don’t you feel bad?

[thumper650]

I love all 6 of my drakes, and my one girl. That said I would like to raise/butcher some chickens myself, but I want to learn from someone how to do it right. I’m squeamish but I’d like to get over it, and know I’m eating a bird that had a happier upbringing than factory birds.

 

[Duck mommy 2019]

If your birds are happy and healthy and you can afford to keep them and keep building more pens as troublemakers have to be separated then good for you! Do what makes you happy and your birds happy.

One thing that stood out to me though was that they can live 10+ more years, think about that for a second, what does a 10 year old bird look like? Having trouble keeping weight on? A limp from an old injury that is getting stiff with age? Being picked on by the younger birds because they are not fast enough or strong enough to get away or fight back anymore?

Animals don't think in the future like we do, and they think very little of the past, they live very much in the present. If a 10+ year old bird is sore and tired all of the time for the last month of their life, to them, that month is their whole life, they don't sit and think fondly of their younger years, they just know they don't feel good now.

A bird that is culled for food typically is healthy, active and loving life until they have 1 bad day, and if you are careful when handling them and don't spook them all, they only have a few bad moments, not even a whole bad day.

Like I said, do what makes you and your flock happy and healthy and good for you if you can do that while keeping everyone around for their natural lives, but, just some food for thought on why some people would not feel guilty about eating their birds when they are young and healthy.

i’m not planning to get more ducks until these ones pass of old age so they would not be picked on. as for feeling sore when older, once their quality of life is bad they can be euthanized (so no bad moments ever) as for injuries, that’s what the vet is for

 

[Duck mommy 2019]

If your birds are happy and healthy and you can afford to keep them and keep building more pens as troublemakers have to be separated then good for you! Do what makes you happy and your birds happy.

One thing that stood out to me though was that they can live 10+ more years, think about that for a second, what does a 10 year old bird look like? Having trouble keeping weight on? A limp from an old injury that is getting stiff with age? Being picked on by the younger birds because they are not fast enough or strong enough to get away or fight back anymore?

Animals don't think in the future like we do, and they think very little of the past, they live very much in the present. If a 10+ year old bird is sore and tired all of the time for the last month of their life, to them, that month is their whole life, they don't sit and think fondly of their younger years, they just know they don't feel good now.

A bird that is culled for food typically is healthy, active and loving life until they have 1 bad day, and if you are careful when handling them and don't spook them all, they only have a few bad moments, not even a whole bad day.

Like I said, do what makes you and your flock happy and healthy and good for you if you can do that while keeping everyone around for their natural lives, but, just some food for thought on why some people would not feel guilty about eating their birds when they are young and healthy.

also i think about it like this, when killed (culled?) young they don’t get to live out their lives. just because they aren’t people doesn’t mean they aren’t deserving of a long life. not trying to start a fight, i apologize if i upset anyone, but would you kill your dog, or cat just because they don’t think in the future?

 

[FortCluck]

also i think about it like this, when killed (culled?) young they don’t get to live out their lives. just because they aren’t people doesn’t mean they aren’t deserving of a long life. not trying to start a fight, i apologize if i upset anyone, but would you kill your dog, or cat just because they don’t think in the future?

This is starting a fight though...

You're telling people they're wrong for providing for their families. Why does it bother you what others do with their livestock? The only thing that should matter to you... Is what YOU do with YOUR livestock. If you want them as pets then okay, but no one is wrong for owning livestock to feed their families.

Grocery store meat is or was a LIVE animal, a chicken breast doesn't grow from a styrofoam tray. If you're eating meat (which I hope you aren't) from the grocery store, you're contributing to deaths of animals. Hundreds of them... And they're most likely killed inhumanely, which is what all of us at BYC avoid when we process our animals.

Let's all agree to disagree.

 

[ThracianHorse]

also i think about it like this, when killed (culled?) young they don’t get to live out their lives. just because they aren’t people doesn’t mean they aren’t deserving of a long life. not trying to start a fight, i apologize if i upset anyone, but would you kill your dog, or cat just because they don’t think in the future?

I don't think anyone is upset, but I think we find your perspective hard to understand, and your comment about euthanizing dogs and cats here is a good example. Dogs and cats are considered to be pets, not something that graces the dinner-table. Ducks are something people keep for meat, for eggs, or what-have you... that makes ducks by definition livestock. Most livestock breeds were developed out of a need for one, or all of these things. Keeping these animals as pets and companions is only more recently a common thing, but they are still livestock.

So... no one is upset, but I also don't think it's fair for you to apply the same standard to ducks as to dogs and cats even though you happen to be enjoying them as pets. They aren't the same, and people here are going to look at you oddly if you can't at least accept the very nature and purpose of livestock on some level.

 

[Duck mommy 2019]

I don't think anyone is upset, but I think we find your perspective hard to understand, and your comment about euthanizing dogs and cats is a good example. Dogs and cats are considered to be pets, not something that graces the dinner-table. Ducks are something people keep for meat, for eggs, or what-have you... that makes ducks by definition livestock. Most livestock breeds were developed out of a need for one, or all of these things. Keeping these animals as pets and companions is only more recently a common thing, but they are still livestock.

So... no one is upset, but I also don't think it's fair for you to apply the same standard to ducks as to dogs and cats even though you happen to be enjoying them as pets. They aren't the same, and people here are going to look at you oddly if you can't at least accept the very nature and purpose of livestock on some level.

other people can use them as livestock, but they are my pets just like my other animals are

 

[FortCluck]

I don't think anyone is upset, but I think we find your perspective hard to understand, and your comment about euthanizing dogs and cats is a good example. Dogs and cats are considered to be pets, not something that graces the dinner-table. Ducks are something people keep for meat, for eggs, or what-have you... that makes ducks by definition livestock. Most livestock breeds were developed out of a need for one, or all of these things. Keeping these animals as pets and companions is only more recently a common thing, but they are still livestock.

So... no one is upset, but I also don't think it's fair for you to apply the same standard to ducks as to dogs and cats even though you happen to be enjoying them as pets. They aren't the same, and people here are going to look at you oddly if you can't at least accept the very nature and purpose of livestock on some level.

I was going to say dog and cats aren't close to ducks at all. Dogs and cats aren't livestock like ducks, they're domestic pets. It's like comparing apples to oranges. Ducks were never intended to be pets that wear clothes or live in houses, but if people choose to do that then it is not my place to judge. Just like it's not the OPs place to judge us for feeding our families.

If you can't kill it, don't eat it...

 

[FortCluck]

other people can use them as livestock, but they are my pets just like my other animals are

Do you eat beef? Pork? Chicken? Turkey?

 

[bluemerle]

If it's any comfort: times are changing. Sanctuaries like Woodstock and the Gentle Barn wouldn't have existed several decades ago, but they do now. More and more ducks and chickens and pigs get to live out happy, natural, full lives and more people are growing and learning about eating without killing.

I'm happy to hear about your drakes! My drake was always my favorite, and I've thought about adopting more in the future. Someday ....

 

[ThracianHorse]

other people can use them as livestock, but they are my pets just like my other animals are

And other people do... you miss the point here. You have the people who have been keeping them as meat animals to thank for your pets. This is why people do not feel bad when it comes time to slaughter, because we are treating them as intended. You don't have to, and clearly don't, but we do. So.... asking about if we feel bad for using livestock as intended comes across as an attack, not as a plea to our animal-loving natures.