Chicken Addiction

I have 14 adult hens and planned on getting rid of most of them this year and replacing them with 'coop ready' pullets. I want to reduce my numbers to 8 laying hens and four decorative hens.

I decided in December I was not getting any chicks this year...

How did I end up with 15 chicks??? A few weeks ago I had a dream I was at the local farm supply store picking out chicks so I decided I'd just get a few, eight. Then I got to the store...

All those adorable fluffy chicks! So I decided to get a few extra "Easter Egg" chicks, and let's try a leghorn and some D'uccles... Oh I better get at least two of those since they might be males... I'd love another frizzle, better get four since half won't be frizzles and half will be male... and I want to replace my gold silkies with black or white, better get four to make sure I get a female. The Welsummers look cute, get one of those.

OOOPS! 16 chicks. Hmmm.

One died so that took my numbers down and two are definitely male so I will be down to 13 for sure. Hmmm but maybe I'll keep that white frizzle male and let him breed with my white frizzle female? Uh oh!

So I am resolved I will get rid of at least two silkies, one male, the Welsummer... that takes me down to 12. The plan is to get rid of all but two of my existing flock.... still leaves me with 14. Somehow I've got to get the numbers down by more than that.

Serious chicken problem.

Deserve? Need?

I'm tired of hearing commercials tell me I 'deserve' their product. Usually this is a big ticket item like a newer car. I know the advertising agency knows what deserves means and play on the culture of immediate gratification;

Main Entry: de·serve
Pronunciation: \di-ˈzərv\

Function: verb

Inflected Form(s): de·served; de·serv·ing

Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French deservir, from Latin deservire to devote oneself to, from de- + servire to serve

Date: 13th century

transitive verb : to be worthy of : merit s

another chance>intransitive verb : to be worthy, fit, or suitable for some reward or requital

Deserve; To be worthy of by merit.

I think the use of the word deserve in advertising speaks to the sorry state of so many people today who believe they deserve to have every physical luxury available for purchase. 

So many people also have an inappropriate definition of what they 'need.' I hear people say then need a microwave, a computer, internet, a car and cable, a television for that matter. I've done without all of those things and I lived just fine.  In fact without those things my life was often fuller and more enjoyable.

Yes my life was more enjoyable without a television, in fact I have now changed my relationship with the television as a result of how much my quality of life improves without the use of the television. I turn the television on once a day to use a work out video and I turn it on Saturday and Sunday for a few hours.

I think I have learned what I really need to have a happy life; food, shelter, family and friends.