I have, but I have a soft spot in my heart for my hardworking girls. I now let them stick around and just be chickens after their peak laying is over. They are not much trouble to feed, but if I was really worried about feed conversion and cost, I guess I would butcher them.
Since we can only have four chickens (I'm hoping since they haven't even passed that ordinance yet) I will need to be able to keep only egg laying chickens around. I was figuring on having two chickens the first year and then getting tow the next year so they don't all quit laying at the same time. Then I thought with all these forums topics on meat birds that maybe egg laying hens weren't good to eat.
I don't know what I'll do when they don't lay anymore. I have such a soft spot for my original 20! I think I'll let them free range, and if a predator gets them he gets them, but at least they'll be able to stick around. If the cost of feed gets too high I'll cull them. I don't know! I haven't crossed that bridge yet!
First of all, I agree that Jesus is Lord! Second I don't know how I will feel when it comes to that point either. I always fall in love with my animals but we already have a zoo! With the limit of four hens I don't feel like I have a choice. I am doing this to help animals in the first place. If it comes to the point where I have four hens who don't lay eggs I will have to go back to buying the store eggs where the chickens have been abused. I am not some animal rights activist who doesn't think we should eat meat or use animal products but I do think that they should have a good life. A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast Proverbs 12:10