Please help me understand meat eaters not wanting to process a chicken!

I've raised chickens and lots of other livestock over my 60+ years. As an omnivore, I eat meat as I believe all people should.
I'm an organizer of a backyard chicken meetup group.
I also teach classes on backyard poultry.
The majority of people in classes want to learn about processing.
I have taught processing with tremendous turnout. 21 people are braving the ice and snow to help process chickens tomorrow.

All that said, there are people in our group, including other organizers that are extremely put out by this processng session.
I would understand if they were vegetarians but they eat chicken from grocers and at fast food places.
How can adults, that eat chicken be so disturbed about processing humanely raised birds by the label rouge standard, pastured freedom rangers, be so hypocritical that they will leave the event after believing they should attend because they can't wrap their heads around killing a chicken? Yet the same people, knowing how commercial cornish rocks are raised and processed will continue to eat them with impunity.

I don't get it.

I grew up hunting and fishing. If I shot it or caught it, I was the one that cleaned it and we ate it if it was something edible. We did have that summer where war was declared on skunks after a couple of incidents. Over 50 skunks that summer. They needed thinning out. I did not clean any of those.

We raised chickens and pigs for meat and butchered them ourselves. I raise chickens now, more for meat than eggs. We’re having chicken tonight.

I can’t explain that mindset. I just blame Walt Disney and don’t worry about it. What else can you do?

I think it's pretty simple. Many folks just don't want to associate their food with death. Though I am sure they are aware that they are eating an animal, I guess the transformation of a living, pecking chicken to a gutted, defeathered bird is disturbing for them. Some folks would just rather pick up a chicken at the grocery store as if it were a box of Cheerios.

There is a great documentary short called Murdermouth that talks about some of these things in greater detail. You may be able to find it on iTunes!

I have always butchered all my own livestock. This is actually the first year I raise cornish x just to put in the freezer. Normally just used dual purpose and when we were hungry for chicken I'd pull one out the flock and butcher. The problem today is it's always been done for them so they don't realize the full effects. I make my young kids get involved, which the happily do.

I know exactly what you are talking about. People are so far removed from their food source that some don't even realize what happens to get that piece of processed meat into the plastic package. Some of these people freak out on my prepping FaceBook page if the subject gets to processing my mean rooster, or even feeding my hens scrambled eggs from fertilized eggs (cannibalism). I have no patience with these people who think every animal is a pet and attributes human characteristics to them. I more respect a vegan who at least lives their convictions. But don't eat meat killed by someone else and criticize me for being "violent". Our culture has become too soft and sentimentalizes animals. Yes, this is one of my buttons.

I think a lot of people are seperated from where their food comes from.

I grew up going to my extended family's farms and was around animals and butchering at a young age but that stopped when we moved away when I was 10 yrs old.

I decided that I wanted to raise my own meat birds when we stil lived in the suburbs. I tried my best to find someone, anyone to mentor me on the butchering process but I was not able to. I did a lot of studying on BYC and processed my first muscovy drake about 1.5 yrs ago. It didn't go well but I got through it and used it as a learning process. That being said, my city born and raised husband will provide "moral support" when I process. I don't let him "help" because I have to stop him from letting the chickens go while yelling "run for your life". LOL

I think its a personal choice but I think that everyone should at least watch the processing of the animals that they eat even if they don't have the stomach to do it themselves. I do get agravated at those that think I'm gross or sick for processing my birds and they tend to tell me so while inhaling a steak.

I think it goes deeper than Walt Disney. ( chuckle) It is more complicated.

We have raised sheep for 25 years, DH will drive the lambs to market and pick up the coolers of meat, but not kill and process. He is also the one to stop and get a turtle across the road, or a mole ( or is is a vole?) that cannot get over a 6 inch curb. Innate kindness to animals. He chooses not to process directly, yet he can help by handling the ax for a bird that is badly hurt. To him there is a difference.

I have move to the side of wanting better food for my family, without the cost of paying a butcher. I still need to prepare myself mentally, heck I had wanted to be a vet, and that means healing and helping animals live a long life, but I started to see a different perspective when I studied animal science, aka food production animals. I"m digressing. . . . to kill an animal comes with a price, I can process chickens now and enjoy eating it, but I cannot eat those that were pets as my kids will not eat their pets. THat crosses the line. I say a prayer for each I kill and thank God for my food. Everything comes with a price IMO, I hope I never tak life for granted, any life.

As far as your program tomorrow, it is wonderful that the participants have a teacher to show them the ropes. Kudos to you. Like all aspects of husbandry there are choices to be made. Individuals can choose whether or not to participate. It took me 25 years to make the leap. lol I tried the first time after a few days of working up my courage, and still needed to go in the house after cutting the throat. I was tramatized by the event. I was in conclict but didn't want to waste the meat. I finished the job. Shortly after this, I met a man who showed me a fast and easy method that was easier on me emotionally. I can do up 10-12 quickly now. ANd I still say a prayer over each.

In my case I have never been against the killing of food animals, rather I just couldn't do it myself until recently. I LOVE meat . . . and vegies, too. lol

I've yet to butcher a chicken, but many a deer have fallen to my shotgun come november. The shooter field dresses, we all help drag it out, skin and butcher. So this fall when it's time for the chickens, it'll be no problem. I do not understand the ignorance behind it either, you can eat a McChicken, but not do the deed yourself...

It makes me almost want some sort of disaster, and food will become scarce. I know we'll have what we need, the knowledge to do so on my own, not a slave to agri-corp industries. I'd just love for one of the hypocrites to show up hungry and hand them a live chicken. You're hungry, eat up dumb***.

Also, I thank every buck or doe that is harvested. Hell, I even ask my hens before I grab their eggs if I can have them, and thank them for their "service".

I too thank the animal as I process.
I make sure the animal is comfortable, happy and healthy from birth to death. They get to be chickens, foraging and playing with friends.
I think agri-biz has us right where they want us. Believeing food comes from a styrofoam pack.
I believe it is hypocrytical to eat meat and be disgusted by those that process.
Wrap your head around it people!!!