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Permalink Reply by Caroleeena of Circles of Joy on August 11, 2011 at 6:14pm

I have had a few people tell me they had no idea the rooster meat was not eaten. Rooster meat is almost never eaten. It's more gamey because they are more muscular. Also, the males fight among themselves, so, at birth, chickens are sexed. The males are killed immediately. Usually they're just thrown into a garbage bag and then, when it's full, it's thrown into an incinerator. If you eat chicken, you are eating females.

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Permalink Reply by Tilly Whirls on August 11, 2011 at 7:01pm

Thank you SOOOO much for this Caroleeena! Love these suggestions and the ribbon is way cheaper than the feathers. Can't wait to try it!

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Permalink Reply by Caroleeena of Circles of Joy on August 11, 2011 at 7:28pm

Here is yet another beautiful cruelty-free alternative. Love these!

http://hairroyalty.bigcartel.com/product/alternative-rooster-feathe...

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Permalink Reply by Sarah Starlight on August 12, 2011 at 8:23am

thank you for posting this

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Permalink Reply by Jenny Anderson RaineDanceHooper on August 15, 2011 at 8:15am

Hey hoopfolk, with all due respect to Caroleeena - there's a couple of points not covered on here that's valid - first, the roosters that grow these feathers are males, obviously not 'sexed' but bred for their beautiful feathers. They live a long life so the feathers are mature and long, and are pampered, usually handfed so no harm comes to them. The birds live a long and happy life, and as Micheal Pollan says, 'have one bad day'.  The breeders that grow and love these birds have been farming for generations and have struggled for a long time, sustaining a rural lifestyle that they love, without much financial compensation or security from the fly-fishing market. Along comes 'feather ladies' that may irk the fishermen, but the farmers are ecstatic with their unexpected windfall. I say, support the farmers that are producing a beautiful product, loving and co-creating with nature and living the life their grandparents dreamed they would.

Yep, feathers cost a lot, as they should. So should meat. There's a huge cost to modern massive agriculture, and supporting smaller, local business is important. Buying a cheaper synthetic product made off shore is denying the true cost of reduced income in North America, huge transportation costs, human rights abuses in China, devestation to the planet, petroleum based production, etc.

Buy good feathers, not the cheap knockoffs. The birds that produce the better, longer feathers are older, so they can't just grow birds like they do for chicken meat. www.hairflairs.com or Charity Edwards (fellow hooper!) in Tennessee both work exclusively with feather producers who have a restricted production bc the feathers (birds, really) cannot be mass produced. That's why the good ones are hard to find and expensive.

 

I don't want to start an feather ethics war, but I think we should look at all sides. I'm vegetarian and ahimsa practicing yoga teacher. I dont' want to be interpreted as preachy, in fact the people I love the most eat meat, smoke, drink to excess, etc, and I can only love them and support them as they make choices right for them. Like feather extensions. Learn more, make a decision right for you. I wear my North-American grown feathers proudly.

 

Next year we'll all giggle about the 'summer of feathers' as a passing fad, so enjoy the beautification as you see fit. With consciousness and without overwhelming guilt. Love to all - Jenny

 

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Permalink Reply by Sarah Starlight on August 15, 2011 at 9:03am

real or fake, no matter how or where they are produced, do humans *need* to wear feathers? two points are being made here - 1) innocent animals have to die for fashion, 2) fake feathers support unethical practices. so i have a solution, how about just don't wear feathers at all? can we not sacrifice a simple fashion fad? if we were talking about food, then yes, i can see the the argument on both sides (even as a vegan). but the fact is, we will all still live, be healthy, and survive without hair feathers. as far as family farms are concerned, just because this is how one makes a living, or has done it for generations, does not make it right. as a society, we can find a way to change and create different, non-harmful ways of supporting ourselves.

 

read:

Mad Cowboy - a true story about a multi-generation cattle farmer who now grows organic vegetables

Food Revolution - written by John Robins, heir to the Basken Robins fortune, who walked away from it do to moral and ethical conflict

 

watch:

Earthlings - a film about societies use of and dependence upon animals

 

i can think of no other easier way to practice ahimsa then to give up unnecessary animal products. and i can think of no other greater unnecessary animal product than products used for fashion. why should any animal die so people can look cute and trendy with their hair feathers? 

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Permalink Reply by Kriszouca on August 15, 2011 at 5:50pm

I wish I could 'like' your comment.

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Permalink Reply by Mrs. Skittles of Sparkle & Burn* on August 16, 2011 at 4:06pm

I adore you for mentioning Earthlings. That documentary has turned several of my friends from omnivores to vegetarians.

 

I agree with you wholeheartedly. <3

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Permalink Reply by Caroleeena of Circles of Joy on August 15, 2011 at 1:31pm

These chickens do not live a long life. They are killed at one year of age. In captivity they'd live up to 30. In the wild, up to 15. They are killed very young. One of the reasons they are killed young is because if they got older, they'd start fighting and mess up those pretty feathers or kill each other. 

 

Also, their meat is not eaten. It is sometimes sold to dog food factories. Male chickens are never eaten by humans. In factory farming, they are killed as chicks. 

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Permalink Reply by Joan Warburton on August 15, 2011 at 6:05pm

“What is man without the beasts? If all the beasts were gone, man would die from a great loneliness of spirit. For whatever happens to the beasts, soon happens to man. All things are connected.”
~ Chief Seattle

Killing any animal for their tusks, hide, or feathers is just wrong.  The smaller or large wide feathers, usually dyed, are a byproduct of the birds that are eaten and are plentiful.  The long, colorful feathers from these roosters are solely for adornment.

 

Where's are respect for the other inhabitants of the planet?

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Permalink Reply by Rumi on August 16, 2011 at 1:21pm

i say wear what you can find. that's what i've always done-- but then again i'm a DIY kind of girl. all of the feathers i wear are gifts from gaia-- no harm there :)

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Permalink Reply by Joan Warburton on August 16, 2011 at 9:01pm

Love this idea!

 

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