Ethical problem for a newbie

[tx_dane_mom]

Everyone on here has said great things. Me, personally, I have a couple of our roos in the freezer...and that's where they've remained. I've thought I'd be able to eat them...and still 'think' I will, but I've yet to cook one

SO, I dunno. Any of my roos that I liked were definately given away to family members for them to cull & eat & some were so personable they actually stayed on there as pets!

I think once we get set up in the new house w/the deep freeze the idea of meat birds is very appealing (especially w/the house note we'll have GEESHE! I'll need to feed myself

) But, I just can't help but think there is going to be 1 or 2 that stick out of there too....but maybe not.
Just my 2 cents,
Kristi
P.S. Welcome! (Oh & everyone keeps saying you'll love your 'girls'...I gotta say my favs so far have really been boys, w/the exception of 2, but the boys dominate.)

 

[max13077]

TX,

I agree with you. I love the plumpness and soft look of the girls. However the feathers some of the boys have are nothing less than stunning.

 

[seminolewind]

I couldn't do it. I would be in the "pet" run, giving treats, holding and petting the birds, watching the cute things they do......and then I would look over at the "meat" birds", all standing with their noses pressed against the wire fence and wondering why they're not getting any treats.
Well, gotta go, my steak is ready

 

[unionwirewoman]

If you make the desicion of having meat birds and laying hens ....that's great ! As many other have posted ..... don't name them , if you start looking at them as pets , then they will be pets . The way I look at it is , most of the chicken you buy at the store are treated worse than if you would raise them yourself . They are also better for you since you can control the feed , environment ,etc . We usually get 45-50 meat birds a year to process (we do it ourselves , too expensive to send it off ) . It can be hard to kill your chicken , but as long as you don't get attached , it's much easier . I kept two of my meat birds just to see how they would lay !

 

[kstaven]

I treat my meat birds the same as those I know will be sticking around. They all get treats and attention from us. This way I know they had a good life as short as it may be.

 

[hsm5grls]

i have to agree with the boys in the flock really standing out. My roo's are by far my favorites. Yeah they can get aggressive and they make a lot of noise but there is something about them that really makes me love them. I love the way they strut around and do that little aren't I handsome dance LOL.

 

[MissPrissy]

I have a flock of layers and we raised a flock of meat birds through the fall.

There is a mental switch that clicks on to help separate the two.

The biggest thing is you do not name the meat birds. Another is you don't play with the meat birds. They grow fast, they stink and you have tons of wet, poop, mess to clean out every single week from the moment they arrive until you do the deed at somewhere around 8 - 12 weeks. They are work and not so much a pleasure. They get the same feeds, treats and extras we just don't sit and play with them. Due to their smell the kids don't have any interest in playing with them like the layers either.

Enjoy your adventure into chickens.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

 

[horsechick]

I can just see your grandmother now as you asked her that question, LOL!

I'm sure in her time, as well as many other "older" people, farmers, and people who understand the circle of life, etc. She may have liked one more than another but in the end
knew" they were going to be dinner at some point or another.

You don't have to "whack" them like her, you could always take somewhere and have them done, maybe that would help.

I remember when we had a large livestock animal die at my GGdad's and I wanted to bury it, he laughed at me! and said if we buried everything that died out here there would be no land left, they took it to big burn pile by the creek! I guess they are just more practical, matter of factly, how they were raised, different times, etc.
Otherwise its time to become a vegetarian.

 

[Pelican49]

Hi Max. I'm pretty new here too. I'm glad you asked the question you did, as I've been thinking the same as you. I'm thinking I'd keep the meat bird coop much further from the house than the layers. We'll see.

 

[azchickadee]

Hi Max and welcome!

I don't have any experience with meat birds as I am raising layers, but I wanted to chime in on breed choices.

My original 9 are still young at 4 months, but I can already see personality differences between the breeds. The production reds are the orneriest, the barred rocks are the most curious and the ameracaunas are the most skittish. But, of course, I love them all.

I just got new Buff Orpington chicks and I'm thinking they will probably steal my heart! They are supposed to be gentle, sweet chickens. I've noticed that these chicks are already quieter than the 1st bunch. For more info on BO's check out Buff Hooligan's page. She has great info and wonderful pics of her beautiful BO's. They were my inspiration for getting mine!

Good luck!