Dumbest Things People Have Said About Your Chickens/Eggs/Meat - Part 2 : Chicken Boogaloo.

[lazy gardener]

My mother accused me of being blood-thirsty because I kill animals for food. Because my kids are fully aware of where food comes from, and how it gets on the table. Because I choose not to buy factory farmed meat. Because I would rather eat an animal that lived a healthy and humane life, on my property or a few miles down the road rather than something that lived in terrible conditions and came for who knows where.

I agree with what Bee and others have said. After watching some factory farming videos about poultry and pork, they simply added fuel to my passion for raising my own. If I could get hubby to agree, I'd have a goat or two and a couple of pigs for meat, but he's a city boy, and does well to tolerate my current "farming" activities! I have the perfect place for a porker or two, and OH! What they'd do to improve the land!!! But, my eyes glaze over when I hear folks going on a rant about the cruelty of butchering my own meat. My Step Mom has said: just don't serve me one of your own chickens. Fine... no problem, that! My home grown meat is too precious to serve to someone who has issue with eating it. Mac and cheese, it is! Seriously, she grew up visiting cousins who lived off grid. Said that when she visited them, she had no idea what kind of meat she'd be eating, and knew better than to ask. At least my meat is recognizable!

My father-in-law says that I'm too cheap to buy 'real' meat.

Invite him to go pick up your monthly feed supplies, then have him come out to help tend the animals for a week. Then ask him who the "cheap one" is. As far as "real" meat goes, invite him to dinner, and play some of the videos showing pigs laying on filth covered cement, in a pool of their own blood, because they have gone mad chewing the metal bars of their enclosures, and are covered in rotting ulcers because they have no bedding.

 

[Beekissed]

Quote:
LG, that's so funny you should say that!

I'll tell you why...I was invited to a graduation party of the daughter of a friend. She raises her own beef, so when I asked if the burgers being served were from her farm, she immediately said, "No way!!! I can't afford to feed that beef to a crowd like this!". At the time I thought that was a little odd but when I did Mom's birthday party out here and was buying meat to serve to guests I realized her meaning....one, my meat is too hard won and worked for to blow it all on a large crowd. That is reserved for immediate family and doled out in small meals to conserve it for as long as possible until next year's crop of birds.

Two, that crowd that is used to the mush and tastelessness of store bought chicken would not likely appreciate having to actually chew to eat a real chicken, no matter the good flavor. Even CX raised on the land here has texture that requires chewing, even though they are still tender...just not that total mush found in the stores. Same with pork...pigs raised on the freedom of pasture have a whole different texture and flavor than those raised in a pen in which they cannot move out of their own filth and I doubt the general public would think that was good pork.

Had a city kid out the other day who said she didn't like people who kill chickens and her chicken she eats from the store or in restaurants was made at a factory, so it wasn't killed by anyone. I had to laugh and agree with her on the factory part, but explained to her that someone did indeed kill her chicken for her. She sat there and you could see she absolutely refused to believe that, no matter how logical the information given. The girl is 13 yrs old. She didn't eat the chicken being served, which didn't disappoint me at all...more for us.

 

[chickendreams24]

I feel for you all. We haven't gotten this ... Yet. But I'm sure we will. Sadly we have not yet been able to try any of our own birds BC we have been dealing with predators and the darned things took every bird that we planned to eat and many that we didn't as well. That being said we have 14+(probably more than 20+ with the latest hatches) up and coming cockerals destined for freezer camp after deciding what ones will be spared for breeding to replace the roos the predators took. For those that don't know we've lost 16+ birds to predators since mid May. Including some of my personal pet birds, our breeders, and some grow outs. Ugh. To say the least. We are nearing the appropriate age I believe to process cockerals. But since I'm here when do all of you process? Last year beginning with poultry for the first time since we were both children DH2B and I discussed and planned together. I was worried at first having a caring gentle heart about the idea of eating birds we'd raised but knowing the horrors of the industry and having an aggressive roo and then having two cockerals fighting over hens and trying to clean them up(they were both silkie cockerals and one got rehomed instead of eaten) I discovered that giving them the chance at a good life and a natural life where they can feel the sun and chase bugs and gophers is worth it. I respect what they're going to give us and I've given them my world to make it as quick, fearless, and painless as possible in the end. Simply because the deserve that. DK I think I'll do the deed this first time around, no probably not, and in fact DH2B, will probably try to get me to go in the house to spare me that part. I admit I might do that and I'll be grateful. I may cry, I'm a sap, I know that. I've hatched and raised these birds they trust me and they know me as a friend. Will it be hard, yes, I know that, but I also know that it would be infinitely harder to watch them suffer from injuries due to fighting or illness from overcrowding. We've discussed doing some Cornish x from what I've read I now think I would find it much more distasteful. Knowing they probably suffered under the crushing weight and knowing that our heritage breed cockerals are all still out on grass during the day at 6 weeks. I would much rather know where my food comes from and I completely agree. If for even a second someone tries to tell you you're cheap or a murderer for doing this I think I would look them squarely in the face and say "You can call me a murderer if you like but at least my food wasn't tortured first." My birds are happy and healthy they run free most days and will every day again as soon as the predators have been dealt with(coyote and fox have both been seen). They chase moths and bugs and pull up worms, they dust bathe and sunbathe, and scratch in the dirt and the compost, they're living chicken-y lives and I know theyre happier for that. They're also healthier for it. They get kitchen scraps and earlier this year when the black raspberries produced fruit they picked among the bushes. They catch toads too, which frankly is a little icky but fun to watch their chase games. It's partly because I care about them that I am able to say that some of them need to be culled. Yes they'll feed us but only after they've lived a good and fair life.

Well said and I admire your fortitude in the face of not having the mind and heart for the job. It's natural for a woman to be soft in that area, it's how God designed us, but knowing that and putting it aside to do the best for your chickens is just good stewardship. You might be interested in reading this thread when contemplating CX: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...-your-cornish-x-meaties-tractors-do-not-count And also watching this vid....keeping CX doesn't have to be a bad prospect with too heavy birds and health issues. I've raised two batches of meaties out on free range and never had health issues with them and they were all VERY mobile right up to day of butcher, even those held over to 11 wks. And this one when they were a little older.... I helped a lady process her group of meaties at 15 wks and they were HUGE...not a one under 8 lbs dressed out..and all still free ranging every day. You might just be surprised at how well you like the CX birds...they are friendly, moochy and great foragers.

Thank you for the kindness. I will definitely consider doing meaties more, and we have still been discussing it but until we get the cockerals cleared out around here and the weather cools a little I don't think it would be fair when we're easily pushing upper 80s and into the 90s with the heat index breaking the 100s some days. I think it would be cruel. Yes I know this is how God made the majority of us women and in truth in grateful although I do think it definitely makes a few things more difficult including the raising and culling of the cockerals. We currently have several breeds going some of which were oopses from the hatchery this spring along with some mixes of our own. Some of the cockerals fates have yet to be decided. We have two white rocks, Two chocolate cuckoo English Orpingtons(we are getting some more English orp cockerals this weekend and the best will be spared for breeding), a cuckoo Marans, An EE, SLW, Our own mixed EEs(EE hens/slw roo) And some Orpington mixes- slw roo over buff Orpington American hens and some 50% English black Orpington hens. The slw roo we lost to a predator in May. Just before he turned a year old. Though we had no way to weigh him his weight was about 12-15 lbs best guess of both myself and DH2B. Does anyone process extra bantam cockerals as well? We may end up with a few this year and I'm at a loss as to what to do with them.

I process my dual-purpose boys when they are about the same size as an adult hen, usually between 12 and 16.

12-16 isn't that a little young? What breeds do you have? Any idea what they dress out to between those ages? I have asked on a couple other threads and usually get told a) when you can't stand the crowing anymore, or b) about 16-24 weeks.

I agree with what Bee and others have said. After watching some factory farming videos about poultry and pork, they simply added fuel to my passion for raising my own. If I could get hubby to agree, I'd have a goat or two and a couple of pigs for meat, but he's a city boy, and does well to tolerate my current "farming" activities! I have the perfect place for a porker or two, and OH! What they'd do to improve the land!!! But, my eyes glaze over when I hear folks going on a rant about the cruelty of butchering my own meat. My Step Mom has said: just don't serve me one of your own chickens. Fine... no problem, that! My home grown meat is too precious to serve to someone who has issue with eating it. Mac and cheese, it is! Seriously, she grew up visiting cousins who lived off grid. Said that when she visited them, she had no idea what kind of meat she'd be eating, and knew better than to ask. At least my meat is recognizable! Invite him to go pick up your monthly feed supplies, then have him come out to help tend the animals for a week. Then ask him who the "cheap one" is. As far as "real" meat goes, invite him to dinner, and play some of the videos showing pigs laying on filth covered cement, in a pool of their own blood, because they have gone mad chewing the metal bars of their enclosures, and are covered in rotting ulcers because they have no bedding.

I totally agree anyone who likes is welcome to pick up our weekly feed bill. Or monthly if they'd like lol.

LG, that's so funny you should say that! I'll tell you why...I was invited to a graduation party of the daughter of a friend. She raises her own beef, so when I asked if the burgers being served were from her farm, she immediately said, "No way!!! I can't afford to feed that beef to a crowd like this!". At the time I thought that was a little odd but when I did Mom's birthday party out here and was buying meat to serve to guests I realized her meaning....one, my meat is too hard won and worked for to blow it all on a large crowd. That is reserved for immediate family and doled out in small meals to conserve it for as long as possible until next year's crop of birds. Two, that crowd that is used to the mush and tastelessness of store bought chicken would not likely appreciate having to actually chew to eat a real chicken, no matter the good flavor. Even CX raised on the land here has texture that requires chewing, even though they are still tender...just not that total mush found in the stores. Same with pork...pigs raised on the freedom of pasture have a whole different texture and flavor than those raised in a pen in which they cannot move out of their own filth and I doubt the general public would think that was good pork. Had a city kid out the other day who said she didn't like people who kill chickens and her chicken she eats from the store or in restaurants was made at a factory, so it wasn't killed by anyone. I had to laugh and agree with her on the factory part, but explained to her that someone did indeed kill her chicken for her. She sat there and you could see she absolutely refused to believe that, no matter how logical the information given. The girl is 13 yrs old. She didn't eat the chicken being served, which didn't disappoint me at all...more for us.

Wow okay that's just so sad. Firstly she sounds like an indulged spoiled child just from the story you told, but I don't think that's her fault. Secondly it is just sad that people today, and not just kids, think that there is not anything killed for their meat. There's such a disconnect in our society. That's one thing that my DH2B and I do not want for our future kids. I don't mean to say they're going to be thrown into having to help process. If they want to that's fine, but they will know and respect where meat comes from.

 

[7 Biddies]

Had a city kid out the other day who said she didn't like people who kill chickens and her chicken she eats from the store or in restaurants was made at a factory, so it wasn't killed by anyone.  I had to laugh and agree with her on the factory part, but explained to her that someone did indeed kill her chicken for her.  She sat there and you could see she absolutely refused to believe that, no matter how logical the information given.  The girl is 13 yrs old.  She didn't eat the chicken being served, which didn't disappoint me at all...more for us. 


So, why does she think it's called chicken, and what does she the the factory makes it from ... tofu? Too many people just aren't logical. They've replaced thinking with feelings. Next thing you know, they'll be voting.

 

[junebuggena]

12-16 isn't that a little young? What breeds do you have? Any idea what they dress out to between those ages?

I have asked on a couple other threads and usually get told a) when you can't stand the crowing anymore, or b) about 16-24 weeks.

They are Easter Egger mixes. I selectively breed for fast development and large size. They dress out to about 3 to 5 pounds. By the time they are hen-sized, they are eating machines, and they aren't worth the cost in feed to keep for another month or so.

This is one of my boys at just 13 weeks old, pictured with 2, 6 month old pullets.

 

[cutiechook1]

That's cute.

X2!!!!!

 

[bobbi-j]

Just finished reading the whole thread. (Started on Sunday while we were on a road trip) All I can say is... Wow! I understand some of the comments made by people who - let's face it - are so removed from their food sources they don't have a clue. A few years ago on FB, a young relative of mine went off on deer hunters. My husband, sons and I all hunt. So, I informed her that I would much rather eat meat from a deer who has spent its whole life outside, eating grass and being in the fresh air and sunshine and had a happy life until that one bad day than an animal that was raised on a feedlot, muddy and dirty and had never seen a blade of grass in its life. Let's just say we agreed to disagree and are no longer "friends" on FB.

@chickendreams24 - we just processed 8 cockerels this morning. They were about 18 weeks. One was a meat-type ranger bird. He dressed out at 6#. The rest were between 3-4#. They' don't look like your plump, juicy grocery store frankenchicken, but you can't beat the flavor!

Every time we raise chickens to butcher, it's the same old thing. I feed them, I appreciate them (gotta love a pretty, colorful rooster), and then it's time. At some point, I'll tell DH, "We need to butcher soon. I'm almost out of chicken." He says, "OK, let's do it tomorrow (or the next day or soon after that). And then I say, "No, not tomorrow (or whatever the appointed day is to be). I'm not ready. I have to... (fill in the blank with whatever lame excuse you can come up with - I have plenty!)" and he says, "Fine, but we HAVE to do it the next day." (I don't know how he puts up with me!) So, I will do whatever important thing I had to do, and then we process our birds. The hardest part for me is turning a live rooster into a dead one. We have come up with a system. I catch one, DH sends me in for the next one and by the time I come back out of the coop, the deed is done. (I used to hold their feet for him, but always looked away.) So today while we were cleaning our birds, I told DH, "If I ever had to do this by myself..." and he interrupted with, "You'd never get it done!" (He has a point) I said, "Well, probably not, but if I did do it, I'd have to use a killing cone because I don't think I can do the hatchet and stump method like you." And he said, "No you couldn't, because you'd swing the hatchet, look the other way and cut your hand off!"

OK, we might have a dark sense of humor, but I thinking the exact same thing right before he said it. Anyway, to make a short story longer, I just wanted to say that there's nothing wrong with having a soft spot. As Bee said, women were created to be nurturers. I admire those who can kill their own birds, and would do it if I had to. I am blessed to have a mate with whom I can work alongside to do these things.

 

[chickendreams24]

They are Easter Egger mixes. I selectively breed for fast development and large size. They dress out to about 3 to 5 pounds. By the time they are hen-sized, they are eating machines, and they aren't worth the cost in feed to keep for another month or so. This is one of my boys at just 13 weeks old, pictured with 2, 6 month old pullets.

Wow he is big! I'd like to get to that point once we find a good line of birds but for right now we're just trying and seeing how they do. We also haven't found the big heritage birds we really want to do for meat. DH2B wants to try some heritage Buckeyes and white Rocks hopefully next year. We also have a friend who breeds heritage RIR that we would like to try. But right now she has some RIW in with them and we would rather have the pure. In the next couple of years I'm sure we'll find our niche and the strains or breeds that work best for us as DP.

Just finished reading the whole thread. (Started on Sunday while we were on a road trip) All I can say is... Wow! I understand some of the comments made by people who - let's face it - are so removed from their food sources they don't have a clue. A few years ago on FB, a young relative of mine went off on deer hunters. My husband, sons and I all hunt. So, I informed her that I would much rather eat meat from a deer who has spent its whole life outside, eating grass and being in the fresh air and sunshine and had a happy life until that one bad day than an animal that was raised on a feedlot, muddy and dirty and had never seen a blade of grass in its life. Let's just say we agreed to disagree and are no longer "friends" on FB. @chickendreams24 - we just processed 8 cockerels this morning. They were about 18 weeks. One was a meat-type ranger bird. He dressed out at 6#. The rest were between 3-4#. They' don't look like your plump, juicy grocery store frankenchicken, but you can't beat the flavor! Every time we raise chickens to butcher, it's the same old thing. I feed them, I appreciate them (gotta love a pretty, colorful rooster), and then it's time. At some point, I'll tell DH, "We need to butcher soon. I'm almost out of chicken." He says, "OK, let's do it tomorrow (or the next day or soon after that). And then I say, "No, not tomorrow (or whatever the appointed day is to be). I'm not ready. I have to... (fill in the blank with whatever lame excuse you can come up with - I have plenty!)" and he says, "Fine, but we HAVE to do it the next day." (I don't know how he puts up with me!) So, I will do whatever important thing I had to do, and then we process our birds. The hardest part for me is turning a live rooster into a dead one. We have come up with a system. I catch one, DH sends me in for the next one and by the time I come back out of the coop, the deed is done. (I used to hold their feet for him, but always looked away.) So today while we were cleaning our birds, I told DH, "If I ever had to do this by myself..." and he interrupted with, "You'd never get it done!" (He has a point) I said, "Well, probably not, but if I did do it, I'd have to use a killing cone because I don't think I can do the hatchet and stump method like you." And he said, "No you couldn't, because you'd swing the hatchet, look the other way and cut your hand off!" OK, we might have a dark sense of humor, but I thinking the exact same thing right before he said it. Anyway, to make a short story longer, I just wanted to say that there's nothing wrong with having a soft spot. As Bee said, women were created to be nurturers. I admire those who can kill their own birds, and would do it if I had to. I am blessed to have a mate with whom I can work alongside to do these things.

Yes I have a feeling that is how it will work for us as well. I know if I had to I could probably do it on my own, though it would probably be a while before I could eat chicken Lol. Though I've never done it I believe I will be able to get to a point where I can do more and more of the process. Eventually. For this first time I think I'll let DH2B do the killing and also take off the heads and feet. I think I could pluck and eviscerate them without trouble though. Of course I never thought about the point at which it's no longer economical to allow them to keep putting on weight. I'm gunna look into the ages and it looks like we might be processing this weekend.

 

[Beekissed]

I was teaching a city lady and her husband how to make chickens dead, as they bought a farm here in WV and wanted to homestead it, learn to grow and kill their own food animals, etc. She wanted to watch but she kept saying her husband would be doing the deed when it needed done in the future. I killed one and demonstrated the process, evisceration,e tc. Hubby killed one and was helped in evisceration, but then had to take off for work. The third bird was there and I asked her if she wanted to do this one but she said her husband would be doing all the killing.

I said, "Imagine your husband dies tonight...will you keep this farm and go forward with your original plans?"

She quite emphatically replied, "Yes!"

I came back, "Then you need to do this bird."

She did it. I was proud of her immediate recognition of the possibilities in life and the need to adapt to meet them.

I encourage all you ladies to imagine what could happen and prepare for it now, rather than later. It's so, so much easier to know it and have the skill but never need it, than to need it and never have experience with it when the time calls for it. Same with anything in life...teach your daughters basic car maintenance along with sons, the sons how to cook and clean along with the daughters, the husband or wife how to pay the bills, cook, basic home construction,how to run the chainsaw, tractor or washing machine. In the end it makes the more stressful times in life easier when one is prepared to do without a partner or parent.

 

[junebuggena]

My flock is entirely based off hatchery stock. A little careful selection, and three generations later, the size is pretty decent and consistent. Just working on the minor, cosmetic details now...