Last night we heard a very knowledgeable talk on raising chickens by a speaker with over forty years experience, having begun as a very young boy. He just loves all feathered creatures. I was captivated and sat there soaking up information you can only get from a passionate source. Unfortunately, as the talk progressed in great detail over the common and thoroughly nasty maladies that attack chickens, and the equally nasty remedies, a large dark cloud of doubt grew above my head.
I leaned over to my husband and said, “Good Lord, I think we’ve made a big mistake. Maybe we should give it up.” At this point in my life, I’m making a great effort to keep things simple.
However, my husband’s response was, “Too late. We’re started now, and we’re finishing that chicken coop.”
Thankfully there was a gentleman sitting next to me who said, “I just built a chicken house and went and got grown chickens last year. I haven’t had any of that.”
There’s such power in an encouraging word at the right time.
I have learned that when embarking on any endeavor, there’s always a whole lot one does not know, which is good, because if you knew it, you would never start out in the first place, whether raising chickens or children, getting married, starting a blog, writing a book.
You start out with a creative idea that fires you up and gets you started. At some point, early or a little later, invariably some discouragement comes to snatch the dream away. It has been my experience that if you are paying attention, there will also be an equal word of encouragement. If you do not get it coming to you, then you just have to encourage yourself. And keep pressing on.
Curtiss Ann Matlock 
Love the photos. Now I can imagine things much more clearly. You will be a great Chicken Mama!!!!
xoxoxo
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Love the chicken coop so far. Can’t wait to see the end result!
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My wife would be very jealous of your project! We’ve (by which I mean “she has”) looked into raising chickens, but our township has ordinances against it. Alas!
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If you eventually decide against chickens you can put siding and a roof on the coop and make it a storage shed, or a shelter for a homeless person.
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So true! It’s hard enough to embark on a new endeavor when you’re a senior citizen; every encouraging word is a godsend. Right now I’m at a crossroads in my life, wondering if I should stay on the comfortable road, or if I have the energy left to head off on the road less traveled and follow the dream. Your post gives me encouragement.
One of my master gardener friends is also an avid chicken herder/farmer (what do you call chicken raisers anyway?). She started really small with just a few and now has a large flock. She sells eggs at the local farmers market, gives them to lucky friends, and always has plenty on hand. Now she’s considered an expert and has branched out into giving talks about her chickens. She’s really found her niche raising chickens, I hope they give you as much fulfillment! BTW, she’s never had any major problems, and only lost a few chickens along the way. Hers are raised for eggs, not for meat.
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Dearest Nola– Your words give me encouragement, too! I nod my head at your words– that I may not have enough energy for following my creative ideas is always looming. Sending you prayers, dear friend.
xxxooo CurtissAnn
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You are so right Curtiss Ann. Encouragement can move mountains. Thank you. Love, Joyce
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Joyce– thanks for your encouragement!
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