Jim Gagnepain wrote:We live on 11 acres. My wife has been bugging me to get some goats, donkeys, chickens, horses, llamas, etc. I kept telling her that when we finish our construction project (some of the house doesn't have finished walls), we can consider animals. A friend of hers, who had three full-grown hens, was moving, and chickens were not allowed in their new neighborhood. My wife beseeched me, and I agreed. She built a chicken coop, and we had 3 chickens.
I've been out of town for business for the last 8 months, coming home about every 2 weeks. Every time I'd come home, there would be more chickens. She has every breed imaginable. The coop has been expanded many times over, at considerable cost. She's built tunnels connecting the coops. Sun roofs, bathing areas with sand and diatamaceous earth, numerous roosts, etc. The reason is usually something like: "Gertrude doesn't get along with Baltimore, so I had to separate them", or something like that. When I call her on the phone, all she talks about is her chickens.
She won't eat chicken any more. Is this just a phase? Will it pass? I'm somewhat OK with it, because she doesn't bug me about the big animals any more.
This made me laugh so much. My husband could write a very similar post about me and my goats. I was just planning to have two nice goats for milk. Three months later, I have collected 7 goats, and I still on entertain thoughts of more, even though I have as many as I, and my land, can handle, and I did promise that the last one would be the last.
I say if your wife is happy, and you don't mind, just ride it out. My goats, garden, and orchard give me so much satisfaction, and I'm glad my husband doesn't give me too much opposition.
With so many chickens though, I'll bet she could sell some eggs and recoup some costs. Our goat milk saves us money, and lets hubby eat as much yogurt and pudding as he could desire, so that helps him appreciate them.