Dont think my 3 meaties will be dinner......Confession...

[CrazyWestTexasFarmGirl]

We were given 3 meaties... at 3 weeks old.... they are now like 12 weeks. I havent seen any of the problems I hear about with them yet. BUT I pretty much free range them and throw just enough feed out for them to get them to go in the coop at night- they are foraging pretty well and not noticably skinny(not sure those monsters can BE skinny) They are like big friendly puppies... I was determined to eat them.. but they tug on my pants to get attention. They follow me around and LIKE attention... They are almost the same size as my laying hens already. They are well feathered and not too ugly except the whole dinosaur tromple monster bird thing... and they love the dust bath and stay pretty darn clean. I soo wanted to raise my own meat... but I think these little guys are going to live out there unatural lives roaming my yard. If I disapear outside into the yard too long my husband comes to check on me.. he is afraid they are going to knock me down and eat me..
My son carries them around and they talk to him and they sit on his lap and twitter at him.

There... I confessed!
Im a wimp.

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

I loved my two fat girls too. They lived quite a long time for what they were/are. One has died now and the other is fading fast but eating them would be like eating our dog.
p.s. the trick to as long of life as possible is free ranging and not feeding commercial feed - just my opinion.

 

[Backyard_Chicken_rancher]

There now don't you feel better were so happy that you did...

congratz to you for having the b........cohonays (sp?) to come forward with your confession.

 

[gritsar]

I wish long happy lives for your little? meaties. We have a neighbor that is a commercial broiler farmer for Tyson. He has offered me some three week old culls (birds that aren't growing fast enough to suit Tyson). He assures me that if I take them off the high pwered feed that they are fed in the commerciall houses and allow them to forage for 95% of their diet, they'd do just fine.

 

[CoopCrazy]

You may want to give half a bayer aspirin a day just to keep there hearts healthy

 

[KatieH]

My last 5 meaties were 14 weeks old when they got butchered yesterday. They had kinda grown on me (so cute and funny when they would run!) but they got axed, anyway. I'm a little heartless, I guess.

 

[CoopCrazy]

Quote:
I really enjoyed mine as well (once they went outside that is

) but yep mine got the chop as well..

 

[CrazyWestTexasFarmGirl]

I am thinking if they show signs of "breaking down" I will do them in and butcher them.
But until then....
They are more "Atheltic" than I imagined.... They fly up on the feed bin to get closer to me(or the feed.. haha)
they go on some pretty good hikes for such fat things... since they follow me constantly they get a lot of excersize...

I may try the aspirin....

 

[packinaglock]

I may have to turn in my Man card as well, I can shoot deer, rabbitts, wild hogs and such. I have about 50 chickens and have had them for a few years and I'll be darned if I have got up the nads to cull even one yet. Once I feed them it's like a pet with a personality. I really am ashamed of myself.

 

[Chicken411]

Quote:
Having a soul does not make you less "manly." It's the people who can kill anything and everything without any introspection or emotion that should be ashamed of themselves.