anyone feels bad for eating their chickens?

[dkvart1]

It's funny I remember an article my father showed me years ago (like 30 years ago) about a scientist who wanted to know if plants felt and he hooked up some device similiar to an ekg or eeg (never can keep them straight and it has been 30 years since I read the article) to montior them. He then had several people come in one at a time to chat with him. One of these people he instructed to walk over to one of the plants and rip it up so he could record the others response and boy was there a response. Several weeks later he repeated the process, with the same people dropping in to chat. This time the person who had harmed the other plant was instructed to just come in and sit and talk. They did, and still the plant registered the same reaction as when he destroyed the other plant weeks before. Memory of the person and event? It would appear so, since it registered nothing when the others entered.

One day this man was crossing the street and just avoided getting hit by a car, a very close call. He thought to look at his watch and noted the time. Later, when he returned to his office he checked his readouts and the plant had the same type of response as when his buddy plant had been attacked at the exact time the man was nearly run over. Interesting to say the least.

There are many things man does not understand and may never be able to.... for instance do plants feel or think? Obviously something goes on... I believe each element, each rock, each plant, each creature has been endowed with an understanding only it can fathom and it is not for us to know. And it is something we simply cannot measure by standards we apply to what we consider sentient beings.

That having been said.... how much pain does it inflict on plant or animal when we consume it? Or is this simply a form of evolution for that particular element as it becomes part of us?

Just something to think about... and perhaps not take such a hard and vicious line against those who utilize meat. It is natural and many animals rely on meat, and man is after all, first and foremost an animal.

Just my two cents.

 

[chickenlorena]

I don't think anyone's food is cruelty-free. I agree that countless animals are killed for my food like a previous post mentioned (mice, bugs, etc.); however, I'm doing my best to alleviate animal suffering that is under my control. I recognize as well that most people in these forums treat their animals very well until the time they are killed, and that most of these people are more connected to their food than the rest of the population in America.

We all have to eat to live a healthy life, so I choose to eat what I recognize feels the least amount of suffering as best as I can tell. I think that comparing plants to animals is irrational. Plants don't have a nervous system, which is what translates into pain in humans and animals. However, even if plants felt pain, by being vegetarian I'm still reducing their suffering by far since most of the crops in the world (50% or more -- 70% in the US alone) are fed to farmed animals that then people kill to eat.

Again, if you read my previous posts I mentioned that the choice of diet is a very personal one. My husband eats meat (and I love him dearly), I'm a vegan, and our children are being raised vegetarian (although our oldest, who is 9, has now the choice of eating meat if he chooses to -- he hasn't so far). My husband and I recognize that children have an innate sense of justice and compassion that society corrupts later on

For them, a cat, a dog, a cow or a chicken should be treated no differently since "pets" and "food" are just human terms.

Honestly, how many of you would eat your dog-pet? Those who answer that they would are the only ones whose morals align with their behavior. Those who answer that they wouldn't maybe should ask themselves why their moral treatment of their animals is different since the animals themselves didn't do anything to deserve the difference in treatment.

 

[Xtina]

I agree that it's irrational to compare eating plants to eating animals, but some people may disagree with me. We're kind of getting away from the original poster's intent, and I sure hate hijacking a thread, but I will say that I feel the same way about the argument that you have to be willing to eat your dogs and cats if you're going to eat chickens and other meat animals. It's partially a cultural thing, but by and large, our societal decisions regarding what animals to eat and what animals to not eat are formed through rational decision-making. Some animals we don't eat because they are worth more for their work (dogs, cats). Some animals we don't eat because they don't taste good to us, even if other people like them (I don't like rabbit). Some animals we don't eat in the United States because the effort for the reward isn't very high (insects and spiders that are eaten in other cultures). Some animals we don't eat because their reproduction rate isn't high enough to sustain predation by humans (whales and dolphins). Those rational decisions become cultural choices, and then they become taboo. In cultures where they don't have nearly as much work for dogs as they do widespread hunger, yes, they're going to eat dogs and it's not for me to judge. Same thing goes for insects and spiders. If you're hungry, you're going to eat them. If I were hungry, I'd probably have to eat my dogs, but I can almost guarantee that I'd still find them more valuable to keep as protectors until I was right on the verge of starvation.

I remember reading a Gary Paulsen book about eskimo cultures and how a tribe was starving to death one year when the seal hunt didn't turn up much food. The grandmother offered to let the family eat her. It didn't come to that, because the seals came back. But it sort of sheds perspective on the issue of "too beloved to be eaten."

 

[ocaw]

I guess for me and my family it really comes down to birds that are raised by us from birth to those we purchased already grown. It kind of worries me to meet someone whos fine raising say 5 chickens from birth and not feel some guilty about killing them. So go ahead and feel bad, its more then normal for something you raise. But also know that everyday a chicken will die sometimes because of you when your eating chicken for dinner. Now its up to you how that chicken goes, Either in a factory surrounded by 1000's more scared confined chickens, or whether its free and cared for until its day comes because its raised by you. And all chickens day do come. To summarize what im saying , obviously for someone with 100's of chickens, having some sent off to market isnt that bad. Or people who only see theres for a couple hours a week its not that hard. But when you got under 10 and you enjoy watching them then yeah its perfectly normal to feel bad. I dont have to kill old layers because we have enough land for them to graze and forage for themselves, so i got it lucky i guess. But i do plan on getting some meat birds and i will have to keep a emotional distance from them.

 

[chickenlorena]

Thanks for all the healthy and respectful discussion for the most part from both sides

I think it's great that we are able to "co-exist" in this forum having such different views, which obviously means that we also have common grounds. As long as discussions and debates are respectful and tolerant of different views I think they enrich our lives and make this world a better place.

 

[PuckPuckPuck]

Here's what I think about the matter. People raise chicken for different reasons. My reasons maybe way different from Chickydoodoo

(for example). I want 50 chickens and chickydoodoo wants only, say 3 hens. Chickydoodoo has a name for everyone of them and me, Idon't have time, energy or the state of mind to name my chickens. I also know their fate and don't want to get attached not like chickydoodoo. She does her morning routine, picking up the pretty birds eggs, feeding and watering them but she wouldn't dare think about killing and eating her pretty birds. Me, I think that chickens are the coolest Birds around and I thank god for them but I will kill and eat my birds that I raised. They are not my pets unlike chickydoodoo who will love them till they die of old age.

Now you have to ask yourself the question. Why are you raising them? Are they for pets or are they for processing?

Please Note: I may name a Rooster or 2 but I won't eat them.

 

[Xtina]

Quote:
I agree. The only difference between me and vegans is the decision of what to do with the knowledge we have about the evils of the food industry. We both feel strongly about the immoral behavior of the food industry and we want to fix it. They choose to boycott and I choose to vote with my dollar. Who knows which approach is best, but let's all hope that one of them, or a combination of both, succeeds in righting the wrongs.

 

[SteveH]

Quote:
I agree. The only difference between me and vegans is the decision of what to do with the knowledge we have about the evils of the food industry. We both feel strongly about the immoral behavior of the food industry and we want to fix it. They choose to boycott and I choose to vote with my dollar. Who knows which approach is best, but let's all hope that one of them, or a combination of both, succeeds in righting the wrongs.

I find two differences between any vegan I've ever met and myself :
1. I eat meat - vs - they don't
2. I have never tried to shame , trick , or convince a vegan to eat meat - vs - well ........... you all know the difference

 

[3chimama]

Although I don't mind eating chicken every once in a while, I will absolutely not eat my own chickens.....just sayin....

 

[Beekissed]

Quote:
I agree. The only difference between me and vegans is the decision of what to do with the knowledge we have about the evils of the food industry. We both feel strongly about the immoral behavior of the food industry and we want to fix it. They choose to boycott and I choose to vote with my dollar. Who knows which approach is best, but let's all hope that one of them, or a combination of both, succeeds in righting the wrongs.

I find two differences between any vegan I've ever met and myself :
1. I eat meat - vs - they don't
2. I have never tried to shame , trick , or convince a vegan to eat meat - vs - well ........... you all know the difference

Exactly that!