does anyone ever get used to killing and eating their birds

[ChickenAlgebra]

I think the first year was hard for me. It got better as the year went on and we did more, but it took a lot at first.

But that was now 15 years ago, and the kids think nothing of butchering time, the oldest two process for people as a summer job, and we usually don't have chicken that night because we are all so tired we just get take out.

DH also does a lot of the killing, he hunts also, taught the kids how to hunt, and it's just not my thing. I've told him to go get such and such bird (like the evil roo) and dispatch for me, but then I'll scald/pluck/process.

I pretty much only will kill a bird if it's something that can't wait for DH to get home. But even then, I'm usually still a sniffing baby about it. Usually because it's a DP bird who is sick or badly hurt so I feel bad for the bird.

 

[Mervin]

I hunt and fish (less than I'd like or used to). I've butchered hogs, chickens, rabbits, ect. I been around my share of killing and butchering. Chickens were actually the first animals that I've raised and slaughtered, others were hunted or purchased. Truthfully, killing my own roosters was the hardest of them all. The first time I let it age in the fridge for several days, contemplating whether I was ready to eat it or not. I cooked it and had some. Although it was very tasty, I did have a bit of a hard time with it. It got eaten, but mostly to show my kids that is important to take it seriously and use what you have and be thankful. The kids were actually much more open to eating it than I thought they would be. After the first one, it wasn't as bad.

I actually hope that my feelings of remorse never go completely away. I don't ever be able to take a creature's life indiscriminately, without regret. I think it's important to value their life and thank God, whatever god you pray to, for providing it for you. I think it's important to kill humanely and conduct the entire process with as much dignity and respect as can be. If I ever don't feel that way, I think that I will quit raising livestock, quit hunting and quit fishing entirely. I might stop eating meat altogether if that were to happen. I think it's important to respect the world around you, I think the grief is simply an expression of that respect.

 

[sbarab]

You know the first batch of roos that we processed almost 2 years ago now were difficult to eat.

Last spring I got a bunch of cull Cornish x from the local fair birds. They were here all of 2 or 3 days and we processed them. So not any time to get attached. It also helped that they were nasty birds. The first one was difficult to eat. The one I roasted just 2 weeks ago was delicious!

 

[ChickenAlgebra]

It's a bit of a weird concept I guess to get "used" to killing anything. It's not so traumatic after the first go arounds I think for me. But it's not like it's fun either. It's part of life, and I'd rather have well cared for birds who are healthy and not 95% chemicals/hormones, so either I pay $13 a pound for someone else to raise the chickens like I would, or we raise them and kill them and then eat them. No matter how guilty I feel, at very least the birds we raise are raised kindly and fairly, get to act like chickens and are killed humanely.

 

[schellie69]

When I was kid we raised our own chickens for eggs and meat. I ate them then. I just have chickens now for eggs I live in town so no meat birds for us yet. But when we get our farm I am making a plan on how to grow a duel purpose bird and make my flock so I don't have to buy new chicks each year. I think at first I will have a problem I have a tender heart but I will know that the chickens had a good life with good food, fresh water sunshine and everything not like the birds that go to the store. I think I might let them sit in the freezer for a few weeks that way I don't think it will be so fresh when I go to cook them

 

[chickened]

I know where my food comes from and knowing that allows me to kill and eat. NoI don't "like" it but it must be done. There are lots of things we Americans don't like to do but we do it anyways out of need.

 

[Erica]

Quote:
This is so well put, and it's exactly how I feel.

 

[newchickmom]

Bothered me a little at first, but we used to have our chicken like that when I was little. I am fine once they have been in the freezer for a while.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

deleted

 

[Smiles-N-Sunshine]

My two cents:

I think a lot of it has to do with how you view your animals - as pets, or livestock. (Definitely the same issue with my meat rabbits.) I have no problems killing and eating our poultry and rabbits, but I've never had a pet bird or rabbit. On the other hand, I have pet turtles, and won't eat turtle meat though I understand it's delicious and nutritious. (And tastes like chicken!)

I know every chicken I have will be eaten at some point. I keep in mind that, by nature, chickens are prey animals and humans are omnivores. I feel better eating a homestead-raised chicken than a factory-farmed one, knowing the bird had some good days in the sunshine - scratching on the ground, taking dust baths, and just being a chicken - and was humanely and respectfully slaughtered. Butchering day is a lot less fun than hatching day, but like Steve just said, a chore is a chore.

One technique we use is to keep the meat in the freezer for a while, so it becomes more of a "what" than a "who".

And don't play with your food!

Bryan