Meet the New Chickens on the Farm

We're embarking on an experiment here at Gold Shaw Farm. We are going to attempt to raise the most ethical possible chicken meat. Can it be done?
Thanks to my buddy Jason at Sow the Land for the cornish cross footage. Check out their awesome channel at: bit.ly/GSFsow
Be sure to subscribe to our Channel! New videos on Monday and Thursday! bit.ly/SubGSF
TikTok: vm.tiktok.com/ZMJAS5CCa/
Instagram: / goldshawfarm
Facebook: / goldshawfarm
Twitter: / goldshawfarm
Patreon: / goldshawfarm
Web: www.goldshawfarm.com
Send us mail:
Gold Shaw Farm
PO Box 225
Peacham, VT 05862
About Gold Shaw Farm: Gold Shaw Farm is more of a farm-in-progress than an honest-to-goodness farm. Our dream is that someday we are able to transform our 150+ acre parcel of land into a regenerative and productive homestead and farm.

[@theappleboi3104]

Ah yes the final form of the Cornish cross, Big Chungus.

[@ganon01ryanoutsen92]

Of course 😆

[@noahcoronado7957]

Can’t like because funny number

[@anormaltdsplayerfromsoviet9999]

Blyat how

[@Guestplaystemplar]

Chunkus

[@YTSharkspeare]

I'm with you. We started raising our own chickens and ducks because I was unable to transition to a vegetarian lifestyle, and I wanted to make sure that my meat and eggs were humanely raised, where I could control how they are raised. Our birds get to free range all day, they are pampered with great feed, lots of treats and toys, and full yards and gardens to play in. Raising our own birds for meat and eggs has helped us reduce our reliance on the horrific conditions of factory farms, and it has increased our self-sufficiency and given us many practical skills. We really love your channel, you have an ethical heart. I think a lot of farmers would agree with you. I don't know why vegans would choose to watch a channel where they know that animals are being raised for meat, unless it's to lecture others, and that just wouldn't make sense. There are plenty of channels where they could share their message to a more receptive audience.

[@skunkshine028]

That's so amazing! 💗

[@kobaltkween]

Just to say, as someone who eats meat, I had watched over a dozen of this channel's videos before there was any explicit mention of even the eggs going food, let alone the animals. And KZbin fed me all of those. Vegetarians at least could have watched most of this channel and not been aware he was planning to slaughter some of his animals.

[@paullimotta7125]

Out of curiosity, do you slaughter the chickens yourselves?

[@isabellevega3382]

How do you make the meat tender? I have been trying to raise my own meat bit can't figure out how to make it tender.

[@evelynharber6077]

@@isabellevega3382 I am a carnivore and I am aware that it is the age of the live animal as to how tender the meat is! Veal is baby male beef generally, unwanted by milking farmers. Lamb. baby, probably male sheep, whereas mutton is an adult/older sheep or ram, haven't really investigated that far into my selection of meat. Pigs are generally non-lactating females or young boars or piglets. A lactating female is never used as I have been informed that the extra hormones affect the meat taste so that is something that the farmer/abattoirs have to deal with when sacrificing an animal for the table or further production.

[@fredfrond6148]

Ethical questions aside. The free range chickens that you raise are waayyyyy healthier. Factory raised chickens are bred and fed such that they have to be slaughtered in 39 days. If the chickens are not slaughtered in that time their growth will be so fast that their legs will break. Since you are so close to Quebec you should look at the Chanteclare chicken. Bred for cold weather life just like Toby and the geese.

[@dominiquehebert4903]

I don't know why I am shocked but it seems so many people here actually have experience or knowledge about how unhealthy the factory breeds of chickens are. You literally cannot keep them longer than that! It was heartbreaking and disgusting when we had a few (especially when they are beside the rest of the flock which were mostly barred rocks). Looking at them you know someone chose to keep that breed just for profit. I guess the only upside is...they don't really suffer not free-ranging because they don't range around anyways, they mostly just sat around and the other chickens didn't seem to know what to think about them...

[@introvertedequinesamsara6593]

Their legs won't break that is a myth but they will stop wanting to move as often to point you have to accist them for food,water and getting into the barn.

[@bobbyd6680]

@@introvertedequinesamsara6593 Yep, legs break on the conveyors. I can tell from the "drum sticks" bought at the large markets. They a what we in the medical field call spiral fractures, which is caused by twisting the bone, as the bird fights and struggles to free itself. Stress fractures are totally different, akin to broken puzzle pieces.

[@jcin6829]

wrong 23

[@charlye5697]

*Also... free range taste WAYYYYY better too. The difference is night and day. I SO want to eventually end up living in an area where I can 'buy in' to a co-op like some of my friends have done in the past. *sigh...

[@SushiSheik3]

I've always respected Morgan's stance on his animals having "one bad day." I feel it's a great way to look at raising animals ethically for meat.

[@HELENGodLoves]

This should be how we perceive it in OUR lives.... ONE bad day.

[@shakikiyama4285]

A 14 year old me actually bought one as a pet, not knowing much about the breed. She lived for about 6 months and lived with the rest of the chickens in our yard. She was a nice pet, sitting on me whenever she got the chance, laying eggs that tasted amazing. Sadly we did have to butcher her cause she was getting really big, and at some point even living a natural free range life was gonna fail her. Still, she was a good girl, Love ya San, the 6 months I spent with you are a treasure.

[@raul0ca]

I had one too. Came in a mixed set of feed store chickens. Ran with the rest of her flock of Rhode Island Red, Barred Rock, Ameraucana, Wyandotte. Just found her dead one day. The Ameraucana had the nicest personality but that's the thing; they might have brain the size of a pea but they're all individuals

[@evelynrogers7145]

You have nothing to feel bad about. You raise yours humanely

[@xylathoth]

@UCPrqt64Qxnt3WL5TCuQEUuQ i hope you are joking but this kind of argument purely appeals to people's emotions and doesn't actually do anything but start pointless arguments

[@kathrynbrighton7831]

I’m a vegan and I love following your channel. Your animals have an amazing life. Thank you for your kindness.

[@rc6133]

Ethical is difficult. As somebody who used to keep rats, I find it very difficult to watch your barn cat kill and eat a wonderful little rodent, but at the same time I understand that you can’t keep them around for lots of reasons. Killing the mail chicks at day old is not nice, but at the same time it provides food for rehabilitation of owls and provides help for keeping their chicks alive. Unfortunately life isn’t all good or bad, there’s lots of compromises needed. All we can do is try our best.

[@mickbxx]

This is a really good perspective!

[@katharinawinter3788]

Well....... It is very good, that some of the 1-day-chicks are used to feed owls and other predator birds in need, but .... there are not enough predators in this world to feed the millions of chickens to, that are slaughtered on their first day, because they are male.

[@nonyabizznu5087]

@@katharinawinter3788 Cats and dogs have to eat, too. A lot of them become general pet food. Hell, even turning them into fertilizer is a good use for them.

[@rhondaalbrecht]

Totally agree... God created an ecosystem that works, and mankind keeps screwing with it, which throws everything off balance. If we'd just leave well enough alone, everything would work well together.

[@mickbxx]

@@katharinawinter3788 They're also used for snake food and fertilizers! You know, if humans wouldn't wipe out all of our predators, our ecosystem would be more balanced.

[@Picar70]

Also a tip. When doing the "deed" so to speak, you should place your chickens in a calm area and have the slaughter area out of sight for the other chickens to lessen stress. So the only "stressful" bit will be the "death" so to speak.

[@wendyweaver8749]

Farbror - Pierre - Based on a video from last fall, I believe that is how Morgan does the processing. He separated the geese to be slaughtered into a "chicken" tractor the night before and the enclosure was away from the process area. Think he also keep the retained geese enclosed on that day.

[@sswwooppee]

If nothing else, you’ll raise ethical chicken for yourself.

[@rodneyboehner3007]

In China, KFCs are called KFD.

[@frederickmoller]

@@rodneyboehner3007 I'm Quebec they are called Poulet Frit ala Kentucky (PFK), estee mon chum!

[@rodneyboehner3007]

@@frederickmoller KFS in Canada.

[@beejls]

@@JanitorIsBack we all die. It’s the life that’s important. We are all food.

[@sswwooppee]

@@JanitorIsBack ethical crap? As in, being concerned about ethics is crap?

[@ps1hagrid268]

In the Netherlands we have a word for this type of chicken: the “plofkip” which roughly translates to explosive chicken because they look like they’re gonna explode in combination with the overly populated barn makes it quite a good name in my opinion

[@jwenting]

uh no. That's a different phenomenon. It's meat processing plants injecting slaughtered chickens with water to make the weight of the packaged product higher. That water will turn to steam when cooking the chicken, and "poof" or "boom", especially in the microwave.

[@ps1hagrid268]

@@jwenting I didn’t know they did that but the “plofkip” is a synonym for the Cornish cross

[@krat5576]

As far as I know plofkip was heavily advertized by animal rights groups, hinting to their explosive and grosely unhealthy 'booming' growth rates.

[@dogseathomework4171]

I'm a vegetarian for the same reasons that you want to eat ethical food (I want animals to have good lives, not sucky factory lives). I love watching your videos because you put a lot of effort into treating the animals as well as possible.

[@MultiAsdag]

He still kills em for profit. Don't lose sight of that as a vegetarian. Of course he's better than factory farms, in the same way one who abuses a girl sexually (yet treats her kind) is better than the someone who ties them up and bashes them as they do it. Core act is still wrong though. Humans don't need meat.

[@Sandreline]

@@MultiAsdag, please don't compare meat farming to the sexual abuse of human children.

[@robertgrisafi9261]

@@MultiAsdag have you done any research before making such audacious statements?? As someone who was sexually abused at 15 years old I dont appreciate how your using that to somehow justify your pov. Secondly to go as far as too say "humans dont need meat" again research pal your more likely to have an internal organ fail due to lack of nutrients you receive from meat. THIRDLY OF COURSE ITS FOR PROFIT HOW IS HE TO CARE FOR HIS FAMILY WITHOUT INCOME!?!?!?! I swear people like you are so close-minded and would rather put more effort into finding problems with others life styles then accept things and appreciate that he's not just getting the word out how breeds are treated but that has willing to find an ethical way to raising animals. P.S. im willing to bet he loves his animals more then you love your own family members which tends to be the case for alot of people which is sad. How dare you

[@liriodendronlasianthus]

@@MultiAsdag please stop using PETA as a source

[@martinwyke]

We are omnivores. I think it is far more ethical to raise and butcher your own chickens for consumption than most of us do unthinkingly buying it prepacked from the supermarket.

[@p.s.shnabel3409]

Yes and no. For example, someone who lives w/o access to a plot of land, doesn't have a lot of money but still wants to eat meat. If that person buys the meat they can afford and makes sure every single bit is used, I would call that ethical. To me, the problems arise when I see waste, greed and being cheap. Be it in regards to the products we eat, the way we treat each other, how we value our planet. It is immensely complicated and I really have no solution.

[@mkpetersen1607]

In Denmark (where I live) the ethnicity of meat is rated by 0-3 green hearts and the hears are printed on the package. No green heart mean either it's not danish meat (they can't rate meat from outside of Denmark) or that it's danish but with very bad facilities. 3 hearts means that the animal lived outside on grass most of its life. I personally can't buy "low" rated meat anymore! Since it's so obvious, there is no excuse anymore. If I'd buy low-rated meat, I would definitely know in what type of environment the animal was raised. But on the other hand I can also buy ethnically raised meat in the supermarket without having to do a whole lot of research and google each farmer (the origin (farm) of the meat is printed on the package) ☺️

[@ButterflyBox89]

@@p.s.shnabel3409 it’s unfortunately not ethical to eat factory meat, it’s also unhealthy. Chickens raised in factory conditions are less healthy and taste remarkably different from free range & organic. Eggs from battery hens have much higher levels of bad cholesterol and less vitamins. The fact of the matter is cheap meat/cheap produce comes at a price whether it be environmental, human cost I.e inhumane practices that take advantage of others (look at avocados and how that screws local farmers over). The fact of the matter is meat costs, good produce costs. We eat way too much and we need to cut back to look at the true value of good food. The supermarket chains demonstrate that there is a problem with how we buy food & governments should be supporting local growers. NOT chains, there are massive food waste issues due to supermarkets. The modern way of buying food from a supermarket shelf disconnected from its origins, seasonality and area are wrong.

[@p.s.shnabel3409]

@@ButterflyBox89 We disagree on the judgment of what is/isn't ethical. I repeat, if you do the best you can with what you've got, then you *are* acting ethical. As for solutions, let me point out your idea would lead to shortages/sky rocketing prices. Mom and Pop stores/family owned small farms cannot fulfil the needs of our population. Sure, the rich and well-to-do will still eat all they want, for the rest of the nation (world), too bad. Go starve. There *is* no easy fix. Maybe we need to try and reduce the number of people on earth (but how?). Maybe we need to ration resources, to be handed out by a central government (sounds dystopian to me). Or maybe we just need to try and fix problems the best we can, when we can. Keep on fiddling with the system in incremental stages, so we don't risk the whole house of cards falling down. And yes, that includes accepting: not doing the perfect thing = ethical behavior. Let's not play that game of telling others how they could be so much better. Instead, do better for yourself.

[@Zergling.]

@@p.s.shnabel3409 Very well said, i realy like your realistic view of the world instead of the more emotional or subjective view alot of people have, you understand the problems that can raise with mass industrial meat production but at the same time you know that theres no alternative right now for it. Like you said if we implemented the idealistic ideas alot of people have, we will see skyrocketing of prices and even famine world wide, theres too much people and 99% dont have the money to pay that type of prices. Now for solutions i am dont realy know, its easy to find faults and being critic but finding VIABLE solutions much more difficult, one that may work is artificial meat, its already being researched and use, but i think its still too early teck and dont know about the prices and quality of the meat, if that meat can be prodcue with same costs and the meat is the same as normal meat industry than can work.

[@DamfinoFarm]

I bought dual purpose, heritage breeds for this. They take a little longer to get big, but I'd much rather have these birds than a freak of nature (Cornish Cross). I also let my birds raise their own babies whenever possible.

[@Jlind9335]

Freak of nature they may be, but two months versus 5 months I would do many times. Unless you have raised and processed and cooked. Who are you to judge a freak of nature? If you just want meat in two months I would try raising a few so you know. There are also a few things you can do to slow the growth. I made that same judgement was happy with the results.

[@mystylangston4803]

I am aproching this in the same way that you stated dual and heritage

[@kyradelaney3076]

Absolutely agree with this, this year was my first season raising meat birds and I’m switching to a dual purpose bird currently for my sanity lol

[@KenS1267]

@@Jlind9335 Why not get something like a traditional meat breed or a dual purpose breed and have the chicks take 3 months to get to slaughter weight rather than 6 weeks and have the meat taste like something if you don't want to deal with heritage breeds? Going to Cornish crosses isn't the only option except heritage breeds.

[@maryeckert9936]

I have done the same. I like knowing what I put in my chickens over mass produced chickens and eggs. They live happier and have better flavor.

[@peludrax]

I remember my parents raising a few chicks that had been given to them by a school ( That my sister in law worked at) they were Tyson chickens and man, the difference between them and my parent's flock was so heartbreaking to watch. They grew so insanely fast that most of them just stopped wanting to walk or move much at all, their behavior was just so...subdued and bizarre, they had no survival instincts. One even died because unlike the other chickens who knew to go inside when it was raining, it just sat there and ended up drowning as it was in a depression in the dirt. My parents were constantly having to pick them up and move them to get them to eat and drink because, as I said, they just didn't want to move. The other chickens left them alone, it was almost like they didn't understand what these weird birds we put in there were. Just an overall sad experience, and it really changed how I view mass produced meat birds.

[@randomrachael420]

Tyson won't let people film what is going on in those covered chicken houses. They know they will get shut down if they did. They only care about making money, they do not care or take care of their chickens or the farmers.

[@nina.namaste]

as a vegan watching (and enjoying) your videos i wanted to bring up a few points: i totally agree with you morgan. the way we raise livestock in factory farms today is not only inhumane and utterly disrespectful to life but also destroying our planet and our health. this way of raising meat is turning a large part of our world into agricultural and literal deserts. deforestation of the rainforest can usually be traced back to feed that is being used to feed livestock. the next point you brought up, about the breeds and living conditions of these animals is something i also agree with. why the heck do we think, that raising these unhealthy animals in unhealthy and toxic living conditions, will produce healthy food? we have to rethink not only the way we farm but also the way we eat. buying cheap meat not only harms the animals, but it also harms the farmers. the agricultural industry is destroyed by our overconsumption and expectation to underpay the hard work put into growing our food. integrative farming is the future, that is why i love this channel so much and i deeply appreciate all the work you put into it and your farm, morgan. i may disagree with parts of it, and i certainly won't watch the slaughter videos but if people want to decide to eat meat, i'd much rather have them buy it from you than a mass-producing discounter with no regard for the destruction they cause to the planet, the animals, the farmers, and the consumers. but as a vegan all i ask to those eating meat: please be humble and mindful. those were living, breathing beings with feelings and families just like us. it is a privilege for you to eat them. please treat them with respect and gratitude even after their death. they deserve it. thank you.

[@ButterflyBox89]

@Nina Nimaste Hi can I also highlight that being vegan is *just* as problematic as being an omnivore if you’re not paying attention to: where your produce is coming from, is it fair trade, is it grown in a monoculture, are aggressive pesticides being used? Monoculture agriculture can be seen from space. It erodes local ecosystems, destroys soil (and incredibly vital issue that is being ignored) and contributes to indigenous land being taken and indigenous people being taken advantage of. Avocados, nuts, tofu etc are all examples of crops that are mostly farmed unethically and most ‘aggressive vegan’ arguments like to ignore human cost. Regenerative agriculture and permaculture are not new, they are indigenous ways of farming. The global climate crisis is perpetuated by the west and is mostly contributed to by 100 companies. But most of these companies like shell oil etc are not lobbies]d by governments. Large conglomerates like Tesco’s, Sainsbury’s etc promote vegan food *whilst* funding deforestation of the Amazon. Stop eating meat? Cool, do you think these companies which can make cheap profit abroad will stop abusing land and cheap unethical practices just because they are now going to import soy instead? The issue lies with governments not individuals. We have massive issues with food waste as we over produce in the west. Our food chains are frankly messed up with little to no local produce getting to consumers - or a lack of eating seasonally. To add to this *most* of the world is fed by so called peasant farmers who do practice regenerative farming. So where does the fault lie? On top of this veganism ignores cultural differences in order to cater to a largely white audience - a western audience, which has done the most damage to the planet. I find it somewhat ironic that it’s preached as an ‘enlightened viewpoint’ when it is quite damaging itself. If you are interested I would suggest looking up Sara Venn and engaging with how we can better understand sustainable food practices and decolonisation of food practices because I see a lot of ‘white privilege’ in veganism which doesn’t step back to look at the bigger picture.

[@allmyragejones1]

@@ButterflyBox89 Way to attack someone who chooses to be vegan. The original poster echoed much of what was said in the video. However you felt it important to disparage the vegan lifestyle. But what I find to be the most disgusting part of your post is that you had to make it about race. Shame on you and your desire to race bait.

[@Gandalf-The-Green]

Muscovy ducks are absolutely insane at keeping fly populations down, there have been studies done about this too. It is suggested to house them close to or with the cattle. They actively hunt flies, I could observe this many times. And they are great moms who do a great job at raising their own offspring.

[@cpn2937]

Absolutely agree! We raise them alongside our chickens and pigs. They are machines when it comes to eating flies. Also, they are awesome meat birds, although you do have to time butchering around the pin feathers. (learned that the hard way)

[@annebyrne4897]

I've had the same ethical issues you've expressed about the cornish X. I'm excited to see how your process goes with this little group of birds!

[@LadysFarm]

I feel if we raise them well and treat them well it’s not bad like the industrial chicken process.

[@melissabutts6694]

I agree! 100%

[@LadysFarm]

@@melissabutts6694 🥰🥰🥰

[@melissabutts6694]

@@LadysFarm ❤️❤️

[@SunraeSkatimunggr]

I lived around and worked on a chicken egg farm in southern California in the late '60s. It was nasty back then, and am sure it hasn't gotten much better. My dad would NOT eat chicken after working on a chicken farm when he was a kid.

[@marypritchett115]

Just as difficult to eat beef after driving close to feed lots, not to mention, working in the processing plants.

[@harmonywilliams9553]

I am a vegan (I started first like you are just trying to do everything more humane and ethical) I completely admire anyone who is going about meat eating they way you are! If all meat eaters cared the same way the world would be better off! Edit to add if EVERYONE cared the world would be a better place!

[@robertmcauslan6191]

I like to think of it like we can debate whether or not it’s ethical to kill an animal for food but the time between birth and death should be no debate. We know how that should look, what’s ethical. It’s all about harm reduction.

[@p.s.shnabel3409]

...if everybody - be they omnivore, herbivore or carnivore - cared the same way. Making the best choices with the restrictions of one's life, that's the way forward IMO.

[@harmonywilliams9553]

@@p.s.shnabel3409 Completely agree!

[@mickbxx]

If I had the money to eat ethically raised meat, I would. It's not doable for everyone. I do have egg laying chickens of my own though, and they produce more than enough for me and my neighbors. They can make some big holes in the yard though 😅

[@harmonywilliams9553]

@@mickbxx Even just having your own egg chickens is a start in the right direction! ☺️

[@birage9885]

The age old argument. It's a weird planet, where creatures have to destroy and devour each other to survive, and for the planet to have balance. I spiritually get what the vegans feel, heck, after I got my ducks I couldn't think about eating them, they are like family. Then it makes you feel for any animal that is raised to die and become someone's meal. Even in nature, I am starting to get empathetic to prey animals in general, as well as seeing the struggle of predators to have to find and kill another animal to survive. A much as I appreciate the spirit of vegans, etc., there is no way that the utopia they dream of will ever happen on this planet, without divine intervention. So, I guess, being as humane as possible in the raising of animals for food is, at least, the best you can do, if you are not vegan. I have respect for Gold Shaw Farm for caring for their animals. Let's face it, we and the animals are going to die from something, and at least Morgan is giving them a good life while they are alive, and that is worth something.

[@AmericanAppleProd]

@Bobb Grimley thats not nice Bobb 😬😬😬

[@LuthienNightwolf]

This is my feeling too. We are part of nature and nature made some animals eat meat. There's a balance for everything in the wild - without predators, the prey animals would quickly overpopulate and run down the resources in their area. We as humans have a responsibility to uphold that balance but we haven't done a very good job of it on a global scale. The show Rotten on Netflix has an episode about factory farming and it really lays bare some of the atrocities of that industry. I'd much rather support a local farmer who raises their meat animals in a way that's closest to their natural lifestyle.

[@sandramadden6966]

I feel much the same way, that's part of the reason we raised Freedom Rangers for our first batch of meat chickens rather than CC's. They were harvested at 12.5 weeks. And while they were a bit awkward getting around, they were perching well off the ground (even on swings!) and acting like real chickens up to their last moments. I've read that they are decent egg producers if you wanted to keep them longer too.

[@jimmyvang4552]

If you watch Weed’em & reap They have hatched chicks from their own ranger flock if your interested in seeing their process.

[@rhondaalbrecht]

They are great layers of huge brown eggs! I know, I raised some over the last year... still have two in my flock. They're sweet birds, too. My Barred Rock rooster loves them, too, but their offspring have all the attributes of the Barred Rock sire, none of the hens'.

[@VioletEvergreene]

We did cornish crosses, and they did get huge, but it took them a long time. They had good lives, and ran around with the orpingtons. But, they're bland. Are the Freedom Rangers better tasting? I love my orpingtons and we have them mostly for egg layers and they kind of became pets, but we had to cull some roosters to balance the flock. They were so, so, very tasty. It's just, it's hard for me to want to raise orpingtons for meat on a regular basis.

[@rhondaalbrecht]

@@VioletEvergreene The Freedom Rangers are flavorful, and if allowed to grow, which I did over the last 15 months, they will finish out at the same weight, if not larger, than the Cornish cross. While they were growing, obviously, they started laying at about 18 weeks, and produced very large brown eggs. So, a great dual-purpose bird, really, IMHO, but their main purpose is for meat. They are huge birds, but the hens are very sweet birds. The rooster I got in my first batch of 6, from TSC when their Chick Days started last year, was a very gentle giant. Unfortunately, I had a predator intrusion late last summer, and he became a victim... I'm thinking dogs were the culprits as they tore up the birds (lost half my flock) but left them there in the run where they were. I was away from the homestead at the time it happened... had just run over to the next town, 8 miles away, to get some supplies, and when I came back, that's when I found them all, in shock, dying, or dead. Needless to say, the survivors were locked up inside their coop for several weeks, to help them over their PTSD, and clean-up of the rest, as the ones that were still alive when I found them, died within a few days, their injuries were so severe. I had 1/2" hardware cloth all around, nailed into the frame of the run, 4 feet up, but the dogs used their teeth to pull off a corner, and that's all it took. It was actually doubled up over poultry wire, too. They were determined to get in there. I also had to make sure that the run was once again secure, before I even felt secure to let them out again. The survivors, however, are doing great. I have Barred Rocks, Black Sex Links (different names from different hatcheries, but they're the same hybrid breed... Asian Blacks are also known as BSLs), Isa Browns (again, same hybrid breed as a Red Sex Link, or a Golden Comet), Speckled Sussexes (and ALL of the ones I have LOVE to be petted, they squat any time I'm around them), and a lone California White. One Barred Rock rooster (an oops, as he came through an order of all female Barred Rocks, but fortunate, because of losing my gentle giant Freedom Ranger, he stepped right into place... took me a long time to figure out he was a rooster, because he never crowed, until he was the lone rooster... his sons are the same way), and his sons all look like him, but they are not purebred, but barnyard mixes with all the rest, except the California White, who isn't old enough yet to breed... not laying yet.

[@kroberts8866]

The funniest irony is that for alien archeologists thousands of years from now. This century will be an epoc of Chickens as the most prolific animal bone remains in the geologic record.

[@jefferi78]

don't waste the food. cook enough for your consumption and not over. that the starter on ethical eating.

[@watcher1245]

Bit naive aren't you?

[@mickbxx]

I make a lot of food at once for many reasons. I have mental health disorders that make it hard to cook consistently, so if I can cook one large meal and have portioned leftovers in the fridge, it makes it easier to eat. This means I also have prepacked lunch for my boyfriend for when he goes to work, food for friends if they come over, less dishes, less stress. Everything gets eaten, and if there's anything left, it goes to my dogs or my chickens or the composite outside to use as plant food.

[@angelserenade]

@@watcher1245 he's got point actually. I think it is ethical to not let an animal you kill go to waste and consume only what you can consume. In some places, they try to consume everything an animal can offer (skin, guts, meat, bones), or turn some parts of it into useful things (leather, fertilizer, animal feed). If you hunt an animal for sport (like trophy hunting) then I think that's just unethical.

[@tiffany02020]

Good topic! I’ve been doing basically this for a few years now. I’ve found…. Idk, I’ve never been much of a meat eater and I’m not sure what’s normal or expected, but I wait for their first crow and that takes more like 6 months. The breast tissue is almost non existent. It’s there but it’s not like the ones I see my sister in law buy from the store. Big legs. Tiny tiny wings that are basically only good for making stock (but just perfect for that). They do get even bigger if they fill out more for another few months, but I cull less for the meat and more for the health and safety of my flock. Too many Roos is a problem. I’ve never tried culling them that young. Interested to see how this goes. I agree it’s more sustainable. I try and only buy new chicks from the store when I need fresh genetics. The more you breed your own stock the better and better and healthier and healthier they get. Specific to you farm. It’s really neat.

[@rhondaalbrecht]

Exactly. It's just not worth the effort to slaughter them at 3-1/2 to 4 months! You'd have a very skinny and lean Cornish hen size at that age, and the Cornish hens are processed at 4 weeks of age, and much more plump, to be that size.

[@stephenriley9084]

Chevie, Very well said! Regards Stephen.

[@pmfx65]

Another reason for raising chicken is seeing Alison holding the and be just happy!

[@Beautyjoy98]

I love what you do. I don't think you are doing anything wrong. You follow your heart and that's all I could ask for. You throughly think things through to the best of your abilities and try to look at things from every view point. That's amazing. I think you are a great farmer.

[@mmabe4000]

I don't feel comfortable eating vegetarian/vegan even if I wanted to because of my digestive issues. The main sources of protein in those diets would be harmful to me. I think a lot of people could eat mostly plants sustainably, people have been doing it since the dawn of man. But, now that people with celiacs, GERD, etc don't get worse and die quickly, they need to eat differently to be healthy. I am all for smaller, but healthier chicken breeds. It's a similar issue to how "purebred" and "pedigree" dogs often have tons of health issues because genetic diversity is completely thrown out the window for looks, or in the case of the Cornish Cross, a single function.

[@lynpatricia6854]

Lot of soy in vegan products and nearly all soy is GMO.

[@jwenting]

problem with all those "meat replacers" is that they're so heavily processed they're highly inflamatory. And of course most contain soy, to which I'm allergic. Or coconut oil, to which I'm allergic. Or massive amounts of processed carbohydrates, which cause diabetes.

[@whoahanant]

Yes, this problem of making breeds to fit your greed is honestly gross. In snakes they breed Spiderball pythons who usually have a neurological disorder that causes wobbling, flipping, corkscrewing, not being able to eat un assisted ect. all for a pretty yellow snake for peoples personal aesthetics. This problem is persistent in all pet and animal communities. Pugs, munchkin cats ect. People just want a breed for their greed.

[@LavenderSpell111]

@@jwenting Hey, are you able to cite a source or article about how "meat replacers" are highly inflammatory? It may help me with a health issue I'm trying to research.

[@diceyduke]

This is what the industry should look like, even though it feels highly improbable to achieve. This is why we, as a society, need to continue to support local farmers who raise their livestock free-range and ethically! Part of the reason I started following your channel was to get a better understanding on raising birds for consumption. Thank you for shedding light on such a topic! Gold Shaw Farm forever

[@diceyduke]

Also, I am dreaming of the day I get to be a "farmer for a day" and experience the routine so I can eventually do my own thing or work for other great farmers like you!

[@piperleelee]

Every time I watch your videos, I learn something new about farming. Learning about how chickens and cattle tie in to the ecosystem was very interesting.

[@fowlplayfunnyfarm1234]

Morgan we are with you buddy! Our situation is so much like yours. Left the suburbs bought a farm on few acres. Chickens are our passion. We treat our birds like queen and kings. We even found a vet who has helped care for them most recently when a respiratory illness nearly took out our flock. We lost one really sweet hen😢. We literally worked day and night to save them! We currently have a number of Cornish to raise for our own consumption....they get to be out on open grass scratch around and be chickens as best they can until we process them. (That’s a day I hate too). We have also raised chickens from “regular” breeds from within our own flock and some from a hatchery. It’s been our experience that the egg layers and roosters just don’t have the meat on them to make them “worth” processing.....one rooster we had was a really big guy....in feathers! Looks are deceiving! some of our hens are dual purpose And may have a bit more meat on them than not, but they tend to be our egg layers and we depend on them for that purpose. Morgan, I have adopted your phrase....”I want my birds (and other animals) to have one bad day”. We also hate the idea of killing little roos after hatching for the industry’s sake. Our meat birds often get names, if we can identify a quirky little difference in the color or personality....we pick our meat birds up hold them thank them for their lives give them a little peck on their head and some hugs! We feel they deserve that. Again I hate when processing day arrives.....I do feel like a hypocrite calling my sweet hens to sit on my lap and loving on them and moments later taking the life of another. So for us, in our own experience raising birds for meat from the flock has not produced like we thought. We do hope you gave better results so we can try to emulate that. Morgan, thank you for what you do. Your example of farming has helped us in ways that are incalculable!!! In fact, your story and ours is downright crazy similar!!

[@InspiredJJ]

Excellent chicken montage.

[@tessaw7549]

My sis and bro in law have some backyard chickens and got some of those mutants as meat birds early this summer. Never again. They found it so depressing watching them just sit and eat, not move, not scratch, just sit, eat compulsively and get huge. Their next set of meat chicks will be a healthier breed.

[@judykinsman3258]

Morgan & Allison, in my book you are absolutely the best!! I look forward to following your experiment & hope the results are good. Thank you for sharing this journey with me.💕🦋

[@richardcompton2555]

I vote for the wife. Her smile and general happiness while handling the chicks is adorable. Your a lucky man to have a wife who loves animals. Oh, and I eat chicken too.

[@madameblabla98]

i'm so excited for this! as your documenting please include the cost lists in the videos!

[@SirXer]

I'll be very interested in how this goes, and what you learn from it! I'm proud of you for working so hard to do what's right ethically, when so many of us wish we could do more to support this type of farmer.

[@JcUDE]

I went to TSC in Denton Tx yesterday and the chicks looked great. They are back in the water troughs with a light and clean all around. Thank you for getting them back for treating and looking so much better.

[@chuly740]

We love your concern for your animals, we are the same way. I always want to give our animals the best life possible regardless of how long we have them. I have seen enough youtubers who don't have that mindset so THANK YOU for having such a heart for your animals!!

[@frugalaudio]

Funny, I was just thinking about this yesterday. My first thought is: small farm, pasture raised Cornish Cross is still infinitely more ethical than factory raised. But I wonder, in addition to the #2 choice which seems to be Freedom Ranger/Red Ranger... what other breeds are available that would make good meat birds AND also be suitable for hatching on farm. After all, if you are bringing in chicks that were hatched off farm, you are only sustainable so long as the postal service keeps functioning. Just thinking out loud. Cheers.

[@lynnbetts4332]

Look into multi-purpose breeds. But get the ones that are more suitable for your climate. Some do better in heat, and some do better in cold. Have to worry about frostbite on combs in winter. If you want to totally free-range, some breeds are better at foraging than others. And look at established cross-breeds. The Beilefelder is a cross of about 5 breeds. The New Hampshire is really a cross. The Sex-Link Red and Black are crosses, and you can tell the sex of the chick in the first week, to separate if you want. The hatchery sites have some really good info on the breeds to help you make a decision.

[@dominiquehebert4903]

I see I am not the only one that has seen the Cornish Cross type chicken breeds which put on weight insanely fast. They are just not real chickens anymore. If you don't slaughter on time they get too heavy to move, they don't behave like a normal chicken and just seem weak and sickly but at the same time they gain weight like mad.

[@abcd1234jason]

Dominique Hebert just don't feed them as much, I know people who have 2 Cornish cross as pets, they simply just limit the food they gave them and had them free range around their house

[@KenS1267]

There are a lot of dual purpose breeds around that will produce eggs and make good meat bird as well. Just find the one best suited to your region. If you get a single breed flock with reasonably healthy genetics it is pretty easy to keep going without buying any chicks if you don't want to.

[@Tsuchimursu]

go for it. it might not be a viable option to sell to an "average consumer" but it will most likely be worth it for your own plate. Maybe someone is even willing to buy expensive chicken if it tastes better and leaves a better conscience. You never know until you try

[@ruzefosho]

You always have something interesting and beautiful to show us it seems, but better yet you have compassion for your animals and thoughtful words to go with.

[@blocki2882]

I love your videos so much ! I am from Austria and it feels so good to see a farmer caring so much about sustainable farming ! Please keep it up! You are role model for the whole food industry.

[@natemartell1016]

This is a very cool idea. I'm looking forward to seeing how all of your points work.

[@camicri4263]

Very good! Can't wait to see the experiment! You are doing good!

[@kristinawebb9615]

Love the content! Thanks for your time and energy for these videos!!!

[@kassiedabs13]

Love your vids Morgan, thank you for always being honest I appreciate it!

[@ginagruber1732]

This is what I had been planning to do. With the laying hens hopefully hatching some of their own eggs to naturally grow the flock and produce my own meat.

[@Monstercloud9]

I read the thumbnail as "She _WILL_ eat them..."

[@LearningCurveAcres]

We raise chickens, primarily egg layers and the roosters have 1 bad day. We watch to see which roosters are better with the hens and chicks. Then we send the rest of the roosters to freezer camp. We also raise rabbits for food. I think you'll find that the birds you'll raise will be leaner and smaller, but more flavorful. I look forward to seeing how this works out for you. Take care - Marcie

[@kathrynwhite8482]

Thank you. I've had an issue with Cornish Cross for years. It's good to hear you do too. And I raise laying hens and eat the roosters. I like my cross of Orpington and Barred Rock.

[@jasonstephan8919]

I'm dying to know when the new barn cats are going to be freed! 👍😊

[@msobrien12376]

Hilarious thumbnail, Morgan!!!

[@KarlaRei]

I just started raising chickens this year and I learned very quickly that I am not a person that can bring myself to butcher animals I have raised. Luckily, I love me some farm eggs so it ended up working out just fine. You're absolutely right about the way mass produced meat is done here and I'm really glad you decided to do this experiment. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens with it!

[@heatherb8915]

I'm so happy I found this channel! I'm a backyard chicken farmer. I have laying hens and meat chickens just for my household. I don't sell anything. I'm considering getting some ducks and geese. Not only is this channel entertaining but I've learned a lot! On top of your voice being super easy to listen to! Thank you!! Keep up the great work and I'm looking forward to seeing these babies grow. Tell the wife Toby, and Pablo I say Hi from a small backyard farm in concord Michigan!

[@bengee1040]

My daughters has given up meat, and I whole heartily encourage and support her. I've even learned a couple of vegan recipes. However, YUMMY CHICKEN!!!

[@futurehomestead1263]

Your channel has really got me interested in raising geese. But, I have no idea how to cook with it! Id love a video about the ways you like to cook with goose meat. Take care ❤

[@Caseyisum...]

This is actually my plan for when I get land to have a farm on, I want to go so far as to breed my own breeds for what I'd consider good for my area. I like that your going in depth into this, good video!

[@serialshitposter186]

The amount of care and love you give to the birds is awesome. Please keep up the good videos Morgan. Thank you.

[@johanodendaal6938]

It looks like you have a much better hatching rate with the chickens than with the geese and ducks. Well done. I was also wondering if you're not afraid that the cattle will rub their big itchy butts against your young trees and cause damage?

[@Fiona2254]

I'm also very curious to see what you do since we are raising chickens for eggs here and want to raise our own meat birds.

[@RussellBallestrini]

Well you made the video I was planning to make. A brilliant film here folks!

[@JamieMarzy]

I think its very ethical. You treat your animals with kindness and respect. Its very noble.

[@wilbertsuryajaya5688]

i eat a free range chicken grown in the village and they are much more expensive than commercials ones and they are tough and much thinner but grea for slow cookers

[@ButterflyBox89]

I think these are classically known as broilers and are older birds

[@wilbertsuryajaya5688]

@AcanthaMD no the chicken is thinner than a broiler it is a differrent varient mostly grown in indonesia and malaysia they are more slim and agile and mostly grown in the village so they get to run around and toughen up their muscles we call them "ayam kampong" they dont have much drumstick so when frying we just use the whole legs without feet they also are very colorful and makes great caged bird

[@sunnyday5621]

You sre not inventing something new, you are reverting back to the way it was done, back in my day. A butchere checken was always the young roosters and the stewin (old) hens. Pets were a luxury, though you always had your favorites. Congrats for going old school. It worked for centuries. The real money was in selling the pullets as future egg layers. The roosters fed the family.

[@amyblueskyirl16]

Yes I’m wondering why not do it the old way, having the flock reproduce on their own…starting with staggered ages…and just eating the extra roosters and nonlaying hens when you want to eat chicken? Livestock is stored meat on the hoof, or in this case, chicken leg

[@marleneclough3173]

Yes same here we had Rhode Island reds dual purpose

[@15thobserver]

How can he be inventing something new by going back to what was previously done? Thats like saying, 'meet my brand new wife' and out comes your ex wife of 30 years. Sure okay, you got married again, but she's not new.

[@Pavaroso]

@@15thobserver Maybe just a typo, forgot the 'not'.

[@katmandudawn8417]

I think of the song” She’ll be coming round the mountain “ To celebrate they the kill the old red rooster and make chicken and dumplings because you can feed a lot of people. And it’s a dish that is stewed slowly to tenderize a tough old bird.

[@laurastirling4772]

I love the fact that you are willing to try new things. I pray that this is an excellent solution for your meat chickens.

[@mayabrook1153]

Very insightful! This has definitely got me thinking. Thank you.

[@BabyShenanigans]

My problem with "organic pasture-raised" chicken, is that there really aren't any strict regulations for "organic" stuff. You can say your stuff is organic and boom- it's organic. Also the rules for "pasture-raised" are incredibly vague too. A farm might give a chicken a 3-foot space outside for 20 minutes a day and can call that "pasture-raised." It's sad.

[@brandyabbott1434]

Look on KZbin about the trigger words " organic", vegan, pasture raised. There are others. It really is kind of an eye opener. But I do agree with you.

[@margaretszuky7065]

**I REALLY ENJOY WATCHING YOUR BEAUTIFUL PEACEFUL VIDEOS, MY FRIEND!!

[@shijai]

My grandma raised chickens for the very purpose of being self-sufficient. She had a small coop that was enough to feed a family (and extended family) of around 10 people. The chicken was semi-free range since I remember them wandering around a large fenced area when we visited her when I was a kid. She never had to go to the market again. She even had a decently sized vegetable garden beside the chicken area as well.

[@rebekahbridges-tervydis5054]

I’m so impressed and happy to have you, to set an example of how I want my food raised. Thank you!

[@miditrax]

Wow - those factory Cornish cross chickens remind me of Samson puddle duck, who grew too big, Very similar to Thanksgiving turkeys, bred to be big fast growers who only last one season. On another note, what do you think of lab-grown meat? Would that ever go from experimental to practical? If so, how would commercial or sustainable farmers adjust? Just curious for your thoughts...

[@GryphonSoul]

Unfortunately Pekin ducks are the Cornish Cross of the duck world. They grow super fast and often have issues if they aren't being used as a meat bird, including a shortened lifespan

[@rhondaalbrecht]

@@GryphonSoul And Morgan didn't even know this, when he bought the Puddle Ducks initially. It took Samson's demise for him to be educated to this fact, and from a lot of his viewers who have raised them told him.

[@HH-le1vi]

Until lab grown meat can have the profitability, affordability, and scale of a factory farm I don't see them being a huge threat. They'll just be another option until we start having problems with the feed itself.

[@rhondaalbrecht]

@@HH-le1vi That time will be coming very soon. It will have none of the aspects but the necessity will be there. Because the factory farms will cease to exist due to water and feed issues, thanks to drought conditions that are the worst this country has ever seen. Famine, along the lines of the 7 years of famine in Egypt is coming. I have complete confidence in what I'm saying, based on the Bible. We're already seeing it, but most haven't noticed it coming. They are getting to the point of they can't hide it any longer. They've been trying to, for several years now. All those 're-labeling' marketing gimmicks? They were to hide the fact that the packaging was getting smaller, the contents less in volume and weight, so they could charge the same prices for less product. Then, they had to start increasing the prices, slowly but surely. Now, we're getting the higher prices... inflation is kicking in. Inflation happens because of supply and demand... there's not enough supply for the demand so those that can afford to pay for it, get it. That's how it works. When there's no more feed to feed the livestock, what happens? They stop farming as it's no longer profitable to them. No more farms but still have people to feed? Lab grown meat will be produced to satisfy the masses. One of the reasons why they brought in the COVID-19 virus... it wasn't the virus they're scared of. It's just a means to get you to take the cure, the vaccines. The virus was created for the vaccines, not the other way around. The vaccine is the NWO's solution to cutting back on the demand... kill off the most vulnerable and useless eaters... genocide... depopulation... eugenics. This is why they are pushing it so hard... the Bible said 'no man will be able to buy or sell unless they get the Mark of the Beast'. It's not mandated yet, but they're pushing for it hard... Nancy Pelosi has already mandated that those that are in the House of Representatives and their staffers/aides must be wearing masks, even if they are vaccinated, or she'll have them arrested and fined, jailed. The vaccine is already being mandated for all federal employees by Joe 'Potato Head' Biden. If you don't get it, you don't work for the federal government. That includes contractors and their employees. I estimate another 4 years before the vaccines are mandated, globally, with the tracking devices that Bill Gates has had MIT develop so that they can be tracked throughout the world by the satellite system that he's pledged $1 billion towards to install. Wonder why men like Elon Musk and Richard Branson started their own space companies? Richard Branson is a part of the elitist globalists that is a known colleague of members of the NWO's Steering Committee of 300, the 'Olympiads'. He's a Satanist, just like the rest of the ones in their power greed. You can scoff at me, call me a conspiracy nut, but in about 4 years, you'll see it all come together. I don't care. However, mark my word here... watch and see it come about.

[@phantomike6294]

I feel at least a little bit better about the egg industry knowing that the cockerels aren't totally wasted, we use them at the wildlife rehab I work at for feeding and I'm pretty sure zoos use them as well.

[@batpherlangkharkrang7976]

Hi.... Morgan and Allison nice to see you both love watching your videos, thank you for showing your video homestead chicken Duck Goose farmer garden 👋 bye 👋 bye 👋 bye 👋 👕🐔🐓🐥🐩🐈🌱🏡🎥👍👍👍

[@GoldShawFarm]

Thanks for watching!

[@rainerounduphomestead8942]

AMEN! I completely agree with you!! We have friends that take some of our eggs every summer to do a summer project with their grandkids. They got a small incubator and hatch out our eggs. The grandkids look forward to it every year! When they hatch, they bring the birds back to me, cause they live in the city. As the chicks grow, I send them pictures so they can see what they ended up looking like. ❤️ It’s a great lesson to teach the kids about how to properly raise the chickens.

[@enriquerooplall678]

Great video morgan 👍

[@chancevang8544]

At least you take good care of them.

[@jelly_eater9765]

Last year I bought chickens one of them was a Cornish cross and she got mixed with with all the other chicks. I didn't really care, she was still my little baby, and because I treated her like and normal chicken and loved just as much as the others she lived for a year and died recently. R.I.P Jr.

[@TonyBlount]

This was a dope vid. Can’t wait to see the results!

[@randomrachael420]

I would love for people to have more respect for the animals that we eat.

[@kc4941]

Thank you for asking the tough questions. I dont like the animal suffering either. Thank you for making the world better for all the animals on your farm and trying to spread that to others.

[@renepena3024]

I love your thoughtfulness 😊

[@lmcintire-brooks475]

I love your videos and you have so many. It must also be a full time job to youtube (document) your farm this way. But keep doing it and I'll keep watching.

[@sebastiancheong2385]

I am disappointed that you didn't include any clip from Tommy Wiseau when talking about 'chickens'. Cheep, cheep, cheep

[@Joky_Joe]

Oh Hi MArk

[@niellangner3668]

In South Africa, Chicken is often viewed as a Vegetable!

[@slidenapps]

Explain.

[@grim_dave]

@@slidenapps Sounds like it reads - that you'd have another meat on the plate as well as chicken.

[@basictrainer]

@@slidenapps they plant chicken seeds in the dirt and a few weeks later chicken plants pop out

[@niellangner3668]

South Africans are BIG red meat eaters. Beef and Lamb. Venison. A meal could often consist of beef, lamb or pork and chicken. We often joke that chicken is lile a vegetable on our plate!

[@erushi5503]

I love that im getting educated by your channel but its better cause its entertaining at the same time I laughed so much at chongus

[@chelseywelwood22]

I’ve been wanting to try this very thing! Thanks for doing this for us Morgan. We just finished raising and butchering our first batch of Cornish cross. It actually went incredibly well. I had them in a spacious moveable chicken tractor where they got fresh grass daily. The also had a good amount of space between their water and food trough which kept my birds more active. The birds themselves were nice and tame and enjoyed the garden pickings i found for them. I removed their food at night to slow down their growth and we had an average of an 8lb finished(butchered and packaged weight not live weight) bird for our freezer at exactly weeks old. Would love to compare to a dual purpose hybrid. It would be great to not have to buy our own chicks

[@bettinah.7429]

Good video Morgan,you definitely raised some great points. I have to agree that while many small farmers raise the Cornish cross ethically,one does have to wonder about the system itself. CC parent birds most likely do not live anything close to a good life. I must correct your terminology on one point,in the egg laying industry the males chicks are not technically euthanized. They are generally thrown into a grinder while still alive. I struggle even typing this as I am sadly still a consumer of this awful cycle. :( You are spot on in regards to veganism as a whole,it is definitely not cruelty free,nor is it “footprint” free. Are you doing a farm meeting Wednesday night?

[@udesh9694]

Funny editing 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@keikoumori9419]

I love that you're doing this! I've been looking for a property all year to start my own little homestead and what you're starting now was my game plan. I was going to use barred rocks because they're duel purpose birds and growing up I remember them being huge! LoL. I will be watching how this experiment of yours go

[@randomrachael420]

Thank you for making this video! To many people are out there making the chicken nugget eating challenge and throwing them away when they cannot gorge themselves with what they have ordered not caring where the nuggets came from. Would be cool for people to see the process of getting their meat right before they eat it.

[@flibbertygibbette]

Just to give you some cost comparisons, out here where I live, a whole, legitimately pasture-raised chicken (as in, actually runs around in the open on a farm) goes for about $8-10/lb. Those birds tend to be smaller, about 3 lbs (so yes, I'm talking about up to about $30 per chicken). And there's definitely a market for it, though you're not going to be eating chicken every night at that cost unless you're rich. Maybe once a week or twice a month at most. A few years ago I decided to, wherever possible, stop eating meat, dairy, and eggs unless I know they are pasture raised animals and can find the farm where they were raised. It ends up making meat a lot more expensive, and also means I eat a lot less meat (once a week or less), and use meat more creatively when I do eat it. We do eat a lot of eggs and dairy, and (for the most part) know the individual farms or at least collectives of family farms where those come from. The thing is, this is how a lot of the world has traditionally eaten meat... as a supplement or flavoring to a dish rather than the star of the meal, or if it is the star of the meal, that only happens occasionally. Weekly at most. I'm with you on veganism. I don't think vegans realize that without the animal industry there basically just is no organic food industry. I also feel like as a society we should be moving toward making ethical food practices (plants, animals, workers, land use, water use, no-dig/till farming, etc) sustainable and accessible for everyone, whether that's through shifting subsidies or whatever.

[@ooze8354]

There is a way of raising roosters without having them claw at each other all the time. Remove all the roosters into a secure area and do not have them see any hens. EZ

[@JamesBTravel]

I’m a vegan and I have to say I’m fully supportive of small-scale farming. While people continue to eat meat (and let’s be honest, that’s not changing any time soon) it’s always better that animals are reared in a sustainable and ethical way. Just saying “all farming is bad” is never going to be the solution. The respect and care you show for your animals is why I’m a fan of this channel.

[@karlaromano2175]

Thanks for addressing this topic! Our family has transitioned away from factory farm animals after researching the industrial chicken and dairy cycles in favor of eating animals humanely raised even though it’s few and far between now. Good luck with your experiment!

[@elroy8272]

"Little fluff nuggets"?? Oh..I eat lots of nuggets. This is not an easy decision for city families. We dont have the availability that you have. I've tried several vegan chicken patties and chicken nuggets. Just not right texture. But guess I'll have a salad today.

[@p.s.shnabel3409]

Don't feel bad about doing what you need to do. It is already a good first step trying to do the right thing when and where you can. Nobody is perfect.

[@p.s.shnabel3409]

@@Tanks_In_Space Perfect? Heh, in that case please run for Benign Global Tyrant. There's work to do!

[@mickbxx]

Cities definitely run differently and have limits on how many chickens we can have. Plus selling laws for chicken and eggs are so strict, it's not even worth it. There's still many farms on the outskirts of the city I live in, but nearly none of them raise chickens. It would also be expensive

[@Sporting1210]

i dont think chicken nuggets count as actual chicken? ever seen how the stuff is made?^^ And "just not the right etxture" is probably the most first-worl-american reason on this subject possible. make me think of Wall-E

[@elroy8272]

@@Sporting1210 oh..noo. not McDonald's nuggets. Chick-fil-a nuggets are real meat. And Costco has a brand called Bare with light rice flour coating..they are real chunks of chicken. Nooo no not the red slime stuff.

[@izices]

There's nothing wrong with being kind to your birds before they have to go. Even if you love them as chicks. Its the same philosophy I have with feeder animals like mice for reptiles, treat them right all the way to the end. Also, I need to warn you. Barred Rocks in older age can have health problems from being a broiler breed. Including Water Belly. Keep an eye on your Barreds.

[@noelearl5545]

I’ve learned a lot from this video. Thank you. I wish I knew a local farmer who raises ethically produced chickens & sells them.

[@flockofone9214]

I love watching a rooster called Boo the Roo. Boo is a factory farm rooster that was rescued. He makes me wonder if most of these birds are as intelligent. Sorry if it’s bad etiquette to reference another channel.