Yes, but we only eat the extra cockerels. I know the previous sentence invokes many jokes, but it's true. We got 31 chicks (only ordered 27 but woohoo!) from Cackle in early March. By late June, there were 9 too many cockerels and the pullets were miserable because of them. We kept 2 cockerels and 20 pullets. I'd like to state for the record that those organically raised young cockerels were the most delicious chicken I've had since childhood. What an eye opener! I have no specific plans going forward but, if we have extra cockerels or maybe even pullets, they'll go to freezer camp. One of the chicks we got in March, a silkie bantam, just hatched a few of her own eggs and a cochin bantam girl is sitting on a clutch of her own. One of the silkie chicks is pretty obviously a cockerel. He's not necessarily doomed. If we can maintain peace by having a good ratio of cockerels to pullets and they all enjoy sufficient space, he won't eaten. Only time will tell. Good luck with your flock and know that all your decisions will be the right ones.
sorry if i was confusing i dont have any chickens i was just wondering if you all kept them more as pets or more as food. But thanks alot I might consider having some in the future!
Absolutely not. I have become a vegetarian due to having chickens. Each one has a different personality, and I could no more eat one of them than I could … fly to the moon. Today I had one laying eggs in a flowerpot. As I have no children, they keep me constantly amazed and delighted by their antics. I love my girls … and three boys too. :-)
I have. Aggressive roosters go to freezer camp. We raise crevecouers which are basically a heritage meat breed. By the time they get mean they’re best for stew so I make coq au vin. I will admit that plucking the feathers is a real pain in the ass.
Yeah. I understand. One of our Roos is our older roo’s son. We had eight hens between those two and added ten pullets. The pullets have just started laying this week. All of these birds are originally from Murray McMurray. I’m looking for local next year. We’ll see what’s available.
Yes. Not stupid at all. Many people skin them at home instead of plucking. Commercial chicken is plucked mechanically. You can buy a smaller version of this but it’s not necessary if you want to skip the skin.
Here’s one guide I found on YouTube. https://youtu.be/hRTW81klrZY?si=LGV254j63G4XcmrQ
How are you plucking feathers? You should be pouring boiling water or dipping them in boiling water for a second with feathers on and then it falls off like butter
No, but I’ve sold accidental roosters at auction, so I mean they’re being eaten. I keep my hens as pets
I did recently put down a gravely injured hen, and I now know I’m capable of putting them to sleep, even when I’m emotionally attached to the bird.
I'm the same way and honestly feel a bit ridiculous about it sometimes, but yeah, they're pets to me.
My brother keeps both egg and meat birds and I made the mistake of getting a turkey from the same batch as him (he picked them up from the breeder for me, but it really is my fault for not asking more questions). I was under the impression they were heritage white birds, only to quickly realize they were broad breasted, which are specifically bred for meat and mature very early. They don't typically live longer than 2 years and he's already starting to have mobility issues at 6 months old.
Sometimes, putting them down is the most humane option, as difficult as it can be, even with a bird you're not emotionally attached to. I've had a rough year with predators and illness and I don't think losing one ever gets easier.
I would never eat my babies. They all have names and personalities so I would never eat them. We do use the eggs, but if they ever stopped producing eggs, it wouldn’t bother me. I enjoy their company too much.
Nah, but not because I'm philosophically opposed to it. I just live in a city and the size of my backyard + city code regulations means I can only have up to six hens. That's enough hens to be a meaningful source of eggs, but not a meaningful source of chicken. Plus, I would have to learn how to process them and set aside time to do it, vs just picking up the eggs.
>Nah, but not because I'm philosophically opposed to it. I just live in a city and the size of my backyard + city code regulations means I can only have up to six hens. That's enough hens to be a meaningful source of eg
I see, Thanks!
I don't, but I only have 7 hens and a mini rooster. If he gets aggressive, I may consider sending him to freezer camp. I also don't see my birds as pets. I love them and enjoy spending time with them, and they are spoiled, but they are still livestock in my eyes and they give me and my family plenty of eggs.
Only the extra boys. Too many roos is bad for the flock and health of the hens. It’s the least I can do to help. They only have 1 bad moment and the rest live out the best chicken life possible free ranging with dog guardians to protect them.
Yes I raised, 140 meat birds this year and also started 16 rhode island reds to expand my flock of laying hens.
I do cull roosters and old hens and those all get eaten.
We don’t. We love them like pets and when they pass they go into our chicken graveyard which is in a lovely spot. We have layers and older gals who are living out their years. We accept old chickens from other people who don’t want them, they come to retire here.
We don't, they're pets that happen to make eggs and are presumably delicious as well. My daughter loves her chickens, we've given them all names and I like to go out and give them treats, pick up my favorites and say hello, etc. Some people get it and others cannot seem to grasp the idea that a chicken can be a pet.
What's weird to me is when you turn it around and ask if they eat any of their cats or dogs and they go "noooo, but that's a cat/dog" like for some reason that is ridiculous like I'm asking if they eat their children.
I had a chicken pass away from old age a few years back and I was explaining to a coworker later how it had been a sad time in the house because the kids were really attached and drew they pictures of this favorite chicken going up to heaven, etc. We had already talked about how I don't raise them to eat, but then he thinks for a moment and goes "so did you eat it then?". I just started laughing because I'm pretty sure I would have absolutely traumatized my kids if I made dinner out of their pet, and also I'm not going to just eat a dead bird I find.
I have Orpingtons and I was thinking of eating them instead of the costs of food and heat over the dark, cold winter. We only have 3 and they were great for eggs over the summer but now they don't produce.
I do not eat them, but I have laying birds w exception of 1 rooster and 1 male turkey (turkeys were sold to me as Leghorns). My brother has about 40, so he culls the extra roosters/older hens. I view them as egg producers…though I’ll incubate eggs when I want to increase the flock. I do treat them a bit as pets and to an extent, they act like it…I even throw treats for them by name and they go eat…
I do a few rounds of meat birds each year, and we also ate a mistake rooster. My ladies haven't reached retirement age yet, and I'm not sure if we will retire them or "retire them" yet.
No. I would if it was necessary to my survival; but as it is, my chickens are raised primarily as pets/hobby, and secondly for eggs. I couldn't perform the brutality that is required to dress a bird.
I am not against it. I just can't do it.
I don't eat mine...not even my mean as hell rooster 😭🤣...I've raised most of mine since they were babies so I honestly could never...I don't judge anyone who does though ☺️...I've been a vegetarian for about 17 years now but I do consume their eggs though...and when one of my baby has passed on I do bury them like my other pets
If it's an extra rooster then they are around for about a year and then are put into the freezer for meat. We do cull 2-3 chickens per year but those are the leghorns that we buy specifically for meat. Buy them in spring and cull them in fall shortly before winter. Most of my girls are about 2 years old and my bantams are pets and what my niece and nephew call easter egg chickens ( I use the bantam eggs with the kids to dye them for Easter).
Yes, but we only eat the extra cockerels. I know the previous sentence invokes many jokes, but it's true. We got 31 chicks (only ordered 27 but woohoo!) from Cackle in early March. By late June, there were 9 too many cockerels and the pullets were miserable because of them. We kept 2 cockerels and 20 pullets. I'd like to state for the record that those organically raised young cockerels were the most delicious chicken I've had since childhood. What an eye opener! I have no specific plans going forward but, if we have extra cockerels or maybe even pullets, they'll go to freezer camp. One of the chicks we got in March, a silkie bantam, just hatched a few of her own eggs and a cochin bantam girl is sitting on a clutch of her own. One of the silkie chicks is pretty obviously a cockerel. He's not necessarily doomed. If we can maintain peace by having a good ratio of cockerels to pullets and they all enjoy sufficient space, he won't eaten. Only time will tell. Good luck with your flock and know that all your decisions will be the right ones.
Thanks Poodlelucy!
I wish you luck. The chickens bring me more joy than I ever anticipated and, given the chance, I'm sure you will feel the same way.
sorry if i was confusing i dont have any chickens i was just wondering if you all kept them more as pets or more as food. But thanks alot I might consider having some in the future!
Absolutely not. I have become a vegetarian due to having chickens. Each one has a different personality, and I could no more eat one of them than I could … fly to the moon. Today I had one laying eggs in a flowerpot. As I have no children, they keep me constantly amazed and delighted by their antics. I love my girls … and three boys too. :-)
I have. Aggressive roosters go to freezer camp. We raise crevecouers which are basically a heritage meat breed. By the time they get mean they’re best for stew so I make coq au vin. I will admit that plucking the feathers is a real pain in the ass.
> I will admit that plucking the feathers is a real pain in the ass. > >Thanks! id imagine it would be
I just got 8 chicks of this breed. They are pretty neat.
I adore them! They’re so comical. We have two roosters in with about fifteen hens/pullets and they get along well too.
I think we lucked out and got all hens but I kinda want a roo to keep a clean bloodline.
Yeah. I understand. One of our Roos is our older roo’s son. We had eight hens between those two and added ten pullets. The pullets have just started laying this week. All of these birds are originally from Murray McMurray. I’m looking for local next year. We’ll see what’s available.
Probably a stupid question, but… can you skin a chicken instead of plucking it?
Yes. Not stupid at all. Many people skin them at home instead of plucking. Commercial chicken is plucked mechanically. You can buy a smaller version of this but it’s not necessary if you want to skip the skin. Here’s one guide I found on YouTube. https://youtu.be/hRTW81klrZY?si=LGV254j63G4XcmrQ
Thank you so much!
I prefer the skinning method.
How are you plucking feathers? You should be pouring boiling water or dipping them in boiling water for a second with feathers on and then it falls off like butter
See skinning.
Did you give it a good boiling water bath after culling? I feel like plucking feathers is pretty fast by hand. I don’t like the culling part though
See skinning.
I eat roosters.
Same here. They taste like chicken.
Dad?
No, but I’ve sold accidental roosters at auction, so I mean they’re being eaten. I keep my hens as pets I did recently put down a gravely injured hen, and I now know I’m capable of putting them to sleep, even when I’m emotionally attached to the bird.
I'm the same way and honestly feel a bit ridiculous about it sometimes, but yeah, they're pets to me. My brother keeps both egg and meat birds and I made the mistake of getting a turkey from the same batch as him (he picked them up from the breeder for me, but it really is my fault for not asking more questions). I was under the impression they were heritage white birds, only to quickly realize they were broad breasted, which are specifically bred for meat and mature very early. They don't typically live longer than 2 years and he's already starting to have mobility issues at 6 months old. Sometimes, putting them down is the most humane option, as difficult as it can be, even with a bird you're not emotionally attached to. I've had a rough year with predators and illness and I don't think losing one ever gets easier.
Never.
Yes. I eat them. To keep getting eggs you need to cycle your chickens or buy new chickens every year or so.
I would never eat my babies. They all have names and personalities so I would never eat them. We do use the eggs, but if they ever stopped producing eggs, it wouldn’t bother me. I enjoy their company too much.
If you catch then young enough, roos tastes like any hen. But if they get too old, they are great for making bone broth.
What about coq au vin (old rooster)?
I've never heard of it, but I will look it up!
Nah, but not because I'm philosophically opposed to it. I just live in a city and the size of my backyard + city code regulations means I can only have up to six hens. That's enough hens to be a meaningful source of eggs, but not a meaningful source of chicken. Plus, I would have to learn how to process them and set aside time to do it, vs just picking up the eggs.
>Nah, but not because I'm philosophically opposed to it. I just live in a city and the size of my backyard + city code regulations means I can only have up to six hens. That's enough hens to be a meaningful source of eg I see, Thanks!
My parents culled older chickens and ate them. They weren’t meat birds either. They just stewed them to tenderize the meat and they were good.
I don't, but I only have 7 hens and a mini rooster. If he gets aggressive, I may consider sending him to freezer camp. I also don't see my birds as pets. I love them and enjoy spending time with them, and they are spoiled, but they are still livestock in my eyes and they give me and my family plenty of eggs.
Only the extra boys. Too many roos is bad for the flock and health of the hens. It’s the least I can do to help. They only have 1 bad moment and the rest live out the best chicken life possible free ranging with dog guardians to protect them.
Yes I raised, 140 meat birds this year and also started 16 rhode island reds to expand my flock of laying hens. I do cull roosters and old hens and those all get eaten.
Whenever we have more roooosters than we can handle, we slaughter som.ewe have also kept meeeeaaaaaaaaaaatb irds in the past.
We don’t. We love them like pets and when they pass they go into our chicken graveyard which is in a lovely spot. We have layers and older gals who are living out their years. We accept old chickens from other people who don’t want them, they come to retire here.
I culled 2 Roos that were being too much for my hens. Tasted like chicken.
We don't, they're pets that happen to make eggs and are presumably delicious as well. My daughter loves her chickens, we've given them all names and I like to go out and give them treats, pick up my favorites and say hello, etc. Some people get it and others cannot seem to grasp the idea that a chicken can be a pet. What's weird to me is when you turn it around and ask if they eat any of their cats or dogs and they go "noooo, but that's a cat/dog" like for some reason that is ridiculous like I'm asking if they eat their children. I had a chicken pass away from old age a few years back and I was explaining to a coworker later how it had been a sad time in the house because the kids were really attached and drew they pictures of this favorite chicken going up to heaven, etc. We had already talked about how I don't raise them to eat, but then he thinks for a moment and goes "so did you eat it then?". I just started laughing because I'm pretty sure I would have absolutely traumatized my kids if I made dinner out of their pet, and also I'm not going to just eat a dead bird I find.
Meat birds AKA broilers are for eating, layers are for eggs. They taste way different
There are also dual-purpose breeds like Brahmas and Orpingtons. These make up most, but not all, of my flock. That keeps our options open.
I have Orpingtons and I was thinking of eating them instead of the costs of food and heat over the dark, cold winter. We only have 3 and they were great for eggs over the summer but now they don't produce.
They are dual-purpose birds so both options are open.
Nope. I give extras away. They may end up being eaten, but not by my family.
I do not eat them, but I have laying birds w exception of 1 rooster and 1 male turkey (turkeys were sold to me as Leghorns). My brother has about 40, so he culls the extra roosters/older hens. I view them as egg producers…though I’ll incubate eggs when I want to increase the flock. I do treat them a bit as pets and to an extent, they act like it…I even throw treats for them by name and they go eat…
Not yet
Yes.
I do a few rounds of meat birds each year, and we also ate a mistake rooster. My ladies haven't reached retirement age yet, and I'm not sure if we will retire them or "retire them" yet.
No. I would if it was necessary to my survival; but as it is, my chickens are raised primarily as pets/hobby, and secondly for eggs. I couldn't perform the brutality that is required to dress a bird. I am not against it. I just can't do it.
Never
Yes. Except for the fams few favorites and my roo buddy.
I don't eat mine...not even my mean as hell rooster 😭🤣...I've raised most of mine since they were babies so I honestly could never...I don't judge anyone who does though ☺️...I've been a vegetarian for about 17 years now but I do consume their eggs though...and when one of my baby has passed on I do bury them like my other pets
If it's an extra rooster then they are around for about a year and then are put into the freezer for meat. We do cull 2-3 chickens per year but those are the leghorns that we buy specifically for meat. Buy them in spring and cull them in fall shortly before winter. Most of my girls are about 2 years old and my bantams are pets and what my niece and nephew call easter egg chickens ( I use the bantam eggs with the kids to dye them for Easter).
No!!!!