Chickens Forever on my Mind - A New Lifestyle Begins

On Saturday, I finished pet sitting for the 9 chickens and a cat. It was hard to go. I was attached to the girls. i love that they followed me around the yard and got excited every time I came outside. Naturally I realized that since I was usually the bearer of their treats, snacks and other good stuff, they would be happy to see me. I had gotten to the point where they would come and let me pet them (very soft) and they let me pick them up and move them without flapping about. We bonded as much as a human and chicken can bond.

When I got home and was deciding what to eat for dinner I was faced with a dilemma. My food now had a face. I don’t eat red meat and my prime source of protein has been poultry and fish. I went to the market to get food and just couldn’t bring myself to buy a chicken. Was this animal killed humanely? Did she live well? I started to do research and was appalled at some of the conditions of the slaughterhouses for chickens - and even the egg hatcheries.

I felt wonderfully inspired watching a video from Australia that just happened to be posted on Facebook that day by a friend of mine. It was about a farmer who decided to let the chickens out of the cages and give them to a free-range farmer to raise them. The video made me cry. Here’s the posting:
<div id="fb-root"></div> <script>(function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script>https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152697895780299" data-width="466">Post">https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152697895780299">Post by Animals">https://www.facebook.com/AnimalsAustralia">Animals Australia.
I did more research about conditions in the US and found that Empire Kosher Chickens are raised humanely by the Mennonites in PA and that both the workers and chickens in the plants are treated humanely and kindly. If I do eat chicken again, it will be from there or other organic, natural farms. There’s a wonderful list of animal friendly companies that don’t test on animals and treat their people and animals well. It’s the least I can do. I found that Whole Foods 365 line of products and the Trader Joe in-house brand are on that positive list. Those happen to be stores I frequent which makes my choice of what to buy much easier. 

Many of my friends are Pescatarians - eating only fish as protein and otherwise vegetarian. I can see that in my future. As I learn what foods can provide energy and protein for me instead of animal proteins. It’s a journey that has started with 9 chickens. Where will it lead? 

Share your stories with me. I’d love to hear them. :-)