Why Don't They Eat Them?

[MrsWeasley]

We just got chicks this spring, and I saw this article today:

http://www.nbcnews.com/health/backy...hen-hipsters-cant-cope-critics-say-6C10533508

We got dual purpose chickens with the idea of slaughtering them for meat when they stop laying, but when I read things like that, I wonder if that expectation is unrealistic. I don't really understand why they are abandoning their chickens instead of eating them. Would someone explain?

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Some people don't want to kill and eat their chickens.

Mainly I see the rescues that are complaining dealing with large cities. The ordinances I've read for cities say no roosters and that you can't slaughter, in addition to limiting the number of chickens you can have.

 

[Ridgerunner]

There are a couple of other threads on here about that article. That article quoted Rob, who runs this forum, and someone with a different viewpoint and agenda.

Some people do take on chickens when they don’t know what they are getting into. Some people take on dogs, cats, and anacondas too when they should not. A lot of these get turned in to the pound, shelter, whatever you want to call those things. A lot get dumped in the country or maybe in a park; chickens, cats, dogs, and snakes.

A lot of these people don’t know how to butcher a chicken or just won’t eat what they consider a pet.

As long as you have done enough research and know what you are getting into, your expectations are not unrealistic. If your reasons for wanting to get into chickens are sound, you’ll do alright.

If you are where you are going to be buying practically all they eat instead of them foraging for most of their food or you raising it yourself, it’s not going to be very cost efficient. The specialty bred meat birds and specially bed laying birds are just so much more efficient cost-wise in mass production.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Woodland, the local big city up the road, Fayetteville Arkansas is like that. No roosters, limited to four hens, and you cannot slaughter them.

I don't live in Fayetteville or any other city or town. I live in the county with no restrictions on a backyard flock as long as I don't go commercial.

 

[bauers chicks]

“One of our hens grew up into a rooster and our neighbors are starting to complain. Do you know someone who might take him?”

 

[RedDrgn]

They abandon them for the exact same reasons that people abandon cats and dogs (and any other animal), the excuses for which are endless and range from legitimate to ridiculous.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

That's what I see, too.