I posted this on my Facebook and got a few saying " oh, I could never do that". Made me really upset

[SunkissedChicks]

Give your vegetarian friends this quote from Barbara Kingsolver, it's something like "until humans develop photosynthesis, something has to die for us to live".

I think I may add that to my sig, come to think of it............

Thank you Donrae, that is a very powerful and true quote.
One thing is for sure I have deleted two people from my Facebook over this.
Now if someone disagrees with me on my views that is fine but to come onto my page on their own free will and say to me in reference to the photos I posted of my husband and friend plucking the dead chickens" showing the death of anything is awful" . I pretty much had it already with her comments.
I said this to her before I blocked her and didn't have to read her silly response which I am fairly certain it would be.

" I am trying to do something outside of the norm, actually know where my food is coming from and be kind to it.
When you eat cheese, milk, butter, those are all by-products of factory farming. You are a hypocrite as far as I am concerned... As long as it has a pretty picture on the box thats all someone like you needs to know. Trust me that milk didn't come from some dairy farm with rolling hills and valleys, wake up and see what is really going on in the world. I stepped out and pulled my own head out of the sand, raise my own birds, nurture them and love them so much that I didn't want them to be afraid when they died so I killed them myself. I have never killed anything in my entire life.... One more thing, you were a mean bully in school, exactly what you are accusing me of now... So block me, I really don't care."​

 

[LilyD]

I commend you on what you are trying to accomplish. I don't have enough acreage to raise all my own animals for meat but I have chickens and do much the same thing as you when it comes time to process. I also raise my own pork through another farm with more acreage and my own turkeys. As far as beef (which I don't have enough room for) I buy from a local farm in our area so I can know that it was well treated, given lots of pasture and treated well.

You are amazing because you are trying to make a difference and don't let anyone else tell you an differently.

 

[SunkissedChicks]

I commend you on what you are trying to accomplish. I don't have enough acreage to raise all my own animals for meat but I have chickens and do much the same thing as you when it comes time to process. I also raise my own pork through another farm with more acreage and my own turkeys. As far as beef (which I don't have enough room for) I buy from a local farm in our area so I can know that it was well treated, given lots of pasture and treated well.

You are amazing because you are trying to make a difference and don't let anyone else tell you an differently.

Thank you Lilly,

Do you sell your pork?
Does that person selling beef accept new customers?
If yes, please PM details. It would be so nice to have access to pork and beef.

 

[LilyD]

Thank you Lilly,

Do you sell your pork?
Does that person selling beef accept new customers?
If yes, please PM details. It would be so nice to have access to pork and beef.

I do not sell my pork but we raise through our family one pig per household and then split the care and feeding. The place where we get our beef sells locally but I don't think they would ship to Florida. The meat looks totally different from store beef because it has a darker color and the taste is amazing. I don't process our pigs or the beef but I have a local processing center that does it and it is run by a retired slaughterhouse inspector. He is very conscientious about how the animals are treated at the farm and during processing so I have no worries about how they are treated. He will even come and pick up our pigs each year and is totally okay with waiting when they aren't sure about loading right away.

 

[windwalkingwolf]

Something to keep in mind for the small-minded militant vegetarians (most are not, but you know you get "those" ones) is that the vast majority of cheeses they feel justified in eating are made with rennet, I don't know where they think rennet comes from, but it ISN'T live animals. Talk about heads in the sand.

 

[hmlongino]

So inspirational!!!

My children and I have killed our chickens, but you have shown me that it can be done even calmer than we did!

I would love to see a video for you preparing them. I can imagine that you are way more graceful at it than I am!

 

[SunkissedChicks]

I was determined to be a veterinarian so I've skinned dogs and seen all sorts of body parts so that doesn't bother me. My husband does most of the actual killing. I've got terrible aim with a gun. This will be something I can do though so we'll see who ends up doing what. I'd almost rather kill and have him pluck.

This was the hardest thing I have ever done but I also have never done anything like this with such love and respect for the animal. this taught me lot about myself as a human being. It would have been easy just to pass this off onto my husband but I felt like I would be letting those birds down if I did. They knew me the best and I didn't want them to be afraid.
I watched my Mom die in my son's arms this past August and I saw then how comforting it was for her to be able to die in her first born grandson, she loved him so much. There could not have been a better ending for her or for my birds.

 

[SunkissedChicks]

Your friend Sheri says "I'm not strong enough" - there ya go. I wouldn't fret over that at all. Let people do what they choose and do what you choose to do. It did take an enormous amount of inner strength to slaughter those birds. And you have it. She doesn't. Enough said.

Thank you galanie, I think due to my own trials and tribulations of my life, I have been made strong... I have always heard, the things that don't kill you make you stronger and finally that statement was able to be put to the test in my own life.

 

[SunkissedChicks]

I too have never processed my own animal. My family has always farmed. I remember helping process pigs & cows etc....just never did the 'kill' myself until now. Love having fresh meat to go with ALL of the wonderful fresh vegetables we grow. I had 11 CX that we got in April and processed at 8 weeks. Did the first one and like you, had a sharp knife.....three days later we processed the rest of them using a disposable scalpel. Much easier. Good job on the video. I love my chickens. I also love being able to provide a healthier environment for the food I feed my family.

Thank you so much for liking my video, I too love my chickens and I loved those meat girls for the short time they lived, I spoiled them. They got mealy worms and lots of attention. I used to just put a chair into my coop ( I still do for my layers) and just sit with them. I love to watch them and their antics, my turkeys now they are a riot. I have never seen such characters.

 

[SunkissedChicks]

i could not do it but i know its a part of life

I felt that same way, I kept thinking that right up until the day I did it... My husband was going to do it... in that last moment I realized something important.. Those birds knew me, trusted me and I had been their chicken "Mom" since we got them from the hatchery at 1 day old, little fluffy yellow powder puffs of cuteness.
I didn't want their final moments to be in fear so I overcame my own feelings and thoughts that " I can't do this" and made a sacrifice of my own to face the biggest thing of my life... to kill an animal.
I HATE FACTORY FARMS.... if it was not for them, I would not be killing animals.. The family farming would be doing this and I would just be purchasing them done for me already.

I do enjoy having my birds though, they do bring a lot of joy into my life.. I love watching my layers growing up.