Chickens: Pets Or Food?

[HenMamma]

My chickens are food. Even the Silkies I am getting will be food. (I already have a mile long waiting list). They are treated well, as food should be, and the boys make sure every chicken get's a name. When we butcher our chickens out, the boys make me write the name of the chicken on the bag so they know who we are eating and when! When we do turkey dinners the boys make sure we thank God for Bob, Tom, or whoever we are eating. That said, they are definitely food.

 

[crosbygroup]

Pets, we are in it for the eggs and entertainment.

 

[chickerdoodle]

When we get them they will be PETS

. I do want eggs to eat but they'll have a happy home here for the rest of their natural lives.

 

[LyonFuzz]

Strictly pets. The beautiful, tasty eggs are just a bonus! All have names and I truly don't think I could make a meal out of someone I knew. Ewwww.

 

[jjthink]

Pets. More accurately, family members. Everybody in my care gets treated as I myself would want to be treated were I them. And if that means I work 3 jobs to pay vet bills, I work 3 jobs to pay vet bills. And the food - they eat better than I do! Sometimes I chuckle at myself feeding them beautiful organic fruits while I am chowing down on a chocolate bar.

I have been a vegetarian since I was a young teenager. That said, I think people opting to very humanely treat their chickens and then at some point use them as food are to be commended. I applaud all who refuse to have any part of the cruelty that is factory farming.

77 horses, nicely said.

JJ

 

[SmartyChick]

Pets, all pets, we would NEVER eat one of our ladies. If one was suffering we would kill it but not eat it. I am guilty of thinking of them humanistically, but I can't help it....

 

[77horses]

Quote:
Thanks.

Nicely said to you, too! I love discovering other vegetarians on BYC.

 

[crosbygroup]

Quote:
Thanks.

Nicely said to you, too! I love discovering other vegetarians on BYC.

Another vegetarian here, as I posted before mine are just pets. I also admire all of the BYCers that so humanly raise their chickens and are able to process them. My family eats meat, but I just don't think I'd be able to do the act or processing. I know logically that it would be better for the animals to spend their time in a happy healthy environment, but I'm afraid I'd want to keep them all as pets. I can just hear my self explaining to my husband why we needed to keep 25 meat birds.

 

[CountryMom]

Livestock. That means I use them for food and eggs and resale if need be. I am just turning over my flock for the first time and have chicks growing out to replace the older hens. We freezer camp drakes and roos. We usually sell off the older hens that we do not keep. And yes, we do name some and some will stay here forever, but in no way do I consider them pets. Pet status is kept for our dogs, cats and guinea pigs.

I also consider all my cattle and horses livestock also. That means they are here for a purpose - whether it be food or use like lessons and training in the horses. And I NEVER put human emotion on them like I try my best to get out of my riding students. Animals think like their species. You have to learn to speak their language to understand them.

Being a rancher/livestock owner, I can tell you that my critters get the best of the best care because in the long run it does affect my reputation and dollar. I have been known to feed my horses warm mash on a cold night. Feed the chickens warm oatmeal also to help them along. All left overs and old bread here is fed out to the cows and chickens mainly. Been known to pull up that Mama cow with her newborn calf in the dead cold to put into the barn with a heat lamp for the night. Can't tell you the lengths I have went to for medical care also. Although unfortunately most vets around here won't deal with chickens. But my personal vet does help me out if I am in a crunch.

And I raise my kids to understand that chickens, like cattle and horses are livestock. To be taken care of and enjoyed for what they produce with all respect to them.

 

[sekinkead]

Mine are mostly for eggs and meat. I say mostly because we have a few (5) bantams that the kids want for pets and 4 Seramas that wouldn't even give you a nugget. We raised some Cornish X's over the summer and while my daughter was very sad to know that they were going to freezer camp she eats them and wonders if it was the mean roo

We now have Buckeyes and the kids fully understand that the extra boys and older layers are going to be food. I understand both sides, but for me they will mostly be food.