Alice, nice to know someone else's family had that perspective, too. I guess mine was even a bit different in that they didn't shoot coyotes or prairie dogs, either, at least not according to my dad, who spent most of his childhood out on the range with his dad. They even had a coyote or wolf, can't remember which, that took up with a bitch of theirs. I think it must've been hard for my dad as he's never wanted to nor been able to shoot anything but tin cans, not even a horse which broke its leg...he had to call the vet over and still cried his eyes out over the loss. And, being raised with poultry all over the yard, he wouldn't touch it, as an adult...he was totally grossed out over how filthy he thought they were..he still will not touch chicken or turkey.

While I know its more honest for people to have to raise and kill their own meat, I'd be concerned about the long term effects on the kid who didn't want the chicken to be killed and the pig mentioned above.

kat