People ever give you a hard time about...

[Tala]

Yeah they do.
And about shooting raccoons too.
THEIR fault they asked me what I was gonna do with it.

I specifically just don't mention it unless you ask me.

We don't waste anything around here, if at all possible.

 

[Mahonri]

Nessa... I grew up on a farm where I processed birds on Saturday morning so we would have fried chicken for Sunday dinner. We would usually do three as that is what we would consume (I'm 5 of 7 kids).

It just seemed a natural thing for me.

Now, I'm naming them and spending more time with them.. (they are my backyard therapy) when it came time for me to say good bye to some leghorn roos last summer, I couldn't do it.

I'll be hatching more chicks come Jan. 1st. I know that I'll end up with some roos. The roos I don't keep for breeding I'm hoping I can use to teach my boys how to process birds, I think they need that experience just like I did. Guess I'll have to man up come May and then again in July. I plan on doing two hatches I'm putting eggs in on Dec. 11th for New Years chicks and then again the first of February.

 

[herefordlovinglady]

We have over 700 head of cattle and each of them one day will end up on the dinner plate. I mentined the other night in front of some friends about harvesting one of the chickens and you would of thought I was talking about harvesting my husband. We are very fortunate to be able to grow our own food vegies and all. I love the cattle and my chickens, I am a tree hugger and believe in humane treatment of animals, but in the end reality is reality.

 

[TriciaHowe]

I personally have never killed one of my birds to eat but I have sold them knowing they were destined for freezer camp. I would probably eat mine if I could find someone to dtd for me. I just can't kill them.... I figure that if someone wants to process their bird (cow, pig, goat, whatever) to eat it's none of my business as long as it's done quickly and humanely...
Most people can only have so many roosters or culls so it only makes sense to make use them in the best way possible. When I was a kid my Uncle would have us round up the half grown cockerals so he could butcher them....wasn't pleasant to watch but was sure good to eat!

 

[ScoobyRoo]

Yup, My DD does. She will not eat any birds we process.

 

[the simple life]

I just don't talk about it. Its not worth it to me to have to get into a debate or to have to defend myself.
It really doesn't come up in normal every day conversation anyway so its pretty avoidable
People who don't get it still aren't going to get it even if I debate it with them so I don't waste my time.
These are the same people that think gardening and raising my own vegetables is foolish because I spend my time working in the dirt when I can just go to the supermarket and buy vegetables.
Or how I keep bees and get stung when I can just go buy honey.
Or how its "quaint" that I can my own jams.
They are just not in that frame of mind.
I can't raise more here than meat birds and layer chickens but I buy all of my other meat now from local farmers who are good to their animals and do not pump them full of garbage.
The ones that give you are a hard time have no idea what they are even eating when they buy from a store and they sure do not want to know. Ever ask them? They say don't tell me don't tell ,me I don't want to know or I won't be able to eat it again.

I find these people to be hypocritical.
They want you to feel guilty but guilty of what?
Raising an animal in humane conditions, letting them roam around chasing bugs or eating grass?
Guilty of giving them plenty of room? Guilty of showing them compassion? Letting them breathe fresh air and feel the sun on their backs?
Maybe they are the ones who should feel guilty. In fact I am starting to wonder if they secretly do and are jealous of those who can own their role in the life and death of an animal. Either that or they are immensely uninformed.
The reality is they are responsible for an animal's death every time they buy meat from a market and they are responsible for the supply and demand they help to create, which in turn causes more animals to suffer on feedlots and in battery cages while they are pumped full of poisons.
If you raise your own meat or support local people who do you take thousands of animals out of the factory raised hell holes, eat healthier and support the local farmers.
How can you go wrong with that?

 

[ArizonaNessa]

Like I said before I have no issues with butchering, plucking, and processing them even if it did have a name. I just can't kill something. Even when I have had birds that needed to be culled due to leg issues I couldn't do it. I knew that bird was suffering and needed help to end it's pain. I tried I really tried mainly because hubby was not home at the time. I gathered up all the stuff and the bird and the moment came and I can't do it. I raise my hand to do it and I panic, can't breathe, and start crying like some sort of crazy person. I have made a point of making sure that my children know exactly where meat comes from but I have not allowed them to actually see the killing of the animals. Maybe when they are a little older. My hats off to each and everyone of you that have the intestinal fortitude to do this. I just can't.

I would like to add that I believe that everyone should no how to survive and how to do these things. If I had the land I would raise my own beef and pork too but I would still have to have another person actually kill it before I enter scene left. I think it has something to do with it looking at me and no covering it's face won't help. Like I said I really tried.

Also I am not debating this subject at all. I completely support raising and eating your own meat and produce. I don't think it is horrific to do this. I WANT to do the entire process but I don't know it is hard to explain what I go through when the moment comes.

 

[the simple life]

I would not let that bother you. Its not like you are going around harrassing people who raise their own meat, you just don't want to do the processing and there is nothing wrong with that.
The person that started this thread was referring to that, not people that don't raise their own meat,she meant the people that give others a hard time.
There are many, many people who do not do their own processing. Its mentioned all the time on this forum, people asking where there are local processors for them to bring their birds to, myself included.
I raise my own meat birds but I bring them to someone else to get processed.
I do not have a private area in the yard to do them or the set up or even the know how, if I could learn at someone else's house then I may but who knows when it comes down to it.
No one is judging you, at least they shouldn't be. Besides no one really knows what they are capable of doing unless they have to do it to survive.

 

[chooniecat]

No one but myself judged me for NOT killing my own. I could no longer eat grocery store meat so basically it WAS a necessity to learn. it is hard at first but the reasoning for doing it won out. my chickens have a joyous life until they have to be eaten. I eat chicken now and no longer feel gulty(well-maybe a little when its time to process but...)when I eat it. it was a recent occurance also,just did it!

 

[FarmerChick]

I rarely have this discussion, I am rural area and a farmer. All my friends are farmers. We raise and eat our meats. Livestock is not pets. Simple as that.

When someone says EEEww, Ekkk to butchering I don't say anything. I don't care if they can't kill something. whatever!

People are disconnected from nature. Not connected to their foods, they just go to the store and buy it and it is "all done for them"---people are not natural anymore so I don't expect alot of people to understand true animal farming.