Think of the government as the eye of Sauron, it has no true authority over us, but once it notices us and demands something of us, to defy it is to effectively end our current lives as they are.
You're wife just wants a life where the government mostly leaves you alone, which would be to kiss the ring and go on with your lives. If you fight, your life will change drastically and be full of stress and your wife would rather kiss the ring and lose the chickens. The stress isn't worth the chickens, value your life more than you want chickens.