Pets or Produce?

[christineavatar]

I started out years ago with four hens and just having them for eggs. I now have a 17 bird flock. I love them and care for them and cull them as needed. I sometimes think of 'kosher', the custom of blessing the food before you kill it and killing it in a humane way. Although I was raised Catholic I think that is where the whole idea of the blessing comes from. It is common for people around the globe to honor the lives of the animals they kill for food. It has been moving away from that connection with the living being that dies to feed us which has caused 'factory farms' and the resulting inhumane treatment of the animals that live and die there.

 

[maggiec1951]

I got mine solely for the purpose of having fresh eggs but that has changed drastically since the little balls of fluff arrived. Once I began to spend a little time with them (day 2), they became more and more pets/entertainment. Each one has her own little personality and DH has become a huge fan as well. We enjoy coffee out on the deck mornings, while the girls free range and entertain us. If I am home all day, they can stay out all day, if I have to leave they have learned that they have to go back to the run and aren't hard to herd in. Around 4:00-4:30 or so most days we let them out again until they put themselves to bed. They have become more of an entertainment factor and even the neighbors will drop by sometimes just to watch them. Grew up on a farm and of course we had chickens, but also many other animals and the chickens weren't pets as much, although there were some that were very friendly and would sit on your lap at times.

 

[StarLover21]

(1) Pets. (2) Eggs. I am a vegetarian and could never eat any chickenfs, let alone my own chickens. I have two retired hens who are vey old, and we still keep them around.

 

[zrossk]

pets if i had them.

 

[zrossk]

Quote:
same with me if i had chickens.

 

[CluckyJay]

Chocolate and the other bantams are pets. We use their eggs and I will sell their babies. Chocolate just won our hearts over the day we got her as a little chick.

Lady will be with me forever because she is too friendly and kind to others. She is a production red.

All of the others so far as here as long as they make babies, lay or protect their hens. One of our roosters will be fattened up soon and I will cook him maybe around spring time.

Only a few make the cut for long life here.

Thanks Jesus everyday for our livestock and pets. Such great things to have!

 

[WestfarthingHomestead]

Pets, for now.

That's because we still live in city limits and are, therefore, limited on how many we can have. We have only two and they are coddled pets, because our only other pet is a snake.

Once we get moved (which seems to be taking forever

) we will have a lot more chickens, some for laying and some for meat. These will be 'produce,' but the two we have will always be pets.

I've already forewarned the children not to make pets out of possible food.

I guess it's kinda arbitrary standards, hmm?

 

[SycolinWoodsChickens]

I love them and care for them and cull them as needed. I sometimes think of 'kosher', the custom of blessing the food before you kill it and killing it in a humane way. Although I was raised Catholic I think that is where the whole idea of the blessing comes from. It is common for people around the globe to honor the lives of the animals they kill for food. It has been moving away from that connection with the living being that dies to feed us which has caused 'factory farms' and the resulting inhumane treatment of the animals that live and die there.

X2

Mostly we have birds for eggs (and meat if you count the roos and turkeys). Some have names, some don't. We cull for a variety of reasons.

Got the birds because we wanted to become closer to the source of our food. We already gardened and canned our own food. Now we grow hay on our property and raise birds. Thought I would be a hypocrite if I could eat meat but not be able to understand the entire process (not passing judgment on anyone this is just how I feel about my life). Don't get me wrong I get some meat from the grocery store still and buy a hog or lamb locally to support small farms in our area.

I understand folks who think of their birds just as livestock and those who think of chickens as pets. The most important thing to me is to take proper care of my animals no matter their purpose.​

 

[jenkassai]

"Pets with benefits", I like that description, and I guess that is what mine are

They are not on the same level as my dogs, I guess I think of the dogs as my kids and the chickens as my feathered friends. I've always wanted chickens, not sure why! I *think* I could eat chickens that I've raised, eventually, because I just like knowing that the animal that I'm eating was raised in a healthy, happy way, and had a good life. But my husband could never eat them, even though he didn't want them, so that is out of the question

I know I couldn't do the processing myself anyways, and have no idea where I would get it done. That being said, some of the people at work are just freaked out that we eat the eggs! I try telling them how the hens are kept/treated at the places who are supplying the eggs they buy in the grocery store, and how much happier I am eating eggs from happy hens. I'm not trying to sell eggs, just want them to be educated, because they ARE animal lovers.

 

[Mattemma]

Pets.

I need to get some meaties,but I am afraid I will end up with more pets.