Chickens: Pets Or Food?

[patandchickens]

Quote:
That sure sounds like trying to start an argument, or tell people that they are wrong or silly...

but, anyhow...

The chickens don't live in my house, only because I think frankly chickens are WAY happier outdoors, and it is already quite messy enough in here with 2 small kids and 4 cats.

But I certainly do think chickens have feelings. I don't know about "humanlike", but frankly I find it a bit hard to know whether I can correctly comprehend all other *humans'* feelings either, so,

I am sure the mental experience of chickens is different than that of humans, but I think all the available evidence points to there being a lot in common too -- I think if a person were transplanted into the mind of a chicken there would be a lot to recognize as familiar.

And yes, I also eat my chickens. Some of them I consider pets, either "up til the point when they are eaten" (and I will probably never eat a couple of them, like Pants and Maudie, because by the time they are ready to check out on their own, they will likely no longer be really edible) but most of them are fair game for the stewpot at some point in their life cycle. The 3 broadbreasted-bronze turkeys I raised last summer were DEFINITELY pets, Larry was my special buddy, but, you know, the kind of buddy that you eventually kill and eat

I think it is perfectly possible to respect and like an animal, and also eat it.

Indeed I think that (for me personally anyhow, please nobody take offense at this) it would be wrong to eat meat if I could only do it by not caring about that animal's life and self and personality. My chickens have a pretty decent life, and for the ones that go into the stewpot, at least I am a lot quicker and more merciful than a raccoon or a fatal infection. If I lived by myself I would not eat much meat -- less than with my very carnivorous husband and sons here -- but I would still eat *some* meat, I expect.

Do you ask people with pet cows whether they eat beef?

And really, how much difference is there between one kind of animal's life and another's, at least for a given degree of cognition/awareness/whatever? (I don't mean out of cultural habit, but I mean, how much can one really JUSTIFY those sorts of separate categories?)


Pat

 

[A.T. Hagan]

I have a few that my girls have talked me into making pets. They'll live out their lives here until they finally die of old age or whatever. All of the rest are livestock and will be here only so long as they are useful.

.....Alan.

 

[Davaroo]

Chickens: Pets Or Food?

Both.

In my little corner of the world, chickens are not considered good pets. They can suffice in that role, I suppose, until real pets are available. However they should never be allowed in the house. Watching reruns of 'Green Acres' from the couch is certainly taboo.

But, for the most part, chickens are food/livestock animals as they always have been.

I have heard that others see it differently, strange as that may sound. Just not me.

 

[Dixiedoodle]

My girls are pets, that give me eggs. I might eat this mean rooster but I don't think I could ever eat one of my girls.. They work hard for me, so when they get old we'll just feed them and enjoy their retirement entertainment ...

 

[Cindiloohoo]

They're pets until they're edible. Then they're food, and replacement pets are hatched. The eggs are edible fertile or not so they aren't pets unless they're in the bator, and only potential temporary pets then. That about sums up how we do it.

 

[Davaroo]

Quote:
Very pragmatic. I like it.

 

[Echos_dad]

Another vote for both. I treat 'em good, the wife has named some, and we eat eggs and culls. I caught some eating their eggs and they were sent to freezer camp, with a short but happy life as free rangers. They're spoiled for sure, but I don't want to let food go to waste either.

 

[Soccer Mom]

Yet another vote for both.

I have separate flocks for meat and layers. Meaties are totally not pets. The layers are sometimes pets. I have some girls that I know I'll never be able to eat. I like them more than any cat or dog and they have a permanent place here. They provide entertainment and cuddles, like any pet. Others are just chickens.

 

[chickenlady08]

vote for pets. I couldn't ever eat my chickens. I have rehomed roosters if they are aggressive, because I couldn't eat them either (even if they were mean) We do however eat their eggs. We have hatched a few of RSL eggs last year and hope to have more babies this year, but if not that is ok to. They will live out their lives as my happy pets. My husband used to disagree with how I would care for them and baby them if they are sick, but now he sees that this is a hobby that I so much enjoy and they reward us with their beautiful fresh eggs. Works for me, and when I get out of nursing school I plan to have a large coop that my girls will have a place to retire to and not have to worry about a thing.

 

[briana1975]

Our chicken and turkeys are both. I only have 1 chicken that my get a "retirement" the rest will lay me eggs and every couple years we will replace the ones who aren't laying well with new chickens and the older ones will help to feed my family. I think I will name my coops and chicken yards after that movie " Chicken Run".