Also, fair is done!
We went really early this morning (6am 💀) to clean up the pens and bring our turkeys/chickens that we brought there back home.
We had to leave the two market toms (male turkeys) that we brought there cause the fair is gonna handle... all the things, so I definitely cried.
A lot :')
But knowing how this breed of turkey is (broad breasted whites - they're your standard meat turkeys that you buy at supermarkets and whatnot), they are quite literally unable to live long and healthy lives. My tom was already limping just from the shear weight of his body and wasnt looking too good.
They're GMO (genetically modified organism) turkeys, meaning people have, sadly, manufactured them to grow at rapid and unnerving rates in order to harvest them faster, which in turn can lead to organ failure and just a lack of quality of life. And so instead of the standard year or so it would take to raise a, let's say, Red Bourbon turkey for meat, it only takes 4-5 months to raise these guys. And honestly, they can only live a happy 5-6 months before their body starts to turn against them.
I actually kept a market hen three years ago, cause I loved her a lot and was hoping that she'd be able to live a happy life with my show turkeys. But around that 5-6th month, she just was clearly miserable. She can barely walk, she's having respiratory issues, and overall just a lack of quality of life.
So while I absolutely hate having to say goodbye, it is honestly the most ethical thing to do when it comes to these birds.
I absolutely love meat (wow no way it's not like i saw drooling over steak yesterday..), but I am aware of just how corrupt and cruel some of the meat industry is. And so, in order to do my part in trying to break that cycle of cruelty without giving up meat (because I have such low iron I literally need it 😭-) I raise these market animals (like my turkeys and even my sheep I'm raising rn), and give them full happy lives before processing :]
So while lots of tears are involved, I know that I gave these animals the best possible life possible, and contributed even just a little bit to improving the meat industry and making it more ethical and better for these animals :3 🩷
....if that makes sense.... idk I'm speed writing this in the car- if y'all have any questions don't hesitate to ask I'm more than happy to clear anything up 😭🫶












