Hens: They'll Make Great Pets
I've mentioned before that I'm NOT a "pet person". Now, save your fake blood Peta people.
I do love animals, I do think we're supposed to care for them properly, I don't believe in killing them for fun or outerwear, and I would strongly correct a child who was unkind to one.
I just don't care for animals in the house. 4 kids is enough to clean up after. Morning sickness, pregnancy, new babies, toddlers... none of those seem to mix with pet care very well and that's been my life for 10 years.
When I was a kid we raised Shetland Sheepdogs for fun and profit. I loved those animals. They were the cutest little puppies, and faithful and loyal dogs. Thing is, they love tires. They can't help it, it's in their instinct to run after and nip things that are close to the ground (sheep= good. cars = bad). I will never forget how my Sheltie Brandy used to meet me every day at the bus stop and escort me to the front door, licking and nipping my heels every second.
I'll also never forget the day she lost a battle with a school bus tire. And the flippant way the school bus driver reacted. Witch.
Anyhow, I know my kids are probably missing out on all kinds of supposed benefits by not having pets. Oh wait, we have had quite a few fish but they all died within days. They also had two dogs that lived with Gma and Gpa, also dead.
Maybe all the death and dying is what turned me off!
But we DO own 9 hens. My 6 year old takes care of them, and they reward us with FREE FOOD. In fact the other morning they collected 21 eggs. That's enough for two whole days in this house!
So to quote Jane's Addiction (sort of), try chickens if you like free free range eggs and animals living OUT of doors.
They'll make great pets.
I do love animals, I do think we're supposed to care for them properly, I don't believe in killing them for fun or outerwear, and I would strongly correct a child who was unkind to one.
I just don't care for animals in the house. 4 kids is enough to clean up after. Morning sickness, pregnancy, new babies, toddlers... none of those seem to mix with pet care very well and that's been my life for 10 years.
When I was a kid we raised Shetland Sheepdogs for fun and profit. I loved those animals. They were the cutest little puppies, and faithful and loyal dogs. Thing is, they love tires. They can't help it, it's in their instinct to run after and nip things that are close to the ground (sheep= good. cars = bad). I will never forget how my Sheltie Brandy used to meet me every day at the bus stop and escort me to the front door, licking and nipping my heels every second.
I'll also never forget the day she lost a battle with a school bus tire. And the flippant way the school bus driver reacted. Witch.
Anyhow, I know my kids are probably missing out on all kinds of supposed benefits by not having pets. Oh wait, we have had quite a few fish but they all died within days. They also had two dogs that lived with Gma and Gpa, also dead.
Maybe all the death and dying is what turned me off!
But we DO own 9 hens. My 6 year old takes care of them, and they reward us with FREE FOOD. In fact the other morning they collected 21 eggs. That's enough for two whole days in this house!
So to quote Jane's Addiction (sort of), try chickens if you like free free range eggs and animals living OUT of doors.
They'll make great pets.
Labels: pets
posted by Carrie Lauth at 9:05 AM
NEW! 
5 Comments:
LOL - I can totally relate to not wanting pets in the house. DH always asks if we can keep a puppy or a dog in the house. I tell him that we can barely keep the place decent with 4 kids in the house I'm not about to bring an animal into the picture too. Thankfully we live in a place where animals CAN live outside because the weather doesn't get too hot or too cold. :)
Carrie is your blog entry title a reference Parry Farrel's (2nd band), "Pets"? I've been singing it all day since I read this.
Instead of "We'll make great pets," I vote they change the song to, "Hens make great pets." :-)
Yes Alice. But I thought We'll Make Great Pets was Jane's Addiction. Oh well I'm so behind the times!
I totally get where you're coming from. I have far too many due to my inability to say no (to the kids and them!).
I am a huge believer in having laying hens too. I actually subscribe to a laying hens newsletter and mini course!
My 9 year old daughter loves to look after them too.
I think that they are one easy way that we can make our own good food (there is nothing like a fresh egg, no comparison to store eggs at all) and not support the factory farming and cruelty that goes on.
As you said, all it takes is a few good hens :0)
After all this nice stuff about the chickens, one of them had to go and peck my 2 year old. Grrr....
Julien (6) came in and said: "It was Belly that did it."
Belly is his favorite. He named her. ;)
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