would you kill your own animals for food?

[Beefbisquit]

I don't mean take a gun or trap and kill something you've never met before.

I mean if you kept your own chickens, goats, pigs etc, would you be able to kill them for your food?

Absolutely. I already have killed pigs and chicken I raised. Once our pig was named, "Rosey", my sister couldn't bear to think of her as food any longer.

Its one of those things that I've never tried, I should, but I get too attached to animals, I love meat like life, but I don't think I'd be able to kill off animals I've raised. Fish, yes, stupid fuckers, but not fluffy cuddly animals!

I never thought of them as pets. I love my dogs, I would starve to death before harming them. The pigs, I dunno why, but I never got attached. Chickens I never felt a damn thing when they died.

Could you go and wring your chickens neck? (I could be wrong but I imagine folk from the US would be more willing, in the UK we are rarely ever connected to our food source, heck, we don't even hunt other than the priveliged who can get a shotgun license and somewhere to shoot)

I'm Canadian, and I never rung a neck... I had a block of wood with piece of rope thread through it to hold their neck still, then gave them a whack with the hand axe.

Side note; it is annoying as fuck to feather a bird.

 

[charface]

I would follow my dog around and steal his food.

 

[2paranoid]

nope.

 

[ErieR33FER]

I would rather die a slow and painful death, and hope that something positive happens because what's life without your best friend.

 

[Hookabelly]

Could and did. (raised beef steer)

 

[Dirty Harry]

I have ducks and chickens for eggs. I eat the chickens when they get past laying age. The ducks get lucky as I don't like to eat duck. My ducks are about 5+ years old and still occasionally drop an egg or two, but I only kill what I will eat. I have a rotation for the chickens, about three years and then the old ones end up on the BBQ. I replace the ducks as they die off. They are cool to watch but not exactly a pet. All get banded for record keeping of age.

 

[Hookabelly]

I have ducks and chickens for eggs. I eat the chickens when they get past laying age. The ducks get lucky as I don't like to eat duck. My ducks are about 5+ years old and still occasionally drop an egg or two, but I only kill what I will eat. I have a rotation for the chickens, about three years and then the old ones end up on the BBQ. I replace the ducks as they die off. They are cool to watch but not exactly a pet. All get banded for record keeping of age.

We considered this also. Do you find they taste gamier than store bought chickens? Are they less tender since older? ( I think mass produced chicken is slaughtered at around 6 months)

 

[Dirty Harry]

We considered this also. Do you find they taste gamier than store bought chickens? Are they less tender since older? ( I think mass produced chicken is slaughtered at around 6 months)

My animals do not live in cages, but a large caged run with a small plastic pond and access to a "chicken coop". For gaminess, I don't notice a difference since I feed them a combination of cracked corn, meat bird feed, and layer feed depending on the time of the year. Layer for the spring-fall and meat bird/cracked corn to keep them fat during the winter. The chickens can get tough as they age. One year rotation would probably be ideal if raising from a chick so they provide enough eggs to make up for the feed cost. I am in it more for the eggs than the meat, but if using for soups, two to three years won't make much difference. I raised a turkey tom for 1+ years and turned him into Thanks Giving dinner. No gamy taste, a three inch beard and nice tail that I mounted myself and is hanging on the wall.

 

[TryN]

I don't mean take a gun or trap and kill something you've never met before.

I mean if you kept your own chickens, goats, pigs etc, would you be able to kill them for your food?

Its one of those things that I've never tried, I should, but I get too attached to animals, I love meat like life, but I don't think I'd be able to kill off animals I've raised. Fish, yes, stupid fuckers, but not fluffy cuddly animals!

Could you go and wring your chickens neck? (I could be wrong but I imagine folk from the US would be more willing, in the UK we are rarely ever connected to our food source, heck, we don't even hunt other than the priveliged who can get a shotgun license and somewhere to shoot)

I live in the US on the north I could not picture life without hunting and spearing. I have raised animals food. I also grew up doing that so I got used to it at a young age.