tell me how your kids handle eating chickens that used to be pets.

[NottinghamChicks]

I grew up in the city but always worked in the country. I saw what real life was all about from a young age.My grandfather who was from Italy grew all his own vegetables and canned for the winter, fished for all of his seafood, harvested his own clams, and raised rabbits in the back shed for food, which I was impressed with. We as a society have become so dependendent on Industry, so sad. I then went on to an Agricultural Highschool where we raised all of our own food, killed it, butchered it, and ate it. It was so different tasting, so fresh and much better for us. I deinately agree with raising our children to understand about where our food comes from. I also think that knowing the quality of life leading up to a humane sacrifice is even better. The animals raised for the American public are typically abused either in a physical manner, or by overcrowding which leads to the need for antibiotics.

I personally have seven hens for egg prduction right now. I will not eat them when they slow or stop production because they are my pets also. I have names for each of them and they are like puppies. I am however thinking of getting some meat birds for processing to have that slight level of seperation. I currently buy my chicken, beef, and pork from a local organic farmer as I do not like to support the meat industry. (Not 100% but most comes from local) I have also raised my own pigs for slaughter which isn't too bad if you don't get really friendly with them. They were yummy!!

Anyway, my son who is now 20 was always made aware of where food comes from, the methods of raising it, and how it must die for us to eat it. He was raised in a hunting environment and had helped skin and butcher many deer with my husband. Whether in the city or the country education is important. Eating a happy healthy animal is also vey important. Teach your children and enjoy the healthy bounty!!

 

[TimG]

Quote:
I think it is important to distinguish between pets and livestock.

You might well not want your kids to eat animals that they have raised as pets.

Probably best not to raise chickens as pets if you want to eat them.

 

[averytds]

Mine are 4, 8 and 11. They did their first hatching in the Spring. I'd been throwing the idea out for awhile of processing the extra roos. We live in town, so all crowers have to be caught up and caged each night. That job falls to them.


The kids whenever it was brought up said they would not eat any of our birds. We eat a lot of chicken and I would often say something about the most recent chicken dinner, think of all the hatching they could freely enjoy and then drop the subject. My eldest soon quit responding in the negative.

This went on for 4-5 months while they grew out. When the time came I waited until DH was going to be gone with the younger 2 for the day and took the eldest to KFC for lunch. That AM I told him what we were going to do with the roos we hadn't let out that morning, but I'm not sure he believed me. We came home set everything up and I got started. DS's job was to bring me the birds, he also talked to and sang to a few of them while in the cone, explained the facts of life to them. The one time he expressed any concern about what we were going to do was right before the first one and all I did was ask him what he had eaten for lunch. After that he just asked a lot of questions about the process.


I took too long to get started or DH came home early or a combination of the two, but my 2 youngest showed up right around when the second had just finished bleeding. There were some tears, in the case of the youngest a hurried search to assure her "baby" was unharmed and protestations of "I'm not eating our chickens!" Thankfully, knowing my DH and the restaurants where he had gone, I asked what they had eaten for lunch. The answer was "chicken." I had continued working while all this was going on and by then, the second roo looked like a bird from the store.

An agreement with the 4yr old that her "baby" was in no danger from me was the last thing needed to stop the drama. All three stuck around to "help" (watch and ask questions basically) while I did the third from start to finish.

Every chicken dinner since, they have asked if it was one of ours, but none have refused to eat. They often comment that so and so (the black one) is really good.

The youngest sometimes points out birds and tells me she thinks they'll be yummy, but often will follow with her "baby" being off limits because it's small and doesn't go "er-er-errrr". We just got our first load of CX. The youngest helps with their care in the AM and I always bring up that we will be eating them, but not until they get old, fat and ugly and then we'll get more chicks. Older yardbirds just can't compete with a brooder full of fluffybutts for her.


Wanted to add, my kids and I are city raised. No hunting, no other experiences with animals as food, fishing yes, but only catch and release. We are however meat eaters. Just being honest and factual has worked with us for the chicken question. My middle child has been asking for a rabbit for over a year now. My DH has offered her a deal. As soon as she agrees to let us eat them, she can get some rabbits. We don't have any rabbits yet and may not for a few more years, but I definitely see her agreeing and meaning it at some point.

 

[CMV]

My 5 y.o. daughter is used to animals being served on the table. She is OK with it for the most part because we have animals that are pets and animals that are livestock. She had a little trouble distinguishing between the two when she was younger. She once came to me, crying, and asked if we were going to eat Coda (our dog) when she got old. I started distinguishing between pets vs. livestock right after that. All animals start out as livestock. When they prove themselves, they get to become pets and get a name. Pet status is rarely granted. Sometimes it is granted on a trial basis, in which case the animal is named after the future meal they may become should they fail as a pet. Pets get a funeral when they die, livestock gets "processed." My daughter has a very practical attitude these days and it doesn't faze her at all.

Last fall after processing 2 of our pigs, we sat down to a nice ham dinner with extended family (who are city folks). My daughter looks at the ham critically, and asked, "So... Is this Betty or Wendy?" Our guests looked horrified, I was mortified, and my daughter asked for a second serving of "Betty" later in the meal.

 

[TimG]

Quote:
What "meal names" are "Betty" and "Wendy"?

 

[CMV]

Quote:
What "meal names" are "Betty" and "Wendy"?

Named by the previous owner.

 

[Suechick]

Thank you all so much for your insights and stories. I have laughed and cried, there are so many options that make sense. Understanding how to distinguish between pets and livestock is very helpful.

I hope that sometime we'll be able to move to a place with more space so we can have that second coop for meaties and maybe get a pig to raise. For now, I guess we just have pet chickens that lay awesome eggs.

A copy of Farmer Boy is on the shelf and we can read that together, we love story time! We always talk about the amazing things that Pa and Ma did and wonder if we could live as well as them in the same situation. I don't know if we have 4H or FFA nearby, but I can look into it.

 

[they'reHISchickens]

My mom passed away after illness when my kids were pretty young so they don't have many memories of her. My middle daughter says her ONLY memory of a healthy gramma is standing on a chair by the kitchen sink as gramma cleaned and dissected a chicken, explaining all the parts to DD as she went. DD was fascinated and treasures the memory.
I think it all has to do with the presentation to the child. If you are matter-of-fact, they will take their cue from you. If you are worried about their psyche, they will give you something to worry about!

 

[franklinchickens]

We've never been big meat eaters and my now 8 year old daughter has never liked it but would occasionally eat it at an event or restaurant. We've had our chickens since April, and have not eaten a chicken since. They are pets. I thought I'd be fine with it - these are pets and that we'd buy chickens to eat. Before we'd have maybe a chicken a week - I can get up to 6 meals out of one chicken. But now, none of us can think of eating a chicken after they've sat on our lap and eaten from our hands. Maybe we're just city suckers but we've gone about 90% vegetarian since getting the chickens, we were probably 50% before. Our daughter can't even imagine eating a chicken at all, and that has spread to any animal. Not that she's ever really liked meat (loves fruits & veggies though which is good, including tofu & lentils). We made it her choice though meals must be balanced and healthy including protein. So scrambled eggs is a bit part of her diet now!
I do have to admit that last week when she was at a birthday party, my husband & I hustled over to a nearby bbq place and chowed down. Man, was it good. But it's a treat now, not an everyday thing.