Everyone tries to press that chickens are pets, but

[I have WHAT in my yard?]

Just the other day one of my students asked me between classes if I eat my chickens. When I said Yes he was appalled and freaked out.

I laughed at him because I know he's not a vegetarian. If he were a vegetarian I would understand, but then he kind of did a double take and realized what he was saying.

I explained that I do eat meat, but I only eat me that I know was either free or I raised it. I honor it and thank it for giving me its sustenance.

 

[CarriBrown]

It's like those people who won't eat our chicken eggs because "eggs come from the store". They don't know what they are missing!
Rasing your own can be a dirty job but it's worth it if you can mentally put aside what you need to do.

 

[kees]

I guess any animal could be a pet depending on the owner's point of view and whether the animal was destined to be eaten. Remember when they used to have little cages to keep crickets in so that they could be little pets?

 

[greyfields]

Chicken are very much livestock. All livestock would make a great pet if coddled and cared for like some people do their chickens. \\

I think it's great that people have them as pets; but for us we always have to make a cost vs benefit analysis. I may have a sick rooster limping around. I could treat it, and likely will. But, I'd never take it to a vet since the cost would never be repaid. So the bird may be let die, or culled.

Same with the ewes. One trip to the vet because of lambing problems and she'll have to give me 8-10 lambs to pay back the debt.

 

[the1much]

i cull any and every animal here at my house if needed. i feel its MY responsibility to do it.

 

[Dill]

All animals to me are friends, not food, not money-makers, or whatever else some people use/see them as. It doesn't matter to me what type of animal they are. It seriously drives me nuts when people call chickens, pigs, etc "livestock" and call them "farm animals", etc. Or when people calls rodents, etc "pests" or "vermin". I just want to scream when people say that and I picture in my head punching them in the face, which makes me feel alot better. Some people hate it when people discriminate against humans, I could care less about that, I hate it when people discriminate against animals.

I would gladly pay thousands of dollars to save my pets lives, no matter what their species is. If I could pay $1,000 to bring my duck Will back to life, I would. We spent $90 trying to save him, but it didn't work.

This isn't directed at anyone here btw, so please don't take offense. I just really love all types of animals and my family calls my ducks "farm animals" and that I should live on a farm if i want animals like them and stuff like that. Really makes my blood boil

 

[silkiechicken]

Quote:
If those were my thousands of dollars, and it was between me having a home to live in, a place to even keep an animal, I'd take that over one pet. Earning thousands of dollars is a lot of hard work and you have to set priorities in adult life.

 

[Dill]

Quote:
If those were my thousands of dollars, and it was between me having a home to live in, a place to even keep an animal, I'd take that over one pet. Earning thousands of dollars is a lot of hard work and you have to set priorities in adult life.

Yes, but if you do have enough money... and also, don't some vets take payments, especially for very expensive bills?

 

[mtnhomechick]

If you can actually afford to take your chickens etc. to the vet.........God Bless You.

Some people here raise Livestock to support their families ( Kids ) with a better life. A healthy way of eating.

I spent over 100.00 on an 8 wk. pullet. I am not sorry I did it, but I wouldn't do it again.

Farm animals are just that. Same as fancy wrapped in the grocery store, except WE give them the feed so WE know what we're consuming.

It's Idealitstic and praiseworthy...buy irrational. IMO.

If we can give them a good life albeit short.........better than commercially raised, I say.

The economy is terrible.........people do what they need to survive.

They ARE farm animals.........just like my grandparents raised ( and culled )!

 

[MissPrissy]

Dill, do you eat meat?

I live on a small farm. I raise livestock.

Chickens, ducks, geese, guineas, turkeys and quail for eggs and meat.

Dairy goats for milk and keeping down brush.

Sheep for grazing and controling pasture and for meat and milk.

Rabbits for fiber and meat.

I will be adding fiber sheep and goats next spring.