kind of sad

[FinallyChickens2011]

Quote:
I've gone that route in the past but decided that we could use the meat. If I like the way the processing turns out, I plan on raising some meat birds. At least they're not pretty and it will be easy to NOT get attached to them.

we "accidentally" got two meat birds, and even though they're not very pretty, they're still cute little footballs running around. one especially has the funniest personality quirks out of all four pullets. so the un-prettiness is not a guarantee that you won't get attached. we're as attached to them as we would be to any pet.

next time we'll try to be more educated about what we buy, though.

i guess that's what happens with any new hobby.

 

[Tracydr]

My batch of meaties came accidentally, too. My husband has had to come to terms with the fact that they weren't meant to live normal, healthy lives. He's a little sad each time I process one or two, also.
I've never raised meat birds, but I have raised cattle, so it was a little easier for me. It's always a little sad to kill something you raise from a baby but I think you develop a certain mindset of what you're raising for meat, vs what is being raised for the longterm-breeders, pets, show animals. It helps not to name the meat animals and to stay somewhat detached from them.
It would be much harder for me to butcher one of my OEGBs than my meat birds.
I now have plans to raise meat birds on a regular basis, but it took some convincing to talk my husband into it. I'm very concerned about him getting attached the first time we have turkey, much less cattle.

 

[All About Chicken]

I hunt! But it is not like you raised the animal that you are hunting so there is a clear disconnect. I bought 18 chickens for laying all was to be hens, but no 4 were roosters… dang! Well I had a problem processing my 4 Australop Roosters at first but after the gang raping of my laying hens, killing a few… so I gave one to the guy next door and butchered 2. I keep one and then that one attacked my 3 year old daughter as we were getting eggs in the coop, so I had enough. To get it off her I grabbed him and snapped his neck. Now I have processed a few more and have no hesitation at all. We plan on getting other farm animals all are to be for food and the roosters helped me get over the whole issue.

 

[KayfromWI]

I was charged $2.50/ bird and $3/bird over 6lb. I went and picked up crates the night before.

 

[PulletPalace]

I've had layers for 2 years and this year decided to try Freedom Rangers. I did distance myself and that worked, to a point, but it was hard the day I took them in for processing. I had myself a good cry. But now that they're in the freezer I'm pleased with the whole project and plan to do it again. My husband had a harder time with it than I did, which surprised me. Beware, they do have sweet personalities and at times all come running toward you and at that moment you feel like a complete traitor.

Liked the quote from Joel Salatin though, so true.

I have a couple of roosters amongst the layers that need to go to freezer camp too. I want to process them myself so am pleased to hear it wasn't too bad.

 

[Chick1043]

I can't have roosters because I live in a neighborhood so if I get a rooster in chicks (when I get them) I put them on Craigslist. I would never send them to a freezer camp or to be processed. Its to sad. I would rather not wanna know what is gonna happen to them.

 

[HenCrazyMom]

We decided to do meat birds and layers this year. Crazy way to jump into raising chickens. Both DH and I grew up with chickens and have processed them. When the 100 meat bird/chicks came home I told my kids remember they are cute now but they get ugly. We make a practice of calling them supper, dinner, lunch, quesadilla, enchillada, dumpling, noodle, omelet, all food names when we are working with them. The kids bring treats and cuddle with the laying hens. We also just hatched 5 new chicks so they have those to fawn over. We decided to take our meat birds to be processed this fall as both DH and I have done the processing before and will keep one or two for the kids to help process to learn about it but with 100 birds to process, I am perfectly happy to pay someone to process for me. Our kids have seen and helped with fish being processed, deer being processed as well as pheasants so they know what happens. We found someone who will process the birds for $2.00 per bird.

 

[Hopefulloflove]

We have chicks 3 weeks. Most will be hens, but I am sure there will be some roos and I am not looking forward to the prospect of sending them to freezer camp, but my husband has said that is what will need to happen. I am trying to mentally prepare myself and not get too attached, but wow is it so hard...they are so cute! I am not sure if I can do meat birds even though it's what my husband wants me to do. I know I will be sad. I will also have to send them somewhere to be processed. It's not something that I could personally do...

 

[Moonkssd]

I had my first little batch of roosters processed yesterday. It was sad but needed to be done and I am looking forward to making supper with them soon.
There was one in the group that I really wanted to keep but I fought the urge to do so. And there were other people there one lady had a few in her crate I would have loved to take home but I left the chicken calculator at home so couldnt do the math. My hubby was very proud of me lol

 

[GhostRider65]

Galany,
I didn't know anyone ate silkies? isn't there meat awful? my Gf said they are uneatable? black skinned yucky dark meat?? let me know how he tastes I think there adorable but didn't order any for this reason, because my luck my entire order would be roosters........