Will chickens help my depression?

[JohnPeel]

I don't let them freerange as yet, as I am too scared that as soon as I open the run door they will leg it into the forest at the back of the property and I will never see them again. What I am doing is trying to let them get used to the coop and small are underneath the coop for a few weeks, and I am building a small fenced off area in front of that so they will then be able to go into that for a little while as well. Then, and only then, will I open the gate from that, to let them out to freerange.

When they do, if they do, they will have an acre of our back garden to play in, and a forest of a few acres, and about 5 acres in next doors field where he keeps his horses. So loads of room for them to roam, but I don't know whether I will be able to risk letting them do it. I don't want to see them kicking up dust running into the sunset.

 

[JohnPeel]

Depression can be devastating to the person suffering, and people around them. Unless someone is suffering or has suffered from depression, they will struggle to understand just how horrible it is to live with.

I have known people who have what appears to be everything, I nice home, understanding and caring partner and no money problems, but still suffer from depression. Medication might help you to keep calm or slow your thinking down, or maybe even help you sleep, but it won’t cure you. I here that when it is ready and you are ready, it will just leave you, and I am so looking forward to that day.

In the meantime, these chickens and have boosted my mood so much since only last Friday, and I am expecting that my mood will improve even more. If they decide they want to hold their eggs in, then so be it, they would just look silly and give me a laugh.

 

[Fancychooklady]

That's the spirit John! Let those little guys make you

. Once you get to know their different little personalities you'll wonder why you didn't get chickens long ago.

 

[tgooberbutt]

I don't let them freerange as yet, as I am too scared that as soon as I open the run door they will leg it into the forest at the back of the property and I will never see them again. What I am doing is trying to let them get used to the coop and small are underneath the coop for a few weeks, and I am building a small fenced off area in front of that so they will then be able to go into that for a little while as well. Then, and only then, will I open the gate from that, to let them out to freerange.

When they do, if they do, they will have an acre of our back garden to play in, and a forest of a few acres, and about 5 acres in next doors field where he keeps his horses. So loads of room for them to roam, but I don't know whether I will be able to risk letting them do it. I don't want to see them kicking up dust running into the sunset.

The gradual transition seems reasonable. I started 'free ranging' my chicken when they were still chicks...they 'free ranged' in the raised garden bed next to their coop. (Then again,my tiny urban yard is nowhere near the palatial size of yours!) It took them about a week to realize the coop was home, and where they should go at night. But after they knew where home was, they always went home by themselves at dusk. Good luck, I look forward to more picts and following the lives of you and your chickens!

 

[Grillmaster33]

I hadn't read much of this thread, but I will like to say that my flock of chickens (when I had them) helped me deal with my depression a great deal!

Three and a half years ago I had a liver transplant. I went from living an active life that most young men would love to live when tragedy struck. I was sliced open, slowed down, and forced to change all of my habits. And although I was grateful for a new chance at life, I was diagnosed as being manic and having chronic depression.

Life was cumbersome. Even the small things.

But I moved into a house all by myself, and ordered a coop. I started with a small flock and that flock grew to over forty chickens and roosters. They lived a lavish life! And tending to their needs was very relaxing for me.

I enlarged the coop, built a pond, and had a special chair of which I could sit back and enjoy my birds. It seemed a strange hobby for a city boy, but it gave me nearly everything I needed to relax and enjoy life.

I gave my flock up when I got a new job teaching in this bigger city, but as spring is growing near, I am getting the itch to move into a house and start a new flock. I wish I were in a position to do so.

Peace and Love,
Luke

 

[nuchickontheblock]

Hi John,
I am happy that you are having such a positive experience with your girls so far. It's great that they will eat out of your hand so soon. Chickens are very social and friendly animals and make wonderful pets. After we got our small flock, my husband had quite a lot of serious health problems and couldn't do much for a long time, as he would get totally exhausted. We had chairs out by the coop and together spent many an hour watching the antics of our hens. They do such funny things (taking dust baths, looking dead when they are doing the sun bathing thing, chasing each other around, calling over their friends when they find something good to eat, and all the talking, bawking and squawking). We called them "cheep therapy". Our girls were also your pullets when we got them and gradually over time as we picked them up one at a time each day and patted them, they got accustomed to being touched and held. Some will enjoy that more than others. We have one who loves to jump up on my husband's knee and will even lie on top of him and take a nap in the hammock during the summer.

We have built a larger coop now so that we can walk inside. We have a stool in there so that we can sit and visit in the winter when it is snowy and cold as well as a stool in the covered run. We put a sand box in the run for the winter and love to watch them scratch around it and do their chicken thing.

Best wishes to you. I hope 2013 will be the year that things turn around for you.

 

[kacklinkelly]

Like so many others have mentioned, and what almost all of us have experienced is, that these little critters have brought
more enjoyment than I ever imagined possible. That is a tall order coming from such a simple Being. Many have
told me that chickens are stupid. My response is, they are smart enough to figure out what makes me happy. Not
a lot of people were successful at that when I was in the grips of depression for a couple of years. (not a fun time
for me or my loved ones)

Children and chickens, in that order, have a way of bringing smiles just because they exist.

A year ago if you told me I was going to have chickens, I would have told you that you are crazy. I am thrilled to
say "This is my new normal" I wouldn't have it any other way. It reminds me daily not to take myself too seriously.

Wishing improved mental health to anyone suffering from depression at this time. You are in a community
of caring people who offer ways (when you are ready) to try something new.

 

[JohnPeel]

Well, its now been a week and not an egg in sight. They seem to be happy though, they eat out of our hands, they all gather near the door when I get close to the coop with a treat, like a handful of grass (i know, if someone gave me a handful of grass as a treat, they would need cotton wool up their nose), wild bird fat balls ( couldn't stop laughing when I saw what they were called, and for which I wouldn't mind myself ), or any scraps from the kitchen, and they love these treats.

Some of them sleep on the roost, but a couple of them sleep in one of the nest boxes. It is also really cold at the moment and they might be also still just starting to eat right after settling in. So what I think I will do tonight before dark, is close off the two nest boxes and open them up again first thing in the morning. I will do this for a good few day to try to make the nest crappers sleep on the roost like the others. I might pick up a few golf balls and throw them in the nest boxes to show them where the eggs should be.

We bought eggs yesterday and we thought we wouldn't need to buy them again, talk about having a dog and barking yourself, having chickens and buying eggs just doesn't seem right, but like I said before, the eggs are a bonus and I know they will arrive one day.

I made a little pen for them to extend their coop a little the other day. It is only 4 feet high, but my thought is that when I let them out of the run and into this area in a few weeks, or months, they will be able to see more of the garden and the brave ones will jump over the fence and freerange for the day, and the ones that arent sure will hang around inside the pen and run until they get brave enough to jump the fence. I of course will be there to protect them from critters.

As you can see, these chooks are keeping me active. I look forward to seeing them everyday and giving them treats. Each day I wonder if there is an egg, or I wonder if they have got through the night OK. So far these little feathered friends of mine have boosted my mood. So far I am really happy I got them. One of my daughters is coming to see us with her boyfriend and she can't wait to see the chickens. Another chicken bonus hey!

 

[JohnPeel]

Here comes the snow. They are all at the window looking out at it. Hope they will be OK.

 

[chickenzoo]

Lol.....she's looking down like..." you want me to step down into what!!!! " no thanks...... hehe