do you eat chicken? just curious....

[gfoster]

Yes, I eat chickens. One way to avoid the "pet naming" thing is to name them "Breakfast", "Lunch", "Supper", etc

Sorry, but I didn't claw my way to the top of the food chain to eat sprouts. And besides, if the situation were reversed, I'm sure my girls would eat me in a heart beat. They are miniature dinosaurs, after all.

-- Gary F.

 

[Dill]

Sorry, but I didn't claw my way to the top of the food chain to eat sprouts.

lol... but you didn't do anything to be at the top of the food chain. You were just born a human.. No human ever had to claw their way to the top of the food chain, humans have always been smarter and more advanced than any other species so therefore we are the #1 predators.

Why are people so arrogant about it anyway? Just because we are at the top of the food chain doesn't mean we can do whatever we want to other animals. It should be the opposite since we are intelligent enough to understand that other animals have feelings and the will to live as well.​

 

[providentialpastures]

I have a tender affection for young chickens in my heart. Perhaps it would more correct to say in my stomach. I think I could say the same of cows, pigs, and any other animal good for meat. By the way, no matter what I name an animal, if I get it for meat I will eat it for meat- no exceptions.

 

[Appytaz]

This is an interesting post. I enjoy seeing all of the different replies.

I just can not eat anything that I have looked in the eye. Once it is in the store - it is food. In the yard - it is still an animal to me.

 

[Iceblink]

We do sometimes eat meat. That includes chicken when I can find it from a source I feel comfortable with.
In order for me to buy an animal product it has to meet my 3 rules.
1) Local
2) Organic
3) Humanely/pasture raised

As I am a literal 'backyard chickener' I can only have 3 girls at a time, they are strictly for eggs and fringe benefits. I feel good supporting local farmers, and my local economy.

I also cook for my dog and foster dogs, and their diet needs to include meat.

I know the meat I buy is more expensive than grocery store meat, but knowing how much it costs to raise my girls, I can extrapolate how much it costs to raise meat animals, and I know the people I buy from aren't making all that much.

At the same time, I realise that every time I eat meat, it is a life taken, and sometimes it's easier to just have beans and rice.

One last note, at a store I used to shop at, the butcher told me no one will touch the chicken at all. It comes prepackaged and all they do is unload the packages with gloves on. The insurance company considers the chicken 'too dangerous' to cover the workers actually touching and cutting it. If it is too dangerous to touch, I am certainly not eating it or feeding it to my family.

 

[redhen]

Quote:
lol... but you didn't do anything to be at the top of the food chain. You were just born a human.. No human ever had to claw their way to the top of the food chain, humans have always been smarter and more advanced than any other species so therefore we are the #1 predators.

Why are people so arrogant about it anyway? Just because we are at the top of the food chain doesn't mean we can do whatever we want to other animals. It should be the opposite since we are intelligent enough to understand that other animals have feelings and the will to live as well.

Dill..honey..i have a question for you?...would you deny your dog/cat its food?..their food is mostly meat you know....because they are made to eat meat..they are SUPPOSED to eat meat.....just as we are!........we (you included!) have canine teeth dill...did you know that?...(those are for tearing/eating meat)...we ARE supposed to eat meat..along with veggies...thats why god gave us the right teeth to chew meat with..we are called OMNIVORES...which means...we are supposed to eat meat AND veggies...just wanted to give you that info...take care, Wendy

 

[Dill]

Quote:
lol... but you didn't do anything to be at the top of the food chain. You were just born a human.. No human ever had to claw their way to the top of the food chain, humans have always been smarter and more advanced than any other species so therefore we are the #1 predators.

Why are people so arrogant about it anyway? Just because we are at the top of the food chain doesn't mean we can do whatever we want to other animals. It should be the opposite since we are intelligent enough to understand that other animals have feelings and the will to live as well.

Dill..honey..i have a question for you?...would you deny your dog/cat its food?..their food is mostly meat you know....because they are made to eat meat..they are SUPPOSED to eat meat.....just as we are!........we (you included!) have canine teeth dill...did you know that?...(those are for tearing/eating meat)...we ARE supposed to eat meat..along with veggies...thats why god gave us the right teeth to chew meat with..we are called OMNIVORES...which means...we are supposed to eat meat AND veggies...just wanted to give you that info...take care, Wendy

No, my cats and dogs get strictly meat. I want them to be healthy so i'd never deny them meat. My omnivorous pets (Ie: Hamsters) also get meat even though they could techincally be vegetarians like humans since they are omnivores too. It just annoys me how everyone says we're at the very top of the food chain. I know its true but its not something to brag about. I mean, right AS I was posting that on a tv show someone said something like "why are you letting that goose boss you around? we're higher up on the food chain ya know''

 

[redhen]

Quote:
Dill..honey..i have a question for you?...would you deny your dog/cat its food?..their food is mostly meat you know....because they are made to eat meat..they are SUPPOSED to eat meat.....just as we are!........we (you included!) have canine teeth dill...did you know that?...(those are for tearing/eating meat)...we ARE supposed to eat meat..along with veggies...thats why god gave us the right teeth to chew meat with..we are called OMNIVORES...which means...we are supposed to eat meat AND veggies...just wanted to give you that info...take care, Wendy

No, my cats and dogs get strictly meat. I want them to be healthy so i'd never deny them meat. My omnivorous pets (Ie: Hamsters) also get meat even though they could techincally be vegetarians like humans since they are omnivores too. It just annoys me how everyone says we're at the very top of the food chain. I know its true but its not something to brag about. I mean, right AS I was posting that on a tv show someone said something like "why are you letting that goose boss you around? we're higher up on the food chain ya know''

Dill..i hear ya..and i respect how much you care about your animals!...i just wanted to give you another angle to think about...peace, Wendy

 

[vermontgal]

I think it's great that most of the posts on this topic are respectful of various answers to this question. Almost all of us have a deliberate answer. We might not have all come to the same conclusions, but there is some thought behind the choice.

Not many people on BYC are gnawing on factory-farmed chickens without thinking about it. Maybe some do eat mass-produced chickens - but not generally without thinking about it. We are food-aware.

Thanks to all for respecting the diversity of opinions on this topic.

 

[Chez Poulet]

I like Dill's response very much as that is why I am a vegetarian. As a human being, we can make that choice of eating meat or not as our bodies do not require it with other protein options we intelligent humans can opt for nowadays. Again, all I hope for is for anyone eating meat or veg is that we are all conscious about what we put into our bodies and consider buying locally produced food that is handled humanely, fed purely and grown naturally.

Inside every chicken there can be a loving pet. When I sit with my girls before they roost, several crowd into my lap to be loved on. We make eye contact and maybe they don't know what I say in English, I understand Chicken fluently. Their gift to me of just being a chicken melts my heart. Every animal has a different level of consciousness, maybe not all have a sense of self, but we being the higher beings can make that choice to connect with these creatures and decide if we shall consume them or not.

I love this discussion and as others have said, this is a very interesting post with much respect for all of our opinions.