Meat!

[Denim Deb]

Just remember, if you get one for that purpose, you don't know when the last time was it was wormed, was on meds, etc so you'd want to wait a bit B4 butchering it.

 

[IW]

I have four good horses in my pasture that I can't even ride anymore due to a back injury. Two of them are just about big enough stinkers to ..... oh who am I kidding, I'll just keep feeding them and staying broke for a while longer.

 

[Denim Deb]

I'd have to be really hungry to eat any of mine.

 

[Bettacreek]

I'm the same way with my turkeys. I just can't bring myself to butcher one. :/ I've never raised horses, though I like them a lot. I really liked my lamb too though, and still ate him. It's different when you buy an animal strictly for pet though.

 

[the funny farm6]

i wouldnt be able to eat one of my own, but 1 from the sale barn-that i bought for that purpose, i think i could. if i didnt look at it too much. i would have to be hungry and keep the reason in mind.

 

[baymule]

Just remember, if you get one for that purpose, you don't know when the last time was it was wormed, was on meds, etc so you'd want to wait a bit B4 butchering it.

Yeah, the waiting part would be just long enough for me to forget what Purpose I bought it for....

 

[Denim Deb]

Sounds about right.

I no longer go to horse auctions. I see too many horses I'd love to own and know I can't afford another one, so I don't go. And, I'd have to be extremely hungry B4 I could even think about eating one.

 

[piglett]

If you're having trouble, remember that starting off on something like this is always the hard part. The starting, I mean. Do you have a friend that could show you how it's done? Really helped me. I thought it would be terrible but it's mostly fine. Plucking feathers off a chicken butt is as bad as it gets. And you don't even have to do that with your hands if you don't want. After butchering (cone method) there's no blood, which helps. And everything inside the bird is totally sterile. Still, there's lots of tricks that I didn't get from reading. So have a friend come show you how it's done.

unless you plan on baking the chicken in the oven (like for christmas) we just skin them
check out youtube & you will see how EZ skinning can be.



good luck
piglett

 

[piglett]

i wouldnt be able to eat one of my own, but 1 from the sale barn-that i bought for that purpose, i think i could. if i didnt look at it too much. i would have to be hungry and keep the reason in mind.

well 1st off , don't ever name them
pets have names our chickens here don't for just that reason
we get free roosters all of the time from craigslist
lots of people buy straight run & end up with WAY more roos than they need
they either don't know how or can't process them
so we go scoop em up & they head off to freezer camp

piglett

 

[heatherlynnky]

There is a rule in our house. No animal gets a name until I know the gender. Didn't need that rule till I got chickens but thats the rule. When I figure out who is who then they ALL get names. The boys are named after food and the girls are given sweet names and each child can claim one as their own. No one is allowed to claim a rooster ( unless it is a bantam, I won't eat those)

We are getting a steer in the spring. Same rule. The girls have sweet names like Bessie and Blossom. My husband has decided to name the steer Porter House. I know it sounds mean but it keeps it in your head that this is food and not a pet. When they are keepers they get pet names, until then they are all food so don't get attached.