I think it's a good and beautiful thing that you feel sympathy for the other creatures in your life.
People may say you're being oversensitive or anything like that, but it isn't true. A person giving kindness to all living things is the strongest way a person can be. It often takes much more strength to be kind and avoid suffering than to simply allow it to go on and ignore it. Anyone who disagrees has not tried to live without causing pain to other species, as it can be hard.
I think it's your decision what you decide to do with your feelings of compassion towards your fellow creatures. Personally, my solution is that I keep bantams as pets, bred either by myself or breeders who do not kill roosters, and I keep the excess roosters or find them homes with 4Hers and other pet poultry enthusiasts. I do not breed more birds than I can reasonably keep no matter what the rooster ratio is. The eggs I get are small (although I do have some standards, mostly rescues), but they still taste great and are completely cruelty-free! My birds all live out their full lives happily and well-cared for. I have birds that are twelve years old and still going strong. I'm also a lifelong vegetarian, I've never eaten meat before. Unfortunately I do still partake in dairy but I try to avoid it and I'm gradually trying to work up the knowledge and ability to cut that out too (or get myself a mini cow someday!).
There are lots of options for you to find ways to keep animals or obtain food that do not conflict with your morals, whatever you decide your morals are towards animals. Sometimes it means abstaining from certain foods, sometimes it means trying to find different ways of going about things and finding creative solutions. It is very, very difficult sometimes. I've always had very strong empathy with animals, almost to the point of it being difficult for me to function in this world of cruelty towards other beings, and I'm going to be honest and say I struggle with it sometimes. I still cry when I watch the beginning and end of the documentary Earthlings, no matter how many times I watch it. I don't think I can ever watch the middle again.
Anyway, I am not trying to be preachy at all nor am I interested in being so, just trying to let you know that I think it is good that you feel compassion for the animals and realize that there are sometimes moral dilemmas, even significant ones, with raising animals for food and sustainability. It's not up to me to decide how you deal with those moral dilemmas, that has to come from your own soul searching, problem solving, and making the right decisions for you and your family as well as the animals. Sending lots of good thoughts your way, and please feel free to PM me any time if you want someone to talk to.
I think it's your decision what you decide to do with your feelings of compassion towards your fellow creatures. Personally, my solution is that I keep bantams as pets, bred either by myself or breeders who do not kill roosters, and I keep the excess roosters or find them homes with 4Hers and other pet poultry enthusiasts. I do not breed more birds than I can reasonably keep no matter what the rooster ratio is. The eggs I get are small (although I do have some standards, mostly rescues), but they still taste great and are completely cruelty-free! My birds all live out their full lives happily and well-cared for. I have birds that are twelve years old and still going strong. I'm also a lifelong vegetarian, I've never eaten meat before. Unfortunately I do still partake in dairy but I try to avoid it and I'm gradually trying to work up the knowledge and ability to cut that out too (or get myself a mini cow someday!).
There are lots of options for you to find ways to keep animals or obtain food that do not conflict with your morals, whatever you decide your morals are towards animals. Sometimes it means abstaining from certain foods, sometimes it means trying to find different ways of going about things and finding creative solutions. It is very, very difficult sometimes. I've always had very strong empathy with animals, almost to the point of it being difficult for me to function in this world of cruelty towards other beings, and I'm going to be honest and say I struggle with it sometimes. I still cry when I watch the beginning and end of the documentary Earthlings, no matter how many times I watch it. I don't think I can ever watch the middle again.
Anyway, I am not trying to be preachy at all nor am I interested in being so, just trying to let you know that I think it is good that you feel compassion for the animals and realize that there are sometimes moral dilemmas, even significant ones, with raising animals for food and sustainability. It's not up to me to decide how you deal with those moral dilemmas, that has to come from your own soul searching, problem solving, and making the right decisions for you and your family as well as the animals. Sending lots of good thoughts your way, and please feel free to PM me any time if you want someone to talk to.
