How do you do it??

[Jessie and Kade]

Hi everyone sooo my question is we have 2 hens that my family is in Love with they are our pets sit on your arm kinda birds, however hubby wants to have meat birds (I made him agree the 2 we have would devastate our kids to find out they were eating their pet so they will never be meat!!) how do small back yard hen owners cope with eating their "pets"? Do you forget naming them and treat them different? It's gonna be hard on me to care for them knowing I'm gonna eat them (turns my stomach actually!!)!! Any tips would be appreciated I wanted to get 2 more heritage breeds as I love getting daily eggs but hubby wants meat birds just don't think I can stomach raising them and getting attached or treating my 2 differently!! ( sorry I'm a softy and grew up on a horse farm not a food animal type farm and have a hard time dealing with the whole raising to eat when I only have 4 lol I assume its different/easier when you have like 40 birds!!)

 

[hotrodflash]

You tell yourself that you are giving them a great, healthy and happy life and that their purpose is to provide nutritious food for your family. It may help to not name the meat birds and not play with them to lessen any real attachment to them.

 

[Jessie and Kade]

Thanks for the suggestion eeeeks I'm just so Nervous I'm going to fall for them the way I have my other 2 babies!! I wonder if buying older birds may help too? I thought about getting chicks but would for sure get attached!! My Kadee (black copper maran) we got when she was 4 mths and she was super shy and skiddish but now she comes to me and wants to sit on my shoulder or arm and I just could never eat her!! So I think staying away from buying baby babies is a good idea too! I just feel like I'd feel badly and yes I realize everyone on this meat forum wonders how I could feel "guilty" who knows maybe I won't maybe I will?

 

[missnu01]

None of our chickens have names...I enjoy the chickens, but I will be eating most of them. I can't afford a chicken that doesn't lay eggs...Except for a few roosters, because they keep everyone in line, make chicks, and look nice...The chickens aren't pets in a pet sense...they are short lived pets I guess. I wondered about it at first...but once we processed our first chicken I knew I was alright with it. I guess some people really don't like the idea...but anytime you eat chicken a chicken had to die...whether I do it, or someone else...At least when I do it I know how the chicken lived and all that...I also know is wasn't hopped up on goofballs eating it's dead cage mates...yuck. So I can have clean meat that won't make me likely to die of a simple infection that antibiotics can't help because I have been eating so many antibiotics in my store bought meats.

 

[paridisefarm2009]

Circle of Life ..
I just got my meat birds last night they are so cute now but once they grow to the dinner size they are not as glamorous as the rest of regular chickens , and yes you don't name meat birds they will be too many and they all look alike really, I usta name all my chcikens But there are too many they are all named Chicken and rooster Keep it simple ,

Good luck and enjoy

 

[Arielle]

Hi everyone sooo my question is we have 2 hens that my family is in Love with they are our pets sit on your arm kinda birds, however hubby wants to have meat birds (I made him agree the 2 we have would devastate our kids to find out they were eating their pet so they will never be meat!!) how do small back yard hen owners cope with eating their "pets"? Do you forget naming them and treat them different? It's gonna be hard on me to care for them knowing I'm gonna eat them (turns my stomach actually!!)!! Any tips would be appreciated I wanted to get 2 more heritage breeds as I love getting daily eggs but hubby wants meat birds just don't think I can stomach raising them and getting attached or treating my 2 differently!! ( sorry I'm a softy and grew up on a horse farm not a food animal type farm and have a hard time dealing with the whole raising to eat when I only have 4 lol I assume its different/easier when you have like 40 birds!!)

Do not play with them, do not name them. NOt even chickenpie. THat creates an attachment. I understand where you are coming from. Perhaps buy ready for the freezer,from someone who raises them, like a CSA, or local person. Post at your local feed store to find local resources.

BUtchering is NOT for everyone. I raised lambs for 25 years and a life is a life. I say thank you prayers for my food, know how the animal was cared for and know the meat is clean and healthy. I brought my lambs to a licensed butcher for 25 years. THis year I learned how to clan my own to save my family money and provide what I consider a better food source. Understand that this is addition to grocery store meat. We eat that meat too.

Years ago I made a roast, and I knew by the size which lamb it had been. I couldn't eat it. I sell the lambs that I have had to closely manage-- I cannot eat them but someone else can.

My boys will not eat one of their pets; and as they name birds from every hatch, I did make them pack only 6 to keep and the rest went to the butcher. THey will not eat ANY of the homegrown chicken, just in case it is their buddy. THey now ask of every roast " Is that ours?" meaning our meat. sigh.

I will raise the chicks in a manner that my boys cannot play with the meat birds, just the layers. Though they will help me clean a bird if I purchased it and we did not raise it.

You are address a very good issue of discussion that is important to have within your family.

 

[redsoxs]

Jessie and Kade...if this helps, the primary meat bird, the Cornish X, is a little less easy to like than the average heritage bird or layer. They have sluggish personalities, seem intent only on eating as much as possible, and don't seem to respond to people the way other chickens do. For those reasons it has never been an issue for me to process them. The ones I have had never develop "pet" qualities.

 

[missnu01]

My children each get to pick a chicken that they can name and play with if they so wish, and we will not eat that chicken..so the exceptionally cute little buggers are safe from the table...My daughter thinks it is exciting to eat the chickens we have in the yard, and even likes to help us process the birds, she's an odd one though...She is 6. My oldest son, 11 wants no part of it at all...he doesn't want to eat them, or think about eating them...he says it is wrong to take care of something and spend time with it getting it to like you only to eat it in a few months...Whereas my daughter sees all the chickens dripping in sweet and sour sauce. My youngest son,3, sides with my eldest, except when we explain that the chickens are there to eat, and then he will tell my oldest son that it's alright because we got the chickens to eat...But then he waffles back to we can't eat the chickens--followed with please pass the dumplings...Lol. My daughter has never been in the dark about where food comes from though. Some kids are squeamish if you tell them that the bacon they are eating came from a once living pig, whereas my daughter will tell you she wishes she could have met that pig, because they are delicious.

 

[missnu01]

Thanks for the suggestion

eeeeks I'm just so Nervous I'm going to fall for them the way I have my other 2 babies!! I wonder if buying older birds may help too? I thought about getting chicks but would for sure get attached!! My Kadee (black copper maran) we got when she was 4 mths and she was super shy and skiddish but now she comes to me and wants to sit on my shoulder or arm and I just could never eat her!! So I think staying away from buying baby babies is a good idea too! I just feel like I'd feel badly and yes I realize everyone on this meat forum wonders how I could feel "guilty" who knows maybe I won't maybe I will?

The trick is to have a lot of chickens...the glamour wears off..when you only have a couple it is a fun novelty...when you have 30 it is a poop factory and you aren't terribly attached to any one bird.

 

[4-H chicken mom]

I agree with the others. We don't name our chickens and we get meat birds so I can keep my layers as long as possible.