Meat Birds VS Pets

[SouthernLady]

I've got a comment. I know some of you raise your birds for the meat and for some they are beloved pets. Personally, I eat chicken, but I could never eat one that I raised. (Hypocritical, I know.) I'm amazed at how well both groups seem to get along. I think it says a lot about the people who post here and the respect that you obviously have for each other.

 

[bipebbles]

i am just like you i could neva eat one i raise they are my babies but my husband on the other hand he doesnt mind but he has hands off my babies lol he goes elswhere to buy meat birds for himself

 

[hypnofrogstevie]

My chickens are my pets. I always say "I can do this", but when I look at there eyes I cant do it. I buy my chicken from a local farm. I guess mine are for egg consuption only.

 

[mtnhomechick]

Well, when I joined this group a few months ago I said the same thing. I could NEVER kill one. Then I listened to and considered the rationale of the posters here and decided to get some and try it. I just finished culling the 20 I had last Wed. I would have to say that although it wasn't so terrible to dispatch and pluck and clean a meat bird, I didn't find it pleasurable as I do my layers who are bursting with personality.

I had 5 three wk old meat birds left and gave them away this morning. I thought the chicken tasted the same as commercial chicken, the cost for me was actually more although I probably didn't feed them high enough protein.

So although I am not against the idea......I guess it's just not my bag. They sure are ugly and stupid and not interactive like my layers and that helped me to follow through with it but the work cleaning them and the poop was a lot of wasted energy for me.

I don't have the space to do this with hundreds at a time and my plucker was a hand held drill type and not the famous whiz bang which would have certainly made it easier.

I can see why some here would like to do this.........it's just not for me.

JMO

 

[jacyjones]

Quote:
I agree with you - it is great how well everyone on here gets on and respects different view points.
WE tried meat birds and I thought I would not be able to eat them. We had a bad experience with monsters that ate their heads off and by the end I hated them all!! No problem eating them at all!!
I would never eat my egg layers as they are my pets and I could never eat my duck or anyone else's which is silly I know. There you go - a bit weird.

 

[mtnhomechick]

My post was misleading........sorry. I don't eat my layers. I do interact with them and find much pleasure in that.

 

[hypnofrogstevie]

Quote:
I believe my post was misleading as wll. I would never eat my layers. Just there eggs

. I have some mean girls but love them alot. They hate it whn you just grab them and hug them then kiss there heads lol.

 

[silkiechicken]

I have some for food, some for pets, some for pets make babies which I use for food. It's decided when I get them if they are to go to the laying flock, the pet flock, or straight to the freezer when ready.

 

[lorieMN]

Quote:
I believe my post was misleading as wll. I would never eat my layers. Just there eggs

. I have some mean girls but love them alot. They hate it whn you just grab them and hug them then kiss there heads lol.

thats funny.lol..I do butcher out my layers,I give them to the hounds raw, if they are older,Love my chickens but they are after all chickens,therefor food for me or someone or something,I figure its not wasted if the hounds eat them,its good for them and raw bones are great for teeth.I dont have room nor do I want to feed a bunch of old chickens that arent holding their own.

 

[SouthernLady]

So layers have more personality than meat birds? I've got two layers and a rooster that was raised for meat. The little roo has much personality as my girls do.