I will never ask for "packing peanuts"again

[HetaChick]

^ x2

 

[stormylady]

I know the hatchery sent me alot of packing peanuts and I kept them all, until they all started crowing constantly all day all night, I processed one and couldn't do it again, so I started raising them and sending my boys to the zoo to be used as food for the zoo animals. The small zoo that we have here could use the help finiancially too( helps with their food bill), However I try and find homes for the Roosters its not always possible at least this way I know they go for a good purpose and I'm helping the community in a small way, it is still hard to take them but I have learned to just take them and drop them off and walk away, When I first started taking them there I would be thinking , man they are so scared, or Gees they trusted me and I betrayed them, (human emotions). I still feel bad for them but I try and put it out of my mind as soon as possible because it doesn't serve a purpose to me or them.

So I know how you feel,

I always request NO packing peanuts anymore too! I've gotten a few female packing peanuts which I loved but not worth the heartache of having to cull all the Roos.

 

[gertsgal]

Jeeze I really appreciate you all and the kind words. Today is the day and you have helped make it a tad easier.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Quote:
At most hatcheries, a very short one.

I hatch and when I buy, I always get straight run or buy from no-kill hatcheries.
I think it's much better for boys to grow up to run around with flockmates and be chickens and then on to my plate than never to have lived at all.
That's how it's been for 6000 years till people began to think that food is made in grocery stores in styrofoam packaging.

 

[EweSheep]

Quote:
I do the same thing! Walk away and say thanks to them for giving their lives up for the animals in need.

 

[gg706]

Quote:
I am SCARED now! i just order 16 chicks(that was the minimum). They only sell in straight run....I was planning on giving away the roosters or growing them out and processing them myself, which I have never done before! You say you processed one but couldnt do it again...was it really terrible? How did you do it? Sorry to dig up old stuff, I am concerned I wont be able to do it or that like you after the first one I will be tramatized and not be able to proceed.

 

[EweSheep]

Processing the chicken for the first time is like riding a bike. You can go over to the Meat chicken threads and read as much as you can.

I dont mind processing chicken but it is a royal pain in the tush getting everything ready and try to do everything in a timely manner, that is very time consuming. However at the end, the reward is greater but wished I could do the processing much more faster. Harvest only the breasts and left the rest of the bird in the garbage.

 

[Eavadane]

If an animal is to be slaughtered for consumption may it have a happy healthy life right up to its very last breath. I think one way to help in the long run with this very big issue is to as comsumers start demanding that the places we get our meat from provide their animals with quality and humane care while the animals are alive. Hopefully your roosters will get such care until the times comes which is a far better fate then being tossed in a meat grinder when your barely a day old.

 

[mabhera]

I don't regret my peanuts but its heart breaking. I have 16 boys and 9 girls. So I need to do something. 4 of the boys are the breeds I really wanted and ordered in the first place but I fell in love with the white leghorns I got free (one is a girl). Some I gave away to good homes and the remaining of them someone is buying them this Saturday for reselling. I dont' know where they are going to end. I am feeling sad because they are lap spoiled chickens but I cant keep them all. I'm sad, but I prefer this situation because they had a chance to live the good life. I'm glad I had the chance to fall in love with the breed (I don't love the white eggs so I never considered that breed). I love the breed so much I am keeping 2 males...now I just need more girls to balance the situation.....LOL chicken math.

 

[LilMissChz]

I know it's hard when we turn our livestock into pets. I'm guilty of the exact same thing. Chances are I'm raising as many roo's as I am hen's and in the end will have to make tough decisions with my lap chickens as well. But you are doing the right thing. When we do what's right overall we spare them from a harsher fate. It's okay for a chicken to end up on a plate. You've done the right thing all along. And for that, you should feel some pride.