I would only eat fruits and vegetables if I had to kill anything, watched my Mom wring chicken's neck when I was about 6, never left me. Made a bad impression.

LoL, I actually asked DH if we couldn't just shoot them in the head instead of cutting their necks. (and when I say "we" I mean "him". :) ) It just seemed more impersonal that way. :? Needless to say we did it the old fashioned way.

I used to help my daycare woman pluck the chickens as she cut their heads off. It seemed like a lot of work. You must be tired. Stupid question, probably, but after the heads I assume they must be gutted immediately? Do you keep any of the organs?

I used to feel that way until I saw first hand how food animals are raised and treated (we live near a bunch of chicken houses, 25,000 birds in one house crammed together, you can't breath because of the ammonia level). I feel like I'm doing my part to not support an industry that I'm strongly opposed to. That's also why I encourage DH to hunt and bring food to the table that way as well. Every little bit helps.

That brings back childhood memories...

No stupid questions, trust me! DH and I did some learning online and then did the rest of our learning today. :)

After you cut the throat and let the bird bleed out you dunk them in hot water (needs to be about 150 degrees). You dunk them in and out several times until one of the wing feathers comes out easily with your fingers. Pluck them all clean, cut off the legs and head and then you have to gut them from the neck and the rear. After they're cleaned out you put them in a cooler with ice and water to stay fresh until you're all done with each bird.

We didn't keep the organs, just because it's more work than it's worth for me. I'm not much on organs. I did keep the necks though to boil and make stock out of.

Sorry if that was more info than you wanted!

Actually, it's a great lesson on the issue. Living in the city dosen't afford us space, time and effort needed for raising chicks for food. We can keep hens for laying only in parts of the city. My yard is only around 10,000 sq feet LOL...only room for some veggies...but that's something. We had a great crop of taters this year...

My husband hunts, so I never have to buy beef. I talked to him a few times about getting chickens for the fresh eggs, but haven't been able to talk him into it. At least I can get organic fresh eggs from a lady I work with. They are so good and she seems to have an unlimited supply.

there are chickens all around us, altho we don't have any - one thing you have to watch out for around here are snakes...

Isn't it great to raise your own food and know where it comes from and what goes into it? We raised some meat chickens (11) back in the spring and, even though you have to process them at 7 weeks, at least I knew what they ate and that they had a good life for the 7 weeks that they were here. We also raise meat rabbits, and my husband's coworkers are always telling him how 'sick' he is to raise something and then kill it - we just laugh at them... :D