Will chickens help my depression?

[Bogtown Chick]

John, I love your photo updates with the chooks. They trully look loved... and they look to be loving you back. A Friend who buys my eggs from me said to me about my chickens..." love in, love out."

Simply said, but says it all. Double yolkers no less, too.... What fabulous birds they are!

 

[nova022]

I have depression, anxiety, and migraines, and I don't have any chickens right now, but I find the rabbits, horses, ducks, geese, and turkeys to be calming. The turkeys play by following me around until I turn back and look at them. If I wake up with a migraine, my mom let's them out in the morning, and they hang around the house churping and purting until I come out to see them. They climb the stairs, sit (And poop) on the barbecue, perch on railings, and hang around my window, since I've got a wild bird feeder. They only really tolerate being petted when they're on the roost right now, but they seem to prefer me to their geese buddies.

Baby rabbits are just heartwarming balls of fluff. If you pet them regularly, they look for you when you open the barn door. We've got a hinge-top growing box for our litters, and the 4months that are in it now all climb up for pets. Horses, if you have the time and money, tend to understand depressed humans best. They can usually pick up on emotions and get when to be cuddly. I've got a 5 year old gelding who we bottle fed, and he's more in touch with how to be people than horse!

I really believe you are right about horses understanding the moods of humans. I also know my dog does. He is always there for me when I am sad.

 

[JohnPeel]

Quote: The pain you must have gone through for all those year, it sounds though like you did a great job of bringing up your son considering you have suffered like you have. I too have been amazed by just how many people have suffered and continue to suffer.

I have to say, I find it hard imagine what it would be like if I had to pay for medication or support. In the UK money is taken from our earnings each week called National Insurance. About 11% of your earnings is taken for National Insurance, which is used to pay for: The NHS (nearly all medical expenses and treatments including dentistry), Unemployment benefit, Sickness and disability allowances and the state pension. NI is supposed to be "ring fenced" - meaning the money raised is only used for these areas and won't be spent on things like building schools or employing police officers. But the government can borrow from the National Insurance fund to help pay for other projects. Of course, if you have never worked in your life or are new to the UK, you are still entitled to it. I suppose I am lucky in that area and think the US should do the same.

Well, chickens have brightened my days more than I would have believed, and they make me get out first thing to see they are ok, and I am watching them constantly all day to make sure nothing gets them. Chickens for depression get a big

 

[JohnPeel]

Quote: I don't know how, I did read an article after we had the first one (5 so far), and "2 yolks become 'backed up' in the system and end up being released at the same time and in the same egg. You can even get three or more yolks in one egg - the record is a nine-yolker". It then went on to say that the odds of getting a double where 1 in a 1000, but if the chickens have just started laying, as ours have really, then the odds are more like 1 in 30.

At first I thought it was just because of the love and the slightly over feeding that did it, but then I found out it was just that 2 ova were put into producing the egg at the same time. Hey, and we had 7 eggs out of 6 chickens in just one day the other day and 1 of those was a double too, I couldnt believe it, because we had 6 eggs the day before. This last week we have been getting 5 or 6 eggs every day. I wasn't expecting that at all. I thought that 6 chooks would give us maybe 2 or 3 eggs a day to the most. I guess I had better start pickling.

I am still putting it down to the chooks being happy and feeling safe with us.

 

[newfoundland]

You are clearly doing everything right. Well done!

 

[bribre]

How's everything going? Haven't hear from you in some time now...

 

[The4Chickeneers]

That's the same with me!!!
I just joined BYC on 3/20/2013, so HI!!

 

[bribre]

Welcome the4chickeneers.

 

[JohnPeel]

Hi, yes I am still OK, and thank you for asking. I have just been really busy, which has in itself been helpful in lifting my spirits.

The weather has been rubbish here, with what looks like being the coldest March in 50 years. We are deep in snow at the moment, and the poor chooks dont like it at all. So over the next few weeks I will build a larger covered run for them to play out in when the weather is bad.

I tested them on ham and all kinds of food, and the pretty much eat anything other than veg. Here is a little video of them with the ham.

 

[Bunnylady]

Hi, John! Good hearing from you, and a good update. Love the video.

I guess you may know why I now say that "omnivore" means, "eats anything that doesn't try to eat it." I'm a little surprised your girls are turning their beaks up at veg, though. Maybe since you are somewhat free ranging them, they are getting all the plant material they need through foraging?