Am i the only one who has never ate a homegrown chicken?

[buc]

Quote:
I started to raise my own meat birds for the very reason that I was eating commercially raise chickens and did not like the quality.

The eggs of my SLWY are just the best, I sell a few to friends and they love them.

 

[AccidentalFarm]

4H- I think that most of what you said is the same as what most everyone else said. The pet birds get buried, and the rest are fair game. Unless I missed something along the way...(which I do from time to time

)

 

[4H kids and mom]

I guess I should clearify that I was speaking mainly about meat birds, in particular. I do enjoy a good snuggle with my gals, dont get me wrong. But they are here for eggs. When they are no longer laying, I plan to rehome them to a chicken sanctuary near me I found called "Spent Chickens". They take in hens that no longer lay, and some older or extra roosters. I've already spoken to them.

Am I doing this because I consider the hens my pets, no. But also, I have heard that a "dried up" hen isnt worth the trouble to try and eat anyway, and because, yes, by that time I suppose I will have some major attachment issues with them and would love them to live out their days foraging and enjoying life.

However, being in 4h, we are not raising these chickens for pets, we are raising them for a laying flock, and I cant keep around hens that are no longer laying. I wont cull them, or eat them, but they can not stay here. They will be replaced with a younger group that my children and I intend to hatch out and raise ourselves every year. My children love the chickens, but even they know why they are here.

 

[lively Bee's]

Home Grown chicken is the only way to eat. We have 15 that is ready now that I have to take care of.

 

[Lunachick]

4H- do you kill them? Or do you send them out? Just curious.

 

[SeaChick]

Wow, what a great discussion!

I am wondering what we will think if we get any roosters with our babies by mistake. Will we eat them? I think I would be up for it, but I highly doubt my daughter will.

We are lucky because in our town we have two big natural foods places that sell locally raised, free-range chicken (and pork, beef). We have only eaten that, and the grocery store's no-hormone, no-antibiotic stuff (which is probably not raised terribly humanely, though) for years. Mostly because of health reasons (I had breast cancer young) but also because we want to support local farmers and support raiing animals humanely.

We lived on a sailboat for 2 years, and 99% of our protein came from fish we caught and processed ourselves. I know it's nothing like raising animals from babies, but there is definitely something about landing a majestic, 50#, gorgeous pelagic fish and admiring it's awsome will to live, beautiful design and evolution... and then killing it for your own consumption. We were always careful to say a quiet "thanks".... and it was a great lesson for my daughter in where food REALLY comes from. I think it's terribly sad how many people are so removed from their food. Even if it's not overly prepared and processed, it comes from hundreds of thousands of miles away by truck, on a little styrofoam tray. That's so weird!

If we lived on more land I would be totally into having a meat flock as well. I might have to get someone else to butcher them, though ;-)

Stacey

 

[iwanteggs]

Barnyard Dawg

Sorry all members about the question but I joined BYC to learn about all aspects of keeping chickens.

How does your wife kill the chickens? Do you have layers? How old are they when you eat them?

 

[buc]

How does your wife kill the chickens? Do you have layers?


She uses butcher shears and cut their heads off, the shears are very sharp, she then hangs them upside down to bleed out and then she dresses them. She removes all the skin (feathers and all).


I have only two laying chickens, both are SLWY.

 

[V Chic Chick]

No, you're not the only one . . . I'm a vegetarian with two pets for chickens. Even apart from being a vegetarian I couldn't bring myself to do it. This is why I could never be a "proper" farmer lol.

 

[Chicken_Addict]

thanks everyone ! no offense taken here just wanted everyones opinion .....

the subject came up here when i told hubby i wanted a pig and he said we will have to eat him when he gets big so instead of arguing i just shut up ..lol

we have had this discussion abt cows too i want a bottle baby cow so my son can have experience with raising a baby cow {he will show them when he is older}

i am odd i know but ok heres an example if i have never seen/fed the animal i can eat it ......my sister raises cows for beef she never sees them before the meet at the table lol

last thanksgiving we ate some hamburger from one of her cows and i didnt eat it i was made fun of for it too lol but i had petted that particular cow so i just kept picturing his face he he he im a sap

im willing to bet i feel this way because i wasnt raised in the country i was a city girl until the last 2 yrs or so .........i dunno


but thanks for ur opinions anyways

sorry if anyone is offended by anything said on here i didnt realize it was such a controversial thing

btw good for u if u are able to raise and eat ur own animals

and if ur like me and u cant good for u too