ELI5 Why do so many ppl treat chickens expendable??

[z3lda3]

You go to the post box, you don't press reply to a comment

Ohhh I’m an idiot. Thank you!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I've been thinking about the original question here. It's late and I can't sleep and my mind is going kind of philosophical so bear with me. Or ignore me, lol. Here's how I'm thinking. Think about cattle. A rancher only needs one bull to service multiple cows, to keep his herd, shall we say, productive. But, as with chickens or most any other critter that reproduces, the offspring are going to come out roughly in a 50/50 ratio of males to females. So what's a rancher to do with all those excess males he doesn't need? Simple economics, he sells them for meat. And aren't we glad he does!

Same thing with chickens. Lots of people can't have ANY roosters. Those that can usually only want one or two. That leaves a multitude of excess cockerels and roosters. What to do, what to do with them? Well, fortunately for most of us, they do taste a lot like chicken! And give us a break from all that beef. I don't see that as punishment or prejudice but rather simple economics - and basic good management.

But that's just me. Buffalo wings, anyone?

 

[z3lda3]

I've been thinking about the original question here. It's late and I can't sleep and my mind is going kind of philosophical so bear with me. Or ignore me, lol. Here's how I'm thinking. Think about cattle. A rancher only needs one bull to service multiple cows, to keep his herd, shall we say, productive. But, as with chickens or most any other critter that reproduces, the offspring are going to come out roughly in a 50/50 ratio of males to females. So what's a rancher to do with all those excess males he doesn't need? Simple economics, he sells them for meat. And aren't we glad he does!

Same thing with chickens. Lots of people can't have ANY roosters. Those that can usually only want one or two. That leaves a multitude of excess cockerels and roosters. What to do, what to do with them? Well, fortunately for most of us, they do taste a lot like chicken! And give us a break from all that beef. I don't see that as punishment or prejudice but rather simple economics - and basic good management.

But that's just me. Buffalo wings, anyone?

It’s a thought that gets deeper the more you think about it right? I treat my chickens as well as any other animal I have. Because they are well animals. I have a horribly large heart with animals. I think it’s because they’re innocent and helpless. That’s not to say I don’t eat chicken, I do and plenty of it. (Can’t eat beef gallbladder says no) it’s the carelessness that some ppl have with chickens that really bother me. I mean I look at my little bantam running with her fluffy butt or sun bathing and my heart melts. Or a little chick snuggling with mama, they’re not “just” chickens. They’re just trying to live like everyone else. Ok I’m not going PETA or anything, I get it, food animals are tasty! But give them great lives before that culling time ya know? Obviously not you specifically, I know your birds get awesome treatment!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

It’s a thought that gets deeper the more you think about it right? I treat my chickens as well as any other animal I have. Because they are well animals. I have a horribly large heart with animals. I think it’s because they’re innocent and helpless. That’s not to say I don’t eat chicken, I do and plenty of it. (Can’t eat beef gallbladder says no) it’s the carelessness that some ppl have with chickens that really bother me. I mean I look at my little bantam running with her fluffy butt or sun bathing and my heart melts. Or a little chick snuggling with mama, they’re not “just” chickens. They’re just trying to live like everyone else. Ok I’m not going PETA or anything, I get it, food animals are tasty! But give them great lives before that culling time ya know? Obviously not you specifically, I know your birds get awesome treatment!

We are on the same page here! And we eat practically no beef here. First, it is so expensive! And recently, a family member has been diagnosed with Alpha-GAL, that allergy from a tick bite that prevents her from ingesting anything from any mammal. No meat, no dairy. So for her, it is poultry or fish. And yes, we totally respect and care for them the best we can until it's time to harvest them.

 

[WaterfowlsPoultry]

It sucks because Chickens are just so nice and polite.
People who throw away chickens just see them as livestock, Not as an actual pet but that does not excuse treating them like garbage.
Our next-door neighbor culled a cockerel, And when I mean cockerel, I mean as soon as they verified it was a male chick they culled it.
It just sucks because people are so disconnected with the food they buy in the market than the actual animal. And you can't get mad at someone for doing it either because at the same time, They are livestock. And not their pet dog.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

It sucks because Chickens are just so nice and polite.
People who throw away chickens just see them as livestock, Not as an actual pet but that does not excuse treating them like garbage.
Our next-door neighbor culled a cockerel, And when I mean cockerel, I mean as soon as they verified it was a male chick they culled it.
It just sucks because people are so disconnected with the food they buy in the market than the actual animal. And you can't get mad at someone for doing it either because at the same time, They are livestock. And not their pet dog.

Not all chickens are nice and polite. Some cockerels and roosters are absolute terrors and can inflict serious damage to other chickens, other animals, children and adults. I know, a rooster hurt me.

Culling a cockerel does not mean treating it like garbage. It can mean terminating its life in a humane way, and for good reasons. Perhaps the owners have excellent reasons for having done so. Since we don't know and weren't there I think it behooves us not to be judgmental.

 

[WaterfowlsPoultry]

Not all chickens are nice and polite. Some cockerels and roosters are absolute terrors and can inflict serious damage to other chickens, other animals, children and adults. I know, a rooster hurt me.

Culling a cockerel does not mean treating it like garbage. It can mean terminating its life in a humane way, and for good reasons. Perhaps the owners have excellent reasons for having done so. Since we don't know and weren't there I think it behooves us not to be judgmental.

Maybe you are right. Sorry.

 

[igorsMistress]

If we cull a sick bird it goes in the trash. I don’t have the space to bury it and keep the rest of my flock from it. I don’t baby them along and spend days or weeks nursing them. Extra roosters go in the freezer.

 

[Themellowyellows]

Im only at page 4 so no one yell at me if I missed something...
I know everyone here knows chickens can feel pain and think things. But to further back that point, once I was going to my chickens with there lunch and they were swarming the gate. So when I was putting down the gate one of there toes got stuck and poor girl started yelling. So I quickly moved the gate (she was fine, no toes were harmed.)
A chicken would not yell or move if they did not feel pain. They would simply just stay there.

Another thing, is my one hen that makes THE biggest eggs I have ever seen makes these cooing noise while making her egg. There not like soft happy noises, there more so like pain. (Trust me shes a really healthy bird thats just what she does because of her big eggs.) Again.. A chicken would not make noises like such if they did not feel pain.


I agree, I feel as though sacrificing a rooster to catch a predator is wrong... Why put a helpless animal that can't defend himself, up aganst a huge animal..? Thats not fair in the rooster part. In the process of a rooster being attacked its suffering, feeling pain.. Feathers being plucked. Not fair. Period.


Anyone ever hear of rooster fights? Where they put two aggressive roosters in a box and let them fight. One comes out alive yet suffering, the other one dead. Both with blood all over there faces. In no way is this fair.


Yes, I do see my hens as pets and I wont be changing my mind. However Im okay with eating chickens if done properly.

Done and done thats my opinion, hopefully someone agrees lol!

My hen being a road block..

 

[BigBlueHen53]

If we cull a sick bird it goes in the trash. I don’t have the space to bury it and keep the rest of my flock from it. I don’t baby them along and spend days or weeks nursing them. Extra roosters go in the freezer.

Same, pretty much. And @Themellowyellows , I haven't heard anybody claim chickens feel no pain. Of course they do. This is why we try to dispatch them as quickly, painlessly and humanely as possible and to alleviate their suffering when they are sick or injured. At least, good chicken tenders do!

They also seem to feel emotional pain as well as physical. They grieve when a flock mate dies and it takes them a bit to readjust flock dynamics.