Processing Day Support Group ~ HELP us through the Emotions PLEASE!

[Kassaundra]

Plucking is much easier if you have NNs.

 

[Tomtommom]

Isn't that rather zombie-like?

It's scary that grown people don't view meat as coming from a living creature. What do they think about when they are alone, I wonder? Does the mind just draw a blank and they don't ponder on such things? And maybe that's why they can treat human life with such disdain and apathy as well...just something that it's better not to think about, just live your life and try not to think while you are doing it?

Once again I feel like an alien on a strange planet and I just now realized that I'm the alien here, as I seem to be in a singular minority and do not understand the customs on this planet.

Luckily, there's a whole movement to reconnect with food. Eating local, sustainable, GMO free etc. It's all an effort to reconnect with where our food comes from. A good portion of the nation is tired of obesity, cancer and all the crap that comes with eating without knowing what it is that you are eating.

I think that's why BYC has become so popular.

 

[christine9]

I've been reading through this forum a little. I'm still in my first year of chickens and considering raising meat birds. Now, let me say I've been a vegetarian for 15 years and I could not imagine eating a chicken unless I raised it and knew what was going into it. Plus my family salivates when they look at my pretty layers. With that said, what kind of birds do I get? I'm thinking of starting with only a few, just in case I can't do the deed. Suggestions?

 

[Sally Sunshine]

I've been reading through this forum a little. I'm still in my first year of chickens and considering raising meat birds. Now, let me say I've been a vegetarian for 15 years and I could not imagine eating a chicken unless I raised it and knew what was going into it. Plus my family salivates when they look at my pretty layers. With that said, what kind of birds do I get? I'm thinking of starting with only a few, just in case I can't do the deed. Suggestions?

Hi christine! you will get some great help here! we are going to try our first cornish X this spring!

 

[christine9]

Thanks. I was thinking Cornish because I can get them easily, but I honestly don't know what I'm getting into LOL!

 

[Happy Chooks]

I don't think most people even think about it. I doubt they view the meat in the store as an animal that used to breathe.

Yup.

Isn't that rather zombie-like?

It's scary that grown people don't view meat as coming from a living creature. What do they think about when they are alone, I wonder? Does the mind just draw a blank and they don't ponder on such things? And maybe that's why they can treat human life with such disdain and apathy as well...just something that it's better not to think about, just live your life and try not to think while you are doing it?

Once again I feel like an alien on a strange planet and I just now realized that I'm the alien here, as I seem to be in a singular minority and do not understand the customs on this planet.

They don't want to think about it coming from a live animal. They don't want to know it's living conditions, how it died, etc. If they cared, then the commercial meat/egg industry would change dramatically.

We started down this road to be more self sufficient. We do not have pasture, so we cannot feasibly raise cattle ourselves. All of our meat comes from someone local that raises the animal for us, or from our excess roosters. I have bees now as well. DH wants to get hogs, but for now, his friend raises them for us. Now we're venturing into Cornish X for meaties.

My meaties ship tomorrow! Now I have to get the coop cleaned today, tomorrow it's going to be raining.

 

[Happy Chooks]

I've been reading through this forum a little. I'm still in my first year of chickens and considering raising meat birds. Now, let me say I've been a vegetarian for 15 years and I could not imagine eating a chicken unless I raised it and knew what was going into it. Plus my family salivates when they look at my pretty layers. With that said, what kind of birds do I get? I'm thinking of starting with only a few, just in case I can't do the deed. Suggestions?

I can't really suggest anything. I'm getting my first Cornish X this week.

 

[ronott1]

I've been reading through this forum a little. I'm still in my first year of chickens and considering raising meat birds. Now, let me say I've been a vegetarian for 15 years and I could not imagine eating a chicken unless I raised it and knew what was going into it. Plus my family salivates when they look at my pretty layers. With that said, what kind of birds do I get? I'm thinking of starting with only a few, just in case I can't do the deed. Suggestions?

It is great that you are looking into this!

Cornish Cross is the meat bird hybrid that is in the store. They are ready in less than 10 weeks so they should be gone quickly and is not a huge time commitment. They will eat a lot of feed in that time.

TSC in my City has them now. They do have a min of 6 that I would have to buy. If you can get a smaller number, three would be good to try. It is often hard to build up to the killing part so you should get a good support system going. Maybe get one of the salivating family members to do that part.

Oddly, after they are plucked or skinned they seem to become just a chicken. When they are in the Freezer for a couple of weeks, you will quickly not see them as the birds you raised--they are food then.

It is great to know what you are eating and what they were fed. It is also great that they had a nice humane life while you raised them.

Remember, we are here to help you too.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Happy Chooks where did you order yours?

 

[Tomtommom]

If looking for humane meat.. don't get cornish X. Especially if you're not sure if you can do the deed. If they don't get killed with in x amount of time, they will fall over from heart issues or their hips start breaking from the weight (stress fractures).

You'd be better off getting some straight run dual purpose (white/barred rock would be good). Slightly slower grower, but you can keep them for eggs if you decide you can't eat them.. or eat them after they're done laying. You'll have a few roosters to cut your teeth on either way.