How do you do it?

[chikinmama]

You Can Do It!!!

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

Growing up, we butchered all of the meat we ate. My niece would not eat meat unless it came from the store. Mom would take the meat that we were eating, put it on a styrophoam tray with plastic wrap, when my niece was there for supper. My niece didn't catch on until she was older.

 

[Kelsey2017]

I was a vegetarian from age 13 to age 26 because of learning about factory farms. I pleaded with my mom to consider the animals and that eating unhappy (amongst other things) animals was bad for you. She wouldn't budge, "if it comes on a styrofoam tray I don't have to think about it" she would say. I had no trouble eating venison or fish, which my dad taught me how to get from a young age, or at least brought me along to see the process. I always explained to my children about factory farming, not to freak them out but to quiet them down about why we weren't going to Mc Donalds for a happy meal. It made a difference, my oldest (9) was very happy to eat the grass fed beef from our neighbor when we moved to the country and now won't eat anything if he doesn't know WHO it comes from. We had been doing layers for a while by then, and that was our first step, feeling that pride of providing those wholesome eggs to our family. That really spurred me on, even though I couldn't think of eating one of my layers, we bought some cornish cross. They were rather creepy and would peck at me when I came into their pen to feed them and not to mention, ugly. They were bred to be that way, can't help it, how sad? I got over killing them quick because I felt bad for them BUT they were cared to the best of my ability and wouldn't have made it much longer. My neighbors were good mentors on that, and we are all here for you. My darling boyfriend did the deed with a gun and after several of them had been dispatched I even tried different methods such as breaking their necks and trying to see what seemed more humane. I swore I couldn't handle gutting, but it ended up that my boyfriend was the best plucker and I was the best eviscerator, and it didn't bug me at all, surprise! I loved seeing those beautiful chickens all lined up in the fridge and knew that those chickens that would feed us til this spring HAD lived a good life and that at least someone cared that they had given their lives to fed us. We thanked every chicken as we took them from the run and that probably did more for me than the chicken, but it is the thought that counts after all. This year I will try a different meat breed but I will always be grateful for those poor old creepy cornish crosses. Now will I be able to handle the turkeys? I may be the one in need of a pep talk next time! GOOD LUCK!

 

[Dogfish]

You either kill the meat you eat, or you hire it done. Either way you have a part in the death of an animal. At least with the ones you raise, you know they were well cared for.

 

[Anna_B_Happy]

I agree that it is hard, but part of managing your flock is not wasting the meat from the unneeded roosters or spent hens. My kids said they wouldnt eat the birds, but once dinner was on the table they did!