Official BYC Poll: What Is Your Perspective On Chickens For Meat

[SBFChickenGirl]

I eat both chickens I raise, & bought from the store. Chicken consumption has been the same for us, & we like the tastes of our own birds better compared to the store bought ones.

Freshly laid eggs from our birds have been the best, for us. We never had a problem with our eggs. Bonus is we never have to run to the store for eggs anymore .

It's best to know what you're feeding your meat birds, & knowing you raised them with love. When we butcher, I think about all the passion I put into them, to get them to that point.

Well said!

 

[MysteryChicken]

Well said!

Thanks.

 

[Fishychix]

I eat chicken but not my own ONLY because they are just for the eggs and city restrictions.

 

[Xouie]

I raise birds to eat. I also have pets who are not for eating. To me they have different “jobs” (laying eggs or being meat). My job is to give them love and care to help them be their best at whichever job they have. I didn’t start with meat animals as an adult; it’s how I was raised, so there’s no weirdness.

 

[Nifty-Chicken]

To me they have different “jobs” (laying eggs or being meat). My job is to give them love and care to help them be their best at whichever job they have.

That's a great perspective and well-stated, thanks!

 

[K0k0shka]

I grew up on a farm and have been witnessing the cycle of life for as long as I can remember, so none of this has ever been weird to me. It's just how life goes. That being said, I was raised to love and respect the animal and give it a good life before it goes, so that's what I do with my chickens now, too. I'm raising my kids the same way, too. In fact, we just ate one of our favorite chickens for lunch today (he was a boy, and we can't keep boys where we live, so he had to go). We thanked him for providing us with joy while alive and with meat after death, and we savored every last little bit. So, nothing has changed since I got these chickens, except now we have better-tasting meat on occasion!

 

[Madhouse Pullet]

I believe in eating meat but I have never been a carnivore despite living with them my whole life, and I've never liked the taste of chicken unless it was burnt and barbecued to a dry crisp.... just not my chickens.... and no skin and no bones.

 

[Gallinarium]

The second answer fits me perfectly.

 

[Ebony Rose]

The actual reason to cut off food 24 hours before slaughter is to empty the intestines for a more sanitary butchering process. It's not about saving money.

I will continue to feed them even on their dying day as I feel it is more humane, I don't want them worrying about why they've not been fed. I've not pierced the crop or bowel, perhaps because of the way that I process my birds. When I butcher my birds, I remove the skin, feathers and all, remove the wings, drums and thighs and finally with the tiniest of cuts at the pointy end of the breast and only deep enough to make pulling the entire breast up and away from the body cavity easier I remove the breast and set it aside with all of the other meat. Once that is complete, it's a simple process to harvest the heart, liver and gizzard without risk of puncturing anything that will taint the meat.

 

[clickchicks]

I'm new to chicken keeping but I still eat chicken despite having them. I don't think I'm at a place where I could kill my own birds, I get too attached. But someday, if I ever have the land to do it, I would like to raise meat birds.

I don't like seeing anything be killed and I especially don't like the thought of killing an animal I raised. But I can see the ethical quandary of being ok eating animals that may or may not have been given a good life vs ones that I can personally ensure were treated well.

For now, I meet myself halfway and buy all of my meat from a local farm who I'm confident treats their animals well.