Official BYC Poll - Do you eat chicken?

[BYC Project Manager]

Many of our members really love chickens and we are curious to find out how you all feel about eating chicken meat. Do you eat your own birds, only shop bought chicken meat, not at all, or would you let others eat your birds, for example unwanted cockerels?

Select your choice from the poll options above and reply this this thread with your comments/reasons.

 

[DylansMom]

Love chicken, its probably my favorite meat.

However, I love MY chickens as well, so they will not be eaten(but their eggs will).

 

[yamah1138]

I answered yes, I eat my own, but only unwanted cockerels, spent hens, etc...I don't have chickens at this point in time, I do have quail tho and when I do have chickens I will butcher any extras as I do with the quail, I feel it is more humane to raise your own food than to buy it from the store, at least I know animals I have raised weren't abused or overcrowded...just my opinion on the subject

 

[Free Feather]

No, I truly care about my birds, and I do not see how anyone that eats them can claim they care about them.

 

[eviemethugh]

With this big heat wave that just jumped out temps up about 20 degrees in one day....let me say I much prefer to know that my chickens don't die a long slow death. We lost 5/130 (first adult losses all year) while we were out there trying to open their coops up and add shade and ice their water down. I was very upset thinking about how they died...that I didn't do what I needed to fast enough even though the temp spike was a surprise to us. Taking a chickens life respectfully when they have been raised well and loved (we name the ones with big personalities, we hang out with them every day, we make them special treats...they are very loved) is the way to go for us. We eat meat anyway, might as well know it's name and how it was raised.

 

[Frindizzle]

No, and I will not sell any to anyone, I am a vegetarian.

 

[Bridebeliever]

No, and I will not sell any to anyone, I am a vegetarian.

Wow! I don't know why, but that surprised me! So you're vegetarian but not vegan?

 

[Bridebeliever]

I'm new to raising chickens so right now I answered that I won't eat my own but I buy them from the store. We eat chicken probably 4 meals out of 7 each week so I think I really need to get over it! We did get our chickens for eggs and compost though. I think if I decide to start eating chickens I raised it will be specifically "meat birds". They will have a much better life with me than any factory for sure!

 

[Beekissed]

Yes, I eat them...that's why I have them, among other reasons, but mostly for the food. And, yes, I care about my chickens as much as the next person...love comes in many forms. They get names, they get the best of care, they have a great chicken life and they have a good death before they grow too old and too ill to have good quality of life. Most of all they get to fulfill their purpose on Earth and you can't get much better than that.

 

[Free Feather]

I'm new to raising chickens so right now I answered that I won't eat my own but I buy them from the store. We eat chicken probably 4 meals out of 7 each week so I think I really need to get over it! We did get our chickens for eggs and compost though. I think if I decide to start eating chickens I raised it will be specifically "meat birds". They will have a much better life with me than any factory for sure!

Why will you pick meat birds? They are not very healthy, and they are babies when they die. Also, buying them as chicks supports factory farm companies that make them. If I HAD to eat chickens, I would eat gamier chickens that are healthy, that do not get to be 20+ pounds if not killed past baby age, or not starved. And they can raise their own chicks, protect themselves better from predators, do not crap nearly as much or as stinky, and they do not need to eat copious amounts of commercial grain - they can find their own food! Yeah, the carcass would not be obese and baby-tender, but it is more flavorful, more nutritious from the foraging the birds do, and kinder to the bird.
I have had half a dozen Cornish x as pets over the years, and even entirely free range, fed very little fermented feed, some days not feeding them at all, and letting them have 'regular' chickens as an example, they are not at all like my game birds, or even the dual purpose breeds. You would be doing chickens a favor by eating a real, healthy breed if you decide to eat them. Obviously you do not have to listen to me, but I just wanted to give you the other side of the coin on eating chickens.