My last post on this topic, I swear.

[Denninmi]

I have to decide whether or not I can do this. I have to place the order with the feed store by Monday or Tuesday for delivery the following week.

I can't believe I'm so torn over what should be a simple thing. I eat chicken and turkey all the time, multiple times a week. We consume more poultry than red meat in my house.

If I eat it, I should be able to grow it and process it. But I don't know if I can.

Help, what does this mean?

 

[crj]

It means you consider your animals pets and part of the family. You just can't seem to eat your young.

 

[alabamachick]

I'm with you 100%... All my hunting is done in Publix. I simply cant eat something that I raised (in my bathtub in my HOUSE) or that had a name...

I make up for it by growing all my own veggies though!

 

[BigSkyChickens]

It means you are a caring person who doesn't take these things for granted!

I care alot about my egg layers....they are very pet-like. And that is precisely what motivates me to do the meat bird thing. I'm going to eat meat, anyway, and raising them myself gives me the opportunity to provide my meat birds with a relaxed, happy life, and humane processing.

It's not easy or comfortable for ME, and who knows, perhaps after I do it for the first time, I'll say 'never again'....but I'm going to try.

Don't be too hard on yourself about it; go with what your heart tells you.

Good luck.

 

[Dogfish]

Buy a few, 3 to 5. Give it a try.

If you eat meat you either kill the animal or hire others to do it for you. Hope it turns out well for you.

 

[Oregon Blues]

Buy your egg layers and then get just 2-3 meat birds. If you find you can't kill them, it won't break the bank to give them away.

The first few are very difficult to do. Not the butchering part. The actual killing. It does get easier. You do end up with a very nice reward of meat that is much better than anything you can purchase.

Also, you must remember that you give your birds a good life. Not like the cage raised birds that you buy in the market.

 

[Bengalcats1]

I could NEVER do it so don't feel bad and don't get them if you are so torn about it

 

[PotterWatch]

All you can do is try it and see how you feel about it. I know that birds I raise myself have a better life and an easier death than a store-bought chicken. Killing isn't fun or easy, but at least when I do it myself, I feel a greater connection with my food and don't take it for granted as I have in the past buying chicken in neat little packages from the store.

 

[ladyride]

This why dh has to be the one to process. I have such a huge soft spot for all critters. They are very pet - like you worry over them while chicks , you try to give them the best life you can. But in the end we chose dual pourpose birds. We also have a garden for our veggies, in todays financial environment & the use of hormones & other things in our food supply at least you can feel much better about what you are serving your family. It is much healtier

But if you are conflicted it would be better to wait til you can resolve your concerns. raising chickens for your table can not be done by everyone.

 

[Buster52]

I would do it just to prove to myself I could.