What do vegetarians do with unproductive laying hens?

[77horses]

I'm a strict Vegetarian.

I am not Vegan, but I don't eat jello or marshmallows after finding out what was in them(gelatin= animal fat, animal hide, hoofs, pig noses, bones...all grinded up)

Luckily, there are non-gelatin jellos and marshmallows.

And I only eat eggs that are farm fresh; I don't like eating eggs that come from caged hens, who are not allowed any freedom. Would rather have free, fresh eggs from our hens; they come from happy hens!

Also, I drink some milk, but I usually drink soymilk; I like the taste better! Real milk to me just tastes bland and plain. But soymilk is sweet and healthy.

OK sorry for bringing it off topic for a bit. lol

 

[chikenlover]

You can keep them as lovely pets!!!

 

[wings]

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Have you ever had raw milk? It's WONDERFUL! (Only the farm fresh stuff, of course!)

 

[77horses]

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Have you ever had raw milk? It's WONDERFUL! (Only the farm fresh stuff, of course!)

No I haven't don't think. My parents always get 1% milk because they said that the fat in whole milk is bad.

 

[Katy]

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Have you ever had raw milk? It's WONDERFUL! (Only the farm fresh stuff, of course!)

No I haven't don't think. My parents always get 1% milk because they said that the fat in whole milk is bad.

Then no wonder you think milk is bland. I can't stand drinking 1%....that stuff is like water with a little milk added.

 

[kycklingar!]

My chickens are the best pets I've ever had. When they stop laying, they will still be cared for as they are now. Loved and cared for. I am adding a few at a time as time goes by, so I always have some young layers, but when the ladies get old, I will honor their years of service by ensuring they have a happy home for life.

 

[WalkingWolf]

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No I haven't don't think. My parents always get 1% milk because they said that the fat in whole milk is bad.

Then no wonder you think milk is bland. I can't stand drinking 1%....that stuff is like water with a little milk added.

My family owned and run a dairy when I was very young, they even had their own dairy farm run by my aunt and uncle. I would stay summers out of school at the farm to play and work.

I have drank warm and cold raw milk, unless you shake the milk before drinking it you are drinking unpasteurized skim milk. The cream(fat) from the milk rises to the top is skimmed off and used for baking and other uses. The end product is low fat milk.

The process of homogenizing forces the fat particles under heat through tiny orifices to suspend the fat in the skim milk to create whole milk. The term skim milk is simply because it has been skimmed of fat. Raw milk tastes richer because many of the nutrients and pro-biotics(natural bacteria) that provide flavor are killed off.

 

[NoelTate]

I am a pescetarian, and my chickens will have a home for the rest of their natural lives. I will not eat them, nor will I betray them by passing them on to someone else who will eat them. The fact that they provide eggs now will earn them their keep later on. Once something serves you, you owe it a debt. That debt is not paid by taking away its right to life. Older hens can still eat bugs, prepare gardens for planting, and just be fun to watch. Mine will live with me until the Lord calls them home-without the use of a knife or hatchet. Of course, animals are not equivalent to humans, but I always wonder if people are as callous about older people being past their usefulness. We could always just gas everyone in nursing homes to death. And that whole natural process thing sounds really great-when you are at the top of the chain. If it's just a part of nature, and if one life is meant to nourish and sustain another through its own death, then why do we consider it a bad thing when a cougar, bear, or shark eats a human?
Once an animal comes to my house, that's it. It has a home for life and never has to face the fear and pain of being butchered.

 

[77horses]

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VERY VERY VERY well said!!!!

 

[silkiechicken]

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I don't think that's really true. Not sure why they'd need less space if they stopped laying if all else is the same.

But either way, my birds are mostly for production more so than pets, so if they are not part of the pet flock, to keep even 3 productive hens in their prime let's say 3 years, with a 16-20 year life span, you'd be maintaining 15-18 birds for a few eggs a day. As pet's I guess that's fine though, as it's what the owners set out to do in the first place.