How do you live with yourself eating the birds you raised?

[Buster52]

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Okay, great. Now I'm going to take this as a challenge. Let's see... one of the Great Pyrs because they are big and meaty, or the black lab because she is less good in a bear fight but a bit puny... Maybe fry up the JRT...

Hmmm....

 

[chicnchic]

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I have to admit that this is a good part of why we've started raising out own food - meat included - I don't like how food is handled. Animals are treated horribly in the commercial arena, not by all but by many...I prefer not to wonder. What we "harvest" we harvest with respect....the animals are treated well even in death....it's done quickly, with thanks to God, as humanely as possible and care is taken to keep them from suffering in any way....which is far more than what happens in commercial operations. (And I don't that trust veggies and fruit are anywhere near healthy for us either, so our goal is to raise most if not all of our own food by 2012.

What we don't raise we'll either trade for or purchase from local folks we know)

 

[Buster52]

CickieBooBoo, I want to congratulate you. You certainly hit a nerve and provided much food for thought.

I think most people had to do a bit of soul searching before and probably after their first few times at bat on the processing table. Many of us still find processing day less than enjoyable. Others drink and turn it into a party, at least partly to submerge or otherwise deal with those feelings, in my view. Your questions seems to have brought a lot of that to the surface.

Hats off.

 

[sourland]

No problem whatsoever. I was raised on a farm. All animals were treated humanely and with respect. Their primary purpose was to provide food for our family. Yes, there were pets of many species, and they were around until they died of old age. I know how the animals utilized by me for food have been treated. That is important to me.

 

[shortstaque]

How can you eat what you raise? Its a question alot of people are asking me right now, because we just butchered our first chicken, but I look at it the other way around. How can you eat something who's origin and life are unknown to you? Some of the people asking me these questions are people who really like to eat chicken and other meat. They don't want to face the reality that most chicken, even organic chicken with high and mighty labels like "free range", are raised in factory-like conditions. Many never even see the light of day. I'd rather know the chicken I am eating lived a good life, that I helped to sustain it, before it became my own sustinance. Solely on the health level, I like knowing that my chickens and their eggs have more nutritional value because they are on pasture, that their flesh doesn't contain antibiotics or what have you.

I really recommend the Omnivore's Dilemna by Michael Pollan to anyone who is interested in the questions raised in this thread. Aside from being a fascinating read, it really makes you think about the origins of our food and the consequences of our food choices. The documentary Food Inc is also eye opening.

Ecologically, the closer we can get to providing our own sustinance, the better.

 

[TimG]

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It all depends on where you live and your culture.

We live in a culture where our meat is slaughtered out of sight and all animals that come into our homes are considered pets rather than a potential meal. It really shouldn't surprise anyone when people eat meat, but are also squeamish about witnessing or participating in the killing process.

 

[TigerLilly]

I will have no problem in eating any chickens that I have; that may be sooner than later if they don't straighten up & fly right! We had a small farm when I was younger and the piglets were sooooo adorable. I played with them, named them...and when the time came, enjoyed them on my dinner plate. It's all a mindset. Thankfully, I was able to accept the food chain (or 'cycle of life') rather than get too attached to them and starve.
As far as eating the cat or dog, if that was my intention when I bought it, yeah, I could do that too. But that is not my culture & I'm pretty sure it's against some laws here in the states...

 

[ndemerly]

Why would I feel guilty? In most cases, thats why I bought the birds, and for the second situation I made the bird very happy when she was alive. But in regard, and to answer back to your question. Do you consider eating eggs in the same category?

 

[joebryant]

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Ya know, really your question is just "silly", BUT I have to agree with you 100% because I could never eat one of mine. It makes absolutely no sense not to though, but I just couldn't do it, and I used to run them down, catch them, and ring their necks for my grandmother.
Tell you what... You kill mine and eat them, and I'll kill yours and eat them. We can make up horrible stories to tell each other about our own chickens and how terrible they were/are to justify each other's killing them.

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

I think the way the question is asked is part of what is raising hackles... How do you live with yourself? What if it were a 'how do you live with yourself for voting republican?' or for voting democrat? or being Catholic? or being pagan, or how do you live with yourself being obese? not a curious kind of question, but an accusatory one. we all make choices that are the best we can, we do what we think is right, and many times have thought about decisions deeply. sometimes people just do what's easy, but if that turns out to be the wrong choice, asking 'how do you live with yourself' seems a bit harsh.