Has anyone ever slaughtered named birds?

[andythescot]

Hey y'all, I was wondering if anyone here has ever killed pet hens for the soup pot. Its something I've been thinking about lately.. my girls are entering their third year, and I expect this time next year a few of them will really have finished up their laying. Is this something anyone has done? Killed pet hens that may or may not have names? Any stories/pictures/advice would be much appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[evenstargirl]

This is the reason I name only my favorite roosters.

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

all the time. everyone of our birds is loved & named and appreciated for it's own unique personality. Most get butchered eventually. No advice just go with what works for you.

 

[GableBabble]

We do have birds we raise for eating. Some of them get named..... The ones who get names seem to take longer to make it to the freezer then the others. Spot was a little over a year old before she made it to the freezer...
I do not ever think of them as pets. My husband has a harder time doing it if they are named. Also if he interacts with them from chicks. He also did not grow up with this lifestyle. You just have to remember what they are for, and follow through with it. It can be a bit sad, but I do enjoy the outcome of the tastey dinner that I raised. I also know what is in my food and what I am feeding my kids. I think it also helps me a bit to know that I treat them with respect and love, and they are giving me a great gift in return.

 

[LCTX-Chickens]

I can see where that would be hard... but on the lighter side, just name them "dinner". Sooner or later you are eating "dinner"!

 

[xC0000005]

Agreed. I named our roosters "Nugget", "Soup", and "Broth." In the past we've had Sandwich and Cord-On-Blue (named by my daughter). It's a fine line between pet and dinner at our house, something I remind that worthless yellow lab of every day.

 

[bnjrob]

I'm just venturing into the chicken world - awaiting my chicks - and I have been seriously thinking on this issue. At this point, the only idea I can come up with that works for me, is for someone else to take them and they can eat them. Otherwise I likely will be starting a chicken old-age home and then having a chicken cemetery when they finally die.

 

[gryeyes]

Each of my hens will either die naturally or go to a good home, as I do occasionally give some away to folks who are new to chickens. Other than the re-homing situation, I will be running aretirement home for old hens and some roosters.

I already have a graveyard for beloved pets, which includes poultry.

I have had someone else process some "packing peanut" roo chicks sent with an order of goslings from Ideal... They grew up and I got attached to a couple of 'em...but they went to Freezer Camp anyway. Although I do have some "forever" roosters.

 

[Tigertrea]

I was raised a dairy farm girl. We called all male calves "supper". Even then, sometimes it was difficult if I had gotten attached to one. We had sheep also. More than once we had one who would get very sick in it's first few days and I would bring them in the house to hand feed for awhile. Those were the worst. It is something I have never really gotten 100% comfortable with but, I deal with it when I have to.

 

[Sundown_Farmer]

Gosh, I name everything. Tractors, trucks, chickens. We're getting to know our wood cook stove and trying to think of her name (I'm sure its a she). I have a hen named simply "Favorite Hen". Favorite Hen is overdue for stew. Had another hen named Polly but the mink got her. The pigs are clearly food but each have a name (Thing 1, Thing 2, Blue, Eyeliner, Limpy and Tiny). It just happens naturally. As I work around them daily, I find I refer to them as individuals. Names just happen, especially when there are just a few of something. The 300 chicks in the brooder are unnamed...except for the weakling that was cold last night so I brought it in, warmed it up and gave it some warm maple sap from the stove. Perked it right up!

So, yes, I name my food. We ground Popeye (goat) with Buddy (pig) and made great sausage. Is this inappropriate? Nope. I have a dog. The dog, though an animal, is not food, he's a pet. I care for pets and livestock. I make an emotional and physical investment in the health and well-being of both pets and livestock. But, when the time comes I'm willing to do what needs to be done for either. Reggie (dog) will someday be buried in the pasture in a row with my previous dogs. Roger (rooster) will be stewed with carrots, onion and celery for about 2 days, we'll pick the meat off of the bones and what we don't eat will be buried in the compost pile. I myself will be planted near my dogs in the family cemetery in an unpreserved state so the worms will find my remains tasty. Either you are eating or you are being eaten...named or not. Only human life is sacred.

Wear what you dig. Do what you do. But I, personally, can't pretend my dog, my rooster or my pig are anything near human. They all have a purpose. Some purposes taste good with parsnips. Poor parsnip...