Homesteaders

[Serenashome]

I've been reading through this debate the past couple of days and it seems to be the core of it is fairly simple. People judge each other. I see nothing wrong with the original question asked as I think it came from a sincere desire to learn and understand something.

Is it ok to have a chicken as a family pet? Yes.
Is it ok to have a chicken as an egg producer only? Yes.
Is it ok to have a chicken as an egg producer and as food? Yes.
Is it ok to name your chicken or not name your chicken? Yes to both.
Is it ok to name your chicken and then eat it or not eat it? Yes to both.

Do any of those questions and answers above make me a more superior human being? No.
Does someone who eats, names, cuddles, culls, or raises chickens in another state directly impact how I raise chickens and my family? Probably not.
Have I in the past giggled at someone walking a chicken on a leash? Yes I am guilty of that.

Does any of these answers make me less sympathetic or sentimental than someone I know only through the internet? How in the world can you gauge that?

Now for my two cents on the actual question. When you give something, anything, a title or a name you give it a deeper meaning than it had without one. Take a pet rock for instance. It's a rock, until you call it a pet rock then it becomes a marketing sensation and people hold on to them for years. Why? It's just a rock right? Once you give anything a value it changes your perception of it. Some people find deep meanings in names and therefore once something is named their attachment of it grows. For some people this means they cannot eat the chicken, for some people it gives that chicken a deeper value when it is eaten, some people don't attribute a value at all. I think that the value is different for all of us. I do not think however it makes any one of us superior to the other.

I hope this was helpful to someone.

 

[duluthralphie]

Name them if you want, do not if you do not want too.

Eat them or not, your choice,,,

I name my turkeys I eat. They all get the same name every year " thanksgiving, Xmas and Easter"..

If one dies it is always Easter that dies first. Sometiome we cannot tell them apart. The names are fluid.

I do not name the ones I keep. Or the ones that become pets.

That said growing up on the farm every cow had a name even the ones we ate. Some pigs got names, they still got eaten or sold to be eaten. I have JJ and Ethel (turkeys) I will not eat them, they are my pets, those that have names may still get eaten or sold to be eaten.

As a rule I do not name animals I eat, simply because it is easier for me to kill and unnamed animal. Makes no logical sense, I am aware of this. But lots of things I do make no logical sense. Ask my Shrink she will agree.



The only think I do not do is close my eyes while removing the heads. I do not want to be named "stumpy"....

 

[Molpet]

Name them if you want, do not if you do not want too.

Eat them or not, your choice,,,

I name my turkeys I eat. They all get the same name every year " thanksgiving, Xmas and Easter"..

If one dies it is always Easter that dies first. Sometiome we cannot tell them apart. The names are fluid.

I do not name the ones I keep. Or the ones that become pets.

That said growing up on the farm every cow had a name even the ones we ate. Some pigs got names, they still got eaten or sold to be eaten. I have JJ and Ethel (turkeys) I will not eat them, they are my pets, those that have names may still get eaten or sold to be eaten.

As a rule I do not name animals I eat, simply because it is easier for me to kill and unnamed animal. Makes no logical sense, I am aware of this. But lots of things I do make no logical sense. Ask my Shrink she will agree.



The only think I do not do is close my eyes while removing the heads. I do not want to be named "stumpy"....

I have all my fingers and good tasting home grown chickens LOL

 

[Chicken girl 15]

I've been reading through this debate the past couple of days and it seems to be the core of it is fairly simple. People judge each other. I see nothing wrong with the original question asked as I think it came from a sincere desire to learn and understand something.

Is it ok to have a chicken as a family pet? Yes.
Is it ok to have a chicken as an egg producer only? Yes.
Is it ok to have a chicken as an egg producer and as food? Yes.
Is it ok to name your chicken or not name your chicken? Yes to both.
Is it ok to name your chicken and then eat it or not eat it? Yes to both.

Do any of those questions and answers above make me a more superior human being? No.
Does someone who eats, names, cuddles, culls, or raises chickens in another state directly impact how I raise chickens and my family? Probably not.
Have I in the past giggled at someone walking a chicken on a leash? Yes I am guilty of that.

Does any of these answers make me less sympathetic or sentimental than someone I know only through the internet? How in the world can you gauge that?

Now for my two cents on the actual question. When you give something, anything, a title or a name you give it a deeper meaning than it had without one. Take a pet rock for instance. It's a rock, until you call it a pet rock then it becomes a marketing sensation and people hold on to them for years. Why? It's just a rock right? Once you give anything a value it changes your perception of it. Some people find deep meanings in names and therefore once something is named their attachment of it grows. For some people this means they cannot eat the chicken, for some people it gives that chicken a deeper value when it is eaten, some people don't attribute a value at all. I think that the value is different for all of us. I do not think however it makes any one of us superior to the other.

I hope this was helpful to someone.

very well stated. I agree, as long as we all respect our animals to the best of our personal ability that's what is important. I name my layers and my meaties if their personality is off from the rest of the flock. Do I get upset when something other than my family eats one of my birds? Yes and no, I had plans for Bertha she was a heavy girl who loved eating carrots. So she was going to be chicken soup, sadly a hungry hawk got her yesterday. Angry?! You bet, then I remembered it's the circle of life and that poor hawk was hungry. A name is just a word we assign something with a purpose. My dogs have names as do my kids, not because my dogs are "my 4 legged kids" but because they have a purpose here. They protect. My cat has a name, there is no sentimental attachment there is hate cats, she has a purpose to eat rodents. We all have personal reasons for the choices we make, that does not make your reasons "stupid or immature " it just makes them YOURS.

 

[rancher hicks]

IMO as long as you take good care of your animals do as you will. I can't afford to keep all my chickens and I've been known to give them away rather than become inudated with more than I can care for. I don't expect Joel to run a home for unwanted roosters so I know he and his father eat them.

Generally speaking the kids name the chickens. At least certain ones. Such is life. I could have worse problems and do.

Moving on. We got some rain last night so I don't have to water today. That is good. Still have grass to mow that didn't get mowed while we were away. Anyone ever change their mower blade? I've been watching videos on how to do it. I also have been watching videos on how to sharpen the blade. It's not encouraging when the guy showing you how only has nine fingers though.

 

[Serenashome]

IMO as long as you take good care of your animals do as you will. I can't afford to keep all my chickens and I've been known to give them away rather than become inudated with more than I can care for. I don't expect Joel to run a home for unwanted roosters so I know he and his father eat them.

Generally speaking the kids name the chickens. At least certain ones. Such is life. I could have worse problems and do.

Moving on. We got some rain last night so I don't have to water today. That is good. Still have grass to mow that didn't get mowed while we were away. Anyone ever change their mower blade? I've been watching videos on how to do it. I also have been watching videos on how to sharpen the blade. It's not encouraging when the guy showing you how only has nine fingers though.

Perhaps "Stumpy" the mower blade changer has learned from his mistakes. I think my first question on whether or not to take his advice would be: Was the finger healed or was it lost during filming?

 

[duluthralphie]

IMO as long as you take good care of your animals do as you will. I can't afford to keep all my chickens and I've been known to give them away rather than become inudated with more than I can care for. I don't expect Joel to run a home for unwanted roosters so I know he and his father eat them.

Generally speaking the kids name the chickens. At least certain ones. Such is life. I could have worse problems and do.

Moving on. We got some rain last night so I don't have to water today. That is good. Still have grass to mow that didn't get mowed while we were away. Anyone ever change their mower blade? I've been watching videos on how to do it. I also have been watching videos on how to sharpen the blade. It's not encouraging when the guy showing you how only has nine fingers though.

Is that "Stumpy's Balde Sharpening" Lessons Sub titled " how to sharpen a blade in 10 , ooops,, 9 easy lessons?"

 

[Chicken girl 15]

IMO as long as you take good care of your animals do as you will. I can't afford to keep all my chickens and I've been known to give them away rather than become inudated with more than I can care for. I don't expect Joel to run a home for unwanted roosters so I know he and his father eat them. 

Generally speaking the kids name the chickens. At least certain ones. Such is life. I could have worse problems and do. 

Moving on. We got some rain last night so I don't have to water today. That is good. Still have grass to mow that didn't get mowed while we were away. Anyone ever change their mower blade?  I've been watching videos on how to do it. I also have been watching videos on how to sharpen the blade. It's not encouraging when the guy showing you how only has nine fingers though. 

I have replaced and sharpened mower blades. It's very simple if you have the proper tools. However if you do not it can be impossible.

 

[GardenNut]

Name them if you want, do not if you do not want too.

Eat them or not, your choice,,,

I name my turkeys I eat.   They all get the same name every year " thanksgiving, Xmas and Easter"..

If one dies it is always Easter that dies first.  Sometiome we cannot tell them apart. The names are fluid.

I do not name the ones I keep. Or the ones that become pets.

That said growing up on the farm every cow had a name even the ones we ate. Some pigs got names, they still got eaten or sold to be eaten.    I have JJ and Ethel (turkeys) I will not eat them, they are my pets, those that have names may still get eaten or sold to be eaten.

As a rule I do not name animals I eat, simply because it is easier for me to kill and unnamed animal. Makes no logical sense, I am aware of this. But lots of things I do make no logical sense. Ask my Shrink she will agree.



The only think I do not do is close my eyes while removing the heads. I do not want to be named "stumpy"....

Love it! As I was reading, it almost had a Dr. Seuss rhythm to it!

 

[rancher hicks]

Perhaps "Stumpy" the mower blade changer has learned from his mistakes. I think my first question on whether or not to take his advice would be: Was the finger healed or was it lost during filming?

Is that "Stumpy's Balde Sharpening" Lessons Sub titled " how to sharpen a blade in 10 , ooops,, 9 easy lessons?"

I have replaced and sharpened mower blades. It's very simple if you have the proper tools. However if you do not it can be impossible.

It was interesting to see three different methods to secure the blade. The one I like best was the set of Vice grips. The guy clamped it on the side of the mower deck. The 2 X 4 guy had to readjust it when it slipped.

I did learn to drain the oil and also using the old oil to paint the underside of the deck to keep it from rusting. I have a Craftsman from Sears. I don't recommend it as the underside had to many places where grass catches.

I like the Cub Cadet that I saw at TSC. The deck is one solid piece. The price is about the same as the Craftsman. I also get the electric start due to my age. The same with my snowblower.

Of course if you can find a good used mower that is good too. I like to have a newer one and a back up. I expect I'll keep the Craftsman but buy a new Cub Cadet. I used to have a nice used Ariens till my son in law broke it. I don't like to let others used my tools unless they agree to replace it if they break it.