Open Letter to the People who FREAK OUT because I eat my chickens.....

[Beekissed]

Hear, hear! In support of logical good sense, I salute you!

My co-workers are the people you describe....and their relatives have battery houses. When I point out their hypocrisy they state, "But that's different." End of story.

In their pea brains, if the chickens are tortured in private, in a long, gray building where no one can see, it somehow makes it NOT so cruel. And then the chickens are loaded into trucks and transported to the local processing plant and that makes it not so cruel also...even though you travel behind the stinking truck that is going 60 mph with feathers flying off the horribly cramped, half bald birds....that makes it different too.

You really cannot fix stupid.

For all you vegans out there....unless you are growing your own foods, your foods were more than likely fertilized with the feces and remains of animals grown in commercial operations. So you are still contributing towards the death of beloved animals everywhere. Wake up, get real, get some common sense. If you are eating anything, something had to die.

 

[The Kibble Goddess]

Where did you find that Poultry Processing for Consumption workshop? I know a lot of theory, but need to get some good hands-on before I even think of asking the hubby if I can raise meaties. (It would mean us moving

)

 

[hipeatall]

Quote:
I belong to a local poultry meet up group http://www.meetup.com/AustinBackyardPoultry/ and one of the members of this group posted to the forum that she had noticed alot of people with extra roos. She mentioned that maybe we should have a Processing Day... and she was kind enough to organize and host this for us. Everyone pitched in and it was a very successful event. Here is an article that mentions our event and other similar events... http://www.localharvest.org/newsletter/20100729/1/processing-your-own-meats.html?r=nl

 

[toto65]

I love this thread. I have run up so much opposition just raising turkeys for meat. I was once discussing turkey's and getting them ready got the freezer with a friend and had a co-worker tell me, "I could NEVER eat anything that had a face!" This was said as she ate a turkey breast sub! I could not resist. I HAD to ask her where she thought the turkey she was eating came from. She replied, "from the store!"
I was brought up raising all our own meat by my parents. We always had a cow and pigs that were destined to become dinner and yes, I did make pets of them but even though I might have TRIED to stop the inevitable, they always went in the freezer. Once I got old enough I raised chickens for eggs and meat. The only turkey I ever raised then did die of old age. I REALLY made a pet out of him! Now I am raising both turkeys and chickens for eggs and meat, I have already culled my roosters down to a managable number, they were DELICIOUS! Although my birds are for "production" they are raised with respect and are just a bit spoiled. My 2 year old grandson already gets the fact that turkeys make good food. I tell him the turkeys are not pets and that we will eat them. He will look at them and say "YUM" When we gather eggs, he will take one and say "EAT IT" and demand it be scrambled for him for his next meal.

 

[Cindiloohoo]

I love this post! I have slaughtered my own chickens, will do my own turkeys, ducks, quail, and rabbits. Though I have yet to do my rabbits because of DH. He has never had rabbit, and doesn't want to....just wait till he goes back to work...he'll have it before he knows it

The next little buckling on this little farm is going to the freezer as well. I've never had goat meat, and the processing should be interesting to say the least, but well...I am with you all who don't keep up the free loaders. My animals all have a GREAT life prior to their final service! I serve them for ALL of that life, until they become supper, so I think they get a good deal out of it too. I work my tail off cleaning, feeding, nurturing, and finding these guys watermelons on hot days! They have a good healthy happy life here, and the end comes quickly. It's quite simply IMO a circle of service, and thus far I am satisfied with the whole process from beginning to humane end. Other folks...can take a long walk off a short pier if they don't like it

 

[Katy]

Quote:
I saw a list here a while back that had a list of things that animal products were used in that I would have never dreamed contained them. I thought at the time I bet a lot of vegans don't have a clue. I'll have to see if I can find that list.

 

[Beekissed]

Cosmetics, soaps, lotions, shampoos, synthetic motor oil, clothing items like shoes, belts, purses....you name it, your every day items once had a cute and fuzzy face once upon a time.

But, I'm sure that is different.

 

[Katy]

Quote:
This was different stuff than those kinds of things....the one thing I remember was toothbrushes.

 

[malignstar]

My recent and first butchering experience I said nothing to my dad when he came over the next day. There were some feathers and blood but for the most part I got it cleaned up good. He never said a word until last weekend when he told me my stepmom thought someone put the stumps by my window to look in. He says "DON'T tell her what you're doing here" but I bluntly said it's my house and I'll do whatever I please. Eventually there will be chicken, rabbit and quail tractors around so she better get used to it if she's gonna come over. I am dreading the conversation and attempted guilt trip to come. And I plan to padlock my cage doors so she can't let them out to "be free!"

 

[angelique_redhead]

I raised 30 meat birds this Spring. 27 survived to be processed. My husband says it's some of the best chicken he's ever had. I hatch my own chicks. My daughter knows that the excess roosters are going to the processers in November because I don't need 25-50 extra roosters except in the freezer. The inlaws have beef cattle. They have names. Red was the last one that went to the locker. Hamburger, Diablo, and Dinner were some of the other steers that went. I prefer to know my animals had a good life while they had it and were HEALTHY when killed for food. If someone has a problem with me eating my animals they can kiss .... I have several spots to choose from.

: Angelique