Is it time to make floppy dumplings?

[Xtina]

Thanks. I was afraid I was going to kill the topic or get angry responses. I still might! But that's not what I'm after, I just like discussing the philosophical reasoning we must all go through when deciding if we're going to remain omnivores or go a different path. I've chosen omnivory (obviously) but that doesn't mean that I can't speak reasonably with people who have chosen vegetarianism/veganism.

And I forgot to add this one crucial element to it. It seems like the conflict the one poster had was because these chickens are pets. Well, I can understand the reticence to eat a pet, but the problem I have is that factory farmed chickens were not treated ethically during their lives. In my ideal world, all meat livestock would have been treated with dignity during their lives, being allowed to live as nature intended, or a lot like our backyard chickens do. The key element in deciding to eat meat, is deciding to eat the right meat. And my backyard chickens are the right meat. I would love it if instead of choosing the "opt out" route when they learn of the corruption in the food manufacturing industry, vegetarians and vegans chose instead to take positive action that would make a difference for us all. Raising awareness about who is causing the problem, who is part of the solution, and why we should all care. Because telling people like me to quit eating cheese and eggs and meat simply will never work. Food means too much to me.

Sorry to hijack the thread. This has been a major philosophical point in my life since moving to Portland where everyone I know is a vegetarian or vegan. Carry on with discussing this rooster's fate!

 

[PotterWatch]

There are plenty of people on here who consider their chickens to be pets and would not think of ever killing and eating them. Perfectly fine if that is what works for you. However, there are also plenty of people here who raise their chickens as livestock that are meant to either lay eggs, provide meat, or both. Those people would think nothing of eating a mean rooster simply because that is what is done. Doesn't make them uncaring monsters, just practical about the more earthy side of caring for livestock.

If I had that rooster, I would also send to the stew pot. I wouldn't want to have to worry about the rooster attacking my kids when they are doing their chores or even just out playing. It wouldn't be worth it to me.

 

[TheDuckCrew]

i know how horribly treated the livestock is that we buy in the store and eat. thats one of the reasons i'm becoming a vegetarian. (can't yet, only 15 and my parents won't let me) but also, i could not imagine taking another life so i could eat it when i can survive perfectly off other foods. to me, an animal life is worth as much as a human life. that doesn't mean that i wouldn't go after an animal that hurt a loved one. you would go after a human that hurt a loved one too. i just don't like killing things, not at all. i don't agree with it. if i was starving and about to die with nothing else to eat, then i guess i would kill something to stay alive, but i would still have trouble with that. since when do i get to decide to end another life to keep my own? i see pets as family (you may think thats wierd, but please dont be mean about it) and would you kill and eat a family member to stay alive? if random wildlife i see as family or as humans i guess you could say, and most people wouldn't kill a person to eat. thats my view on things, and everyone is entitled to their own opinions.

 

[2boxers]

DuckCrew, congrats on your decision to go vegan, I tried it decades ago but quit when my hair began to fall out-vanity won out over my moral convictions! Make sure you get plenty of proteins, that's my best advise.

I don't condemn any one who chooses that lifestyle. Like the X person above said, I've chosen an omnivorous lifestyle & I am happy with that. One of the reasons I am raising chickens is so that I know I am eating well tended animals and not supporting an industry that may not be so humane. Also....it's just cheaper & I know what I am feeding my birds.

 

[TheDuckCrew]

at least they will have happy lives. but i could never bring myself to kill and eat my animals. i'd be crying and end up throwing up if i tried to eat them. i just couldn't do it. it is better to not support the industries though.

but i will make sure to have a good diet. my aunt and cousin are also vegetarians (and nurses!) so i can turn to them for any advice. they also have a couple good recipes i could use too.

 

[bumpershoot]

Quote:
Hon, I am not going to try and change your mind as we all have the right to make choices about our bodies. I will, however, illustrate one of the reasons that I personally will never be anything other than an omnivore. My husbands Uncle, who is but 50 (that's young, trust me on this) was vegetarian. He now has such bad dementia that he cannot speak, eat on his own or any other "normal" activities. I believe he can still walk. He was very careful about his eating habits, but for whatever reason his body did not either assimilate the nutrients he needed in the form he provided or he missed something crucial for him. I think only God knows the answer to that. I would just counsel you to wait until you are finished growing, which will be your twenties and consult a nutritionist. Food is their specialty!

It is normal to not want to eat your pets. Pets is pets and livestock is dinner. Now, in the case of this rooster it would be humanely killed regardless because the animal has learned that people can be a target. That's dangerous. Part of having animals is management. Call it leadership, if you like. Part of that is knowing when safety over rides emotion.

 

[TheDuckCrew]

i'm so sorry about your husbands uncle. that must have been really hard. thanks for the warning though, i will wait until i stop growing (which i hope is soon! i'm already 5'8" or 5'9"!!) and consult a nutritionist once i do decide to switch. thanks everyone though, everyones so nice and understanding here!

 

[dancingbear]

Not all chickens are "pets". The idea of poultry as pets rather than as livestock is a fairly new trend, with a few exceptions of course. Even if he is a pet, no rooster is worth risking an injury to your child, especially when you consider that an injury could be serious, even losing one or both eyes, permanent disfigurement, nerve damage, and so on.

As far as being vegan goes, nothing wrong with that, but do a little research on how many animals get killed by accident, (or on purpose, as some can destroy crops) in the process of growing large scale food crops. The answer is lots of them. Only they'll go to waste, instead of being used for food.

There just isn't any way to insure that your own personal diet doesn't cause the deaths of any animals, unless you grow every bit of it yourself. Even then, accidents happen. Turning over a new garden plot by hand, with a shovel, one spring, I pushed the shovel in with my foot, turned the earth, and out tumbled half of a young box turtle. The other half was still in the wall of the hole I'd just dug. It made me ill, I love turtles. I've had other similar things happen.

The bald truth is that we all cause the death of other creatures in order to sustain our own lives, even if we don't eat meat. I choose to raise my own meat as much as possible, so that I at least know that it had a good life, and a humane death.

Duckcrew, your body will still be developing into your early twenties, even if you reach full height before then, it doesn't mean you're done! Please don't rush it and risk permanent damage to yourself from missing vital nutrients. You also have to be extra careful about the quality of the vegetable foods you get, if you do go vegan. Try to find an organic farmer who understands about mineral replacement in the soil, if you can. If you're careful, you can have a very healthy vegan diet, except for B vitamins, B12 at least. That one you may need to supplement.

 

[FrenchHen]

My husband's dear pet dog, who predates me as his companion, bit our son. Then she did it again, requiring two trips to the doctor and antibiotics.

She's not mean, she's old. She has cataracts and can't hear.

She now lives in the motor home out back.

Period.

It's simply not worth the risk.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

It doesn't matter if the animal is a pet, or livestock.

If my dog bit my son, she would be re-homed to a family without children.

If she bit my son hard enough to break the skin/cause damage, she would be put down. I would cry very hard, but I would take her to the vet myself.

It is irresponsible to keep dangerous animals around children, and it is irresponsible to re-home a dangerous dog.

Same principle applies to chickens. Except it feels much more respectful to the rooster to eat him after he's put down than to landfill his body.