Culling Older Hens?

[lovethechickens]

I do agree that if you can help an animal to not suffer you are doing good. What I dont believe in is ending an animals life for our own selfish needs. Not because I think an animal is going to live forever, and that I think we are here to change the world. My sadness sprouts from the betrayal. You raise an animal from a baby. It follows you around, and when you pick it up it makes that sweet chicken purr when still a baby. It gets older, you come to the run, they all come running. (They are happy to be fed) but they also TRUST that you are going to feed them. And be good to them. When you take a chicken out because you want to eat it, youve lied to the bird its whole life. Youve shown it that you are there to nourish and care for it. Then you betray it. That it me is terribly sad. Now, if you are out in the wild, and hunting a wild bird and you are going to eat it, and make use of its body, fine. Youve only acted as a predator. It just makes me sad that people treat animals the way they do. Like slaves or machines. I know alot of you love your chickens, and thats what I dont get. You talk about how much you love them, and then you kill them. It makes me sad. Thats it.

 

[lovethechickens]

Quote:
After thats all said, I wonder how you feel about retirement plans for us. Your company may provide you an air conditioned office, company car, lunch every day, enough money to buy a house, possibly a farm, you get the idea....

 

[Kanchii]

Quote:
I don't think you've lied to an animal its whole life. You've given a meat bird a very great and fulfilling life, and enjoyed them while they were alive! What's wrong with that? Better than ignoring a meat bird and just giving it the bare necessities. If you're going to eat chicken, I think giving it a good life and being kind to it is the best way to do it.

Should we not be nice to the birds we eat?

 

[lovethechickens]

I dont think you should keep em in captivity if youre gonna eat em. Hunt them bare handed. Those animals dont trust you and they have a chance to make up their own mind on how they feel about you wanting to eat them. They will run like hell and fly too. Why? Because they dont want to die. You can take a meat bird that youve raised and lovingly put it in a killing cone?

 

[lovethechickens]

And by the way, I am not trying to convince anyone. Im simply sharing my opinion, and I will NEVER agree with killing an animal just because you are done with it. Many responses show just how selfish the human animal is. They all lead back to me me me me....Ive done this,,,, and I think, and for ME, and I dont think etc etc......all ignoring what the chicken thinks. Do you think a chicken agrees that because youve given it food, and shelter, that she owes you her life? Studies have proven that when a chicken witnesses another chicken getting slaughtered, it feels fear. So we as humans can sit around and talk about oh, its a meat bird, its livestock etc, or we can realize that just because they dont speak our language that they have feelings. For me, if I had to eat meat to survive I would. I would kill whatever I had to to survive. But the fact of the matter is, there are so many other ways to flourish without killing animals for food. We have the choice.................. and when you eat an animal, you are doing so because you WANT to, not because you need to. Again.........back to the me me me me me......

 

[Kanchii]

Quote:
I wouldn't use the term 'lovingly' kill it

But you gave it a good life and enjoyed them and then you eat them. Or you can find them new homes as pets. Whatever you want to do. Simple as that.

But you can keep hunting wild poultry bare handed, if that's what you like to do

 

[lovethechickens]

Ill stick with going to the grocery store and buying tofu....

 

[PurpleChicken]

I like the idea of banding or marking each generation and culling the lot before a molt.
This eliminates a heavily mixed flock.

I know of people who eat hens 2 years of age and older but I personally would avoid
it. I can completely understand not wanting to give them away for fear they may
not be culled in a humane fashion.



lovethechickens please consider these two facts:
1-Chickens have been bred for centuries as a food source. You may choose
not to eat your birds and that is you right but you would not have those
chickens if it wasn't for this fact.
2-If your chickens could eat you they would. Chickens don't have a concious
nor do they have loyalty.

 

[redhen]

First, let me say that i'm VERY new to chicken ownership..but NOT new to having AND loving animals...and to be honest i'm not completly sure how i will react when my hens stop laying...but i DO KNOW that i got into chickens because i wanted fresh eggs....and cause i think they are cute!....but...i dont have alot of space to keep buying chickens every couple of years...and not repalce the older non-laying ones...so.....because i KNOW that i will still want the fresh eggs..i will have a very difficult decision to make...but let me make this very clear..i agree 100%..with the people who have made the choice to humanely dispatch thier hens instead oF just giving them to ANY stranger..who WILL in ALL likely- hood, just eat them anyway...OR...MAYBE....they will live 8-10 more years in a small cage....MAYBE?...the point is..we WONT know how our chickens are treated..OR how this other owner will choose to dispatch the chicken...MAYBE.. the death will be brutal or painful?(where as, if i had to have it done..i would make sure its done in the MOST humane way, as all these other people also said)....MAYBE..these new owners will just stop feeding it?...and it will starve slowly?...MAYBE... it will be housed with SO many other chickens in a small coop...and it spends its days being pecked and pecked?...MAYBE....it wont EVER be allowed to go outside AGAIN...well...i can come up with 100 different cruel things that can and WILL probably happen to the chicken...or MAYBE..it will have a good home..(i'm not willing to risk it though)....so..for me..if i decide i still want fresh eggs in a few years...AND if i cant find someone that i KNOW AND TRUST to take my chickens..you BET...they will not linger in some strangers place...THAT IS HOW I KNOW THAT I DO CARE ABOUT MY CHICKENS...and i did take these chickens on as baby chicks....that just gives me MORE reason to make sure they dont suffer anywhere...so..thats just my 2 cents worth..take it or leave it anyone..but i know my heart.

...Wendy

 

[silkiechicken]

This thread concerns culling older hens and how to figure out who to cull based on production. The OP did not ask for morality of eating their birds. If we get one more report on the ethics of the issue, this thread will be closed.