[Lottie Mary]

Does anyone have any pointers about how to convince a spouse that chickens are a good idea??  My husband says he is "vehemently" opposed to me getting chickens!!!  

But I really think that keeping chickens would be a fantastic experience for the whole family.  We have two children aged 10 and 9 and so far we've not been able to have standard pets because my son has asthma and has been allergic to cats, dogs, etc.  My family always had chickens when I was growing up in America and helping look after them was one of my fondest childhood memories.

If anyone has had a similar experience, I'd be grateful to hear what changed your spouses mind!  I've been going on about chickens for well over a year now and he's just not having it!

[joyfull]

I would take your son with asthma (and your husband) to a local back yard poultry keeper (perhaps somebody on here may live local to you) and see if your son is ok being close to chickens. Some people can still be allergic to feathers. My husband wasn't too keen but I just got them anyway (I have asthma but now only mild) and my husband eventually came around especially when I got sabelpoots as they are so cute and chatty little birds. Now I am just trying to convince him that pigs are just as cute 

[Mulberry1990]

My dad said 'no never any pets' 25 pets ago, they can always be convinced! For the chickens, I promised to do everything for them & that he'd never even notice they were there, he'd just have some nice eggs appearing!
For a lot of the other pets they just appeared magically in the house one day, me & my brother went out to the supermarket with my mum a few years ago & ended up coming back with two hamsters and a snake, it's easier to get forgiveness than permission!
He loves the chickens now and the rest of the crew! (I think he's secretly looking forward to our baby chickens arriving next week!)
Good luck =D

[Lottie Mary]

it's easier to get forgiveness than permission!

I like this philosophy!!!

Re the asthma problem - I don't thnk this will be an issue, because it seems to only be pets living inside the house that cause a problem.  As much as I would love these chickens, I wouldn't let them roost inside the house 

[joyfull]

I don't normally but when they are ill and need bringinging into the warmth I brink them in  . However you really should see how your son is with handling them - just to check this closeness has no ill effects.

[Lindeggs]

I second the idea of taking him to the home of another back-yard chicken keeper and showing him the reality (of course the reality is likely to be a freshly cleaned coop if they know you're coming  )

My OH wasn't (still isn't) keen on having chickens but a visit to a friend's mum to see her little silkies and assorted bantams was a pleasant experience and won him over a bit.  But don't expect him to ever be as fond of them as you are.  

My OH has been out to the run one single time since I got the chickens 12 days ago.  He looked over the fence at them, asked what breeds they are, then went back indoors.  We have agreed he will never need to go in the run.  I have an Aunt who has offered to come over and feed them if I have to be away from home.

The thing that won my OH over the most is the persuasive economic argument I presented.    I prepared a comprehensive spreadsheet showing all the expenses involved.  Since we eat a lot of eggs and always buy free-range organic, I have told him we will break even in 18 months.  But since then I have built the coop completely out of reclaimed materials so we should do better than predicted.  But I dread the idea of any of the girls needing vet treatment!  

Now I do have to say if I was "vehemently" opposed to my partner doing something, then he went ahead and did it anyway, I would be pretty upset.  Why does your hubby feel this way?  Can you do anything to put his mind at ease?

[GrannieAnnie]

Even if he is allergic to the feathers, I had a lady contact me through my blog and she was saying that she was allergic to chickens, and was really upseet as she loves them.

Then she found that she wasn't allergic to silkies who's 'feathers' are more furry.  Now she breeds them.  So there is usually a way around things.

First I would make a list of why you DO want them and why hubby DOESN'T.  Then work from that.  He will have the freshest tastiest eggs going for a start, if well looked after they don't smell, and if you don't have a cockerel they don't usually make much noise.  There's a start!

Good luck!

[Lottie Mary]

He says his reasons for being opposed are:-

1. foxes (OK, I acknowledge this is a concern)
2. noise (I don't see this as an issue because I'm only talking about getting chickens, not a cockerel)

I have a few friends who keep chickens, so I think I will take my son round to see how he reacts and then take it from there. 

[joyfull]

hens can be almost as noisy when they have laid their egg - they just want to let everybody know they have done their bit 
Good luck with your son and the chicken test - fingers crossed 

[Dominic]

My partner was positivly enthusiastic when she found out we could raise "chicks"

Might not work on a bloke though...

[grinling]

Fox proof the area, also keeps out rats.
Some breeds are quietier, Popcorn, my bantam, is very noisy at times, the other 3 are quiet.

[compostqueen]

I didn't tell my husband, I just got on and got them. I knew that if I'd asked him he would have said "no" or he would have wanted to build a coop/run etc and it would have taken 10 years.  I got an Eglu, put it up on my own, and went off to fetch the hens. They were installed and pecking at the grass by the time he came home. 

I clean them out, feed them etc but he will, at the weekend, go and let them out and give them their breakfast 

When he first saw them he scowled and went indoors but he came round and he does like them now.  He was my hero when they were attacked by a fox. It was he who ran out to rescue them and clonked the fox on the head with a torch 

[Dominic]

"He was my hero when they were attacked by a fox. It was he who ran out to rescue them and clonked the fox on the head with a torch  "

I must admit, I'm slightly trepitatious of the idea that I might find myself stood naked in the back garden with a spade, a half dead fox and a flock of paniced chickens....

[Lottie Mary]

I didn't tell my husband, I just got on and got them. I knew that if I'd asked him he would have said "no" or he would have wanted to build a coop/run etc and it would have taken 10 years.  I got an Eglu, put it up on my own, and went off to fetch the hens. They were installed and pecking at the grass by the time he came home. 

I clean them out, feed them etc but he will, at the weekend, go and let them out and give them their breakfast 

When he first saw them he scowled and went indoors but he came round and he does like them now.  He was my hero when they were attacked by a fox. It was he who ran out to rescue them and clonked the fox on the head with a torch 

I have thought about this - just getting them and telling him after the fact.  I suppose I just want him to be enthusiastic about the idea as I am.  It's hard enough getting him to my allotment to help me dig!  Most of the time it's just me and my 9 year old bundled up digging away!  The more I research chickens and chicken housing, the more I want them!

[jinty1911]

My Hubby wasn't very keen at first but  knew I would get them anyway Now I think he nearly cares about them as much as I do   He automatically lets them out when he is working early and regularly poo picks and sweeps up the mess they make.  He is working near London this week and the first thing he says is "how are the Girls".  AND he loves the freshest ever eggs for breakfast