Getting flack for killing our meaties -- and need some reassurance!

[JoAnn_WI_4-H_Mom]

Quote:
Oh that is very good.

And very concise! (Wish I could be)

 

[marymac]

AMEN!!!!! To every thing you just said

 

[Rohnasmom]

True story...you can tell them...My husband of nine years had a heart attack, he was rendered brain dead...after loving him for nine years I had to make the decision to stop respiration and let him die. Brutal choice to make...I did however see to it that his organs may be used for transplant. So to those who say you cant raise and love something or someone then eliminate it,but put it to good use are foolish. I know first hand. Email them pictures of battery chickens and see if they realize chickens like that, are what they get eggs from...the safe clean eggs. Or send them to a large scale production farm. Filth abounds. I personally have no processed any myself, but have watched mine done in the past, and you cant beat a cornish X for meat. When the crap hits the proverbial fan they will be begging for a bit of that chicken. Tell them to go mind the grocery prices going up each day. You wont go hungry, Keep up the good work in providing for you family. May the God that I love bless you and yours abundantly.

 

[jodief100]

I have had the same problem. "How can you kill those birds you raised from sweet little babies?" I ask if they eat chicken. If they say yes I ask "How can you eat the birds someone else raised from sweey littel babies?" If they keep it up I just ignore them. If they keep at it I be perfectly honest. I say "Hypocryte" and that is it. Sometimes it works.

When I lived in the city we would kill them late at night. My neighbor came over once and the 10 roosters I had all started crowing. I apologized and told her they would be gone by the end of the week. She asked "where?" I said "Freezer". She stated talking very fast about how the crowing didn't bother them at all.

Other neighbor's grandson (about 10) came over next weekend. Asked me where the chickens were. I said "Freezer". He looked confused, then figured it out and gasped and had a look of horror on his face. I thought I was going to be in for it. Grandma laughed and said "where did you think chicken came from?"

We now have a farm. My boyfriend's son lives in the city with his mom. He goes home and tells his mom about gutting the deer, or killing the chickens and we get a phone call. He goes home with chicken and we hear nothing.

 

[Raiquee]

To come from the other end of the spectrum (as I see a lot of people that were born and raised into these ways, for which I am forever jealous) I was born a city girl and raised up much in the fashion of the "Deer in headlights" on where our food comes from. We went through many trends with my mom, from eating health food, to becoming vegetarian because all animals were slaughtered and not needed in our diet, to back to "regular" eating. Well, my parents ended in divorce and I lived with my father who was used to home cooked dinner not done by himself. From age 14 until age 18, me and my brother ate fast food, for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I am amazed we didn't get obese. I felt lazy, gross, and gorged everytime I ate, but hey it was better than fending for ourselves!

I met DH, who was grown in the way much like me, minues the 4 years of fast food eating. He ate fast food occassionally, but really perfered to eat food at home. He opened me to the idea of having a garden, which I thought never exceeded zuchinni and tomatoes. We made a huge garden last summer, and my first thought was "Well, as long as you take care of it" but found myself getting more and more into gardening. DH always wanted chickens, and I kept telling him no.

I don't know how it happened, but I found myself going more towards finding out where my food came from. After seeing Food Inc & Monsanto patents the pig, I needed to change my ways. Now I'm the one thinking of a hobby farm, and raising our own meat birds and more.

So ignorance is just because of under education, however rudeness is just how that person is! I would never think to say "how can you do that to those poor birds!", but back then I may have not been to willing to do it myself. I remember when DH started hunting, I hated the idea of him going out and killing an animal. I know a lot of hunters just go out for the sport. I told him he could hunt as long as whatever he killed we ate. On his first deer I even stayed up til 1am, helping him process it!

I taught myself how to can, and am actually showing a few friends this week how to can because they had no one in their family to show them how. It's gratifying to me to a whole new degree. I am really glad we found this path in life, all because I stumbled on the education of it all.

My husband kinda laughs at me now, because at first I told him we needed to live in the city. Over the years, I've told him we could move farther and farther from the city until recently I told him I don't care If I have to commute 2 hours for a job, If I love the place I live thats all that matters!!

 

[herechicky]

I feel your pain. My mom, who is the biggest meat eater on the planet, gives me a dirty look every time I mention that we might butcher some of our chickens for food. That's her hang up. Not mine. Live your life. Let others live theirs. It's really all you can do. Let us know how it goes.

 

[SallyF]

Quote:
This is one of the most logical descriptions I have read concerning raising animals for food. I love the description of it as a "domestic animal contract". Too many people in this country have Disneyfied the lives of animals to the point where they attribute human feelings and emotions to animals. I don't mean to discount those moments where hens protect their chicks, or dogs notify their masters of danger, but "animals 'R not us". I have chickens, which I take care of, and rescue cats and dogs, which are my pets, but I feel differently about them than I do my children. I plan to slaughter my excess roosters for meat, and if one of my pet animals was ill, injured or suffering, I would not hesitate to arrange a humane end for that animal.

 

[MeatKing]

I would turn it around to them and say, "I'm surprized your not vegatarine, and tell them what is done to factory farmed chickens" And let them know, your chickens get sunshine, treats, space to walk. All sorts of stuff that I think factories don't do.

All the best!

 

[jarcoo0153]

My grandparents were raised during the depression, and still do things the old fashioned way. My grandpa is 83 and my grandmother is 80, they look and act like they are in their 60's. They still raise a huge garden, and keep chickens. I think that this is what has kept them going so long. My grandpa is the one who has tought me to do everything, woodworking, gardening, raising chickens, ect. He taught me to butcher my first chicken too. I just got some chicks last week, and I ordered ten roosters to butcher. I ordered the surprise special, because it made me feel better to know that if I raise them for meat, they would get to live a happy life, instead of the hatchery "disposing" of them. I would tell the other people who criticize you to watch Food Inc. and tell them how the hatcheries kill unwanted birds, and don't let their comments get to you! You are living the right way!

 

[Farmer_Dan]

Didn't read this whole thread, it's soooooooo long.

But, the OP gave me a great idea.



SLAUGHTER PARTY!!!

Luckily, most of my friends are into it (maybe they're sicko's) and it could be really nice to have a few more hands to deal with the big day. Got 25 fatties now and scheduled to slaughter mid-august, better get the keg on order!