow which is falling and say" Not this white stuff again!" Enjoy your chickies!

 

[JohnPeel]

This one chicken is thinner than the others. The ladder is a flat board with wood screwed to it for grip, and it is all solid so nothing can fall through it. I have watched her at night as they all go up to bed, she takes the ladder really slowely, then when she is near the top, she jumps up the rest of the way, while all the other just march up in single file then step through to the coop.

I opened the back door of the coop up today, and with the help of Korma, she jumped out. Korma is the really caring one. She is always around them showing them how to do things. The thin one went back into the coop today and lay there on her own, and so Korma went in too and lay there with her. When I opened the big coop door, Korma jumped out and stood there waiting for the thin one to jump, which she did. I don't want to leave food in the coop just for her, but I don't want her to starve either.

This is the back door I left open today.



And this is the ladder. Since this picture I have added more wood to the steps to give them better grip.

 

[chickenbusiness]

What a beautiful coop.

 

[tgooberbutt]

What a beautiful coop.

I know, right? it's like a frickin' chickin chalet!

 

[JohnPeel]

Thank you, it has taken a lot of work, and the chooks seem impressed, 4 eggs yesterday. Im glad I didnt clip their wings before I let them freerange. Yesterday I sat on my bench and called them. I make a call, dont laugh, but it goes kind of like this ((BRRR BRRR)) and kind of chicken like, and the all flew over to me from about 20 yards away.

 

[Bellatrixed]

Hi there John, I just finished reading this full thread! I'm glad things are working out for you and your chickens. I, like many others who posted here, also struggle very badly with depression, and this depression is one of the things that finally encouraged me to get back into chickens. I grew up with them but sold the last one about ten years back. I have dogs, but they aren't exactly high maintenance animals, and while they do help me tons with my depression I really wanted an outdoor animal that I could do physical labor for and devote more time to. Since I work from home, sometimes I go entire weeks barely leaving my house... and that just isn't healthy! The chickens will give me a reason to start going outside multiple times a day and get healthy again. And really, there's nothing like feeding them treats and watching them scamper about being silly to lighten your mood.

So for me, I got chickens as a "motivator" to help with my depression rather than a cure, lol. My depression got worse once I started living a sedentary 24/7 indoors life... so... hopefully I can fix that! I should be getting them sometime this month, hopefully...

Hope things keep working out for you!

 

[JohnPeel]

Hi there John, I just finished reading this full thread! My depression got worse once I started living a sedentary 24/7 indoors life... so... hopefully I can fix that! I should be getting them sometime this month, hopefully...

Hope things keep working out for you!

Well done for reading this thread, I am sure that took some doing, with me babbling on like I do. Depression is a terrible thing, and I really feel for anyone with it.

The ups and downs are no fun at all. Just last night my partner and I decided to sell the house and go our seperate ways. We are still here in the house at the moment, and we are not sure how we can do this splitting up thing. Neither of us want it, but we cant live like we do either.

We have been together 7 years, and for the last 4 years, we are together 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year in year out, and this in itself has taken its toll. My wife feels that if you want to have time on your own, you shouldnt be together, but I dont agree. I think you need time apart to fully appreciate your time together. Added to this is the fact that I have 2 teenage daughters to a previous partner, and I hardly ever see them.

My partner wont have them staying over, even though she gets on with them, and I am unable to see them on my own, as my wife doesnt want me to. The same with my family. I have only seen my mum once on my own in 7 years, and I havent seen any of my sisters on their own at all in that time.

I told my wife last night that we need to sell the houses because I need some time to myself, even just one day every couple of weeks to see my daughters and family, and it looks like this is how its going to go.

Now, after a huge argument about all this last night, my wife tells me that she has never stopped me from doing anything I want, or from seeing my family. She says it is all in my head that she doesnt like it, and thats why I have done it. She says that this is all part of your depressive state of mind. And I am sat here now typing this, and thinking that maybe she is right. And then I think no. Depression is a terrible thing, and I wish you all the best.

 

[newfoundland]

Oh dear, I hope you don't do anything rash JohnPeel. Would it not be possible to get away for a few days to see your mother and sisters? Sounds as though your partner is saying she doesn't mind. I agree about depression though, my daughter-in-law has suffered for years. After years of meds, that worked initially but eventually lost their effectiveness, she got on a councilling program and has not looked back. It has been explained to her that one of the causes of depression is the inability to process events at the time. For example early frightening experiences that have been 'swept under the carpet', by family members rather than talked about and rationalised at the time. She tells me that it is like having l load of filing that has never been read and placed away in the correct file in a filing cabinet. It has been very painful for her because it has meant visiting a lot of unresolved problems from early childhood onwards, but it has been worth it. I hope you can find a program like this I'm sure it would be helpful to you.

 

[chickenzoo]

John.....you really need to find a specialist to talk to about your family and your feelings about them. Your wife.seems to love you and people who love you want what's best for you..... The.part about having some alone time is.good...but with your depression your wife probably is very afraid to leave you alone.
I'm.seeing a lot of up and down emotions in your posts....I get the feeling you may have.some bypolar issues.... just my opinion from past family experience.....
Find a.doc.that understands and really pursues getting you The proper treatment.
Depression tends to help us sabotage anything helpful in our lives...... Don't let it do that too you.
You need to resolve your disappointments.from your past to move forward. You have a.lot of regrets about the past. You can't change the past..no one can go back and.fix.that....we only have control over what we.do now....that's what counts.....from today onward.

 

[JohnPeel]

Thank you, and I truely am sorry if I am adding to anyone elses already poor mental health, I dont mean to. When I asked my doctor a week ago about the delay in getting further help, he asked me if I was Bypolar. I mean, what a thing to ask me. He really is rubbish and I once my new referal comes through I will change GP.

I am taking my wife for a walk on the beach in a few minutes. We are going to collect shells and grit for the chickens.