danceswithronin
Crowing
I'm still debating on whether or not to process my layers after their peak egg production years are over. I feel like after two years I would be quite attached to each individual hen and they would be more like pets than livestock, but on the other hand, the idea of processing the flock out every few years and starting with fresh chicks also sounds appealing, as it would allow me to experiment with various setups and breeds. My birds are already very friendly at just over a week old though, so the idea of killing them for food doesn't sit quite right with me yet.
My dad doesn't have a problem stewing chickens that are not useful (non-productive layers or cockerels) or chickens that cause problems in the flock, but my mom finds the idea of processing our own meat distasteful and doesn't want them killed on the property and basically refuses to eat them. I used to have to dispatch animals for animal control (humane euthanasia), so I am not against doing it myself. My brother has offered to let me process any chickens in his yard so she won't be exposed to it (and also so the other chickens won't have to see it) but I'm not sure if I want to or not.
Do you kill your chickens for meat as well as collect eggs from them? Why or why not? When do you make the determination to do it? What is your process for going about it? Or if you refuse to eat your chickens, what do you do when they stop giving you eggs or otherwise being productive in the flock, especially if you have limited space?
My dad doesn't have a problem stewing chickens that are not useful (non-productive layers or cockerels) or chickens that cause problems in the flock, but my mom finds the idea of processing our own meat distasteful and doesn't want them killed on the property and basically refuses to eat them. I used to have to dispatch animals for animal control (humane euthanasia), so I am not against doing it myself. My brother has offered to let me process any chickens in his yard so she won't be exposed to it (and also so the other chickens won't have to see it) but I'm not sure if I want to or not.
Do you kill your chickens for meat as well as collect eggs from them? Why or why not? When do you make the determination to do it? What is your process for going about it? Or if you refuse to eat your chickens, what do you do when they stop giving you eggs or otherwise being productive in the flock, especially if you have limited space?