Culling and Conscience

[jak2002003]

I breed Japanese Bantams and various Fancy pigeons.

I am lucky that I don't usually have to cull.. because I sell my birds at pairs.. one male and one female.

People like the Japanese Bantams for the beautiful roosters, rather then the hens for egg production.

And the fancy pigeons as always sold as mated pairs, again, as the buyers want to breed their new birds.

Maybe choosing a different breed will help you not to have excess roosters?

However, I do sometimes have a terminally ill bird, or a deformed one.. and I have to cull them... which I still hate doing and feel very guilty about.

I keep numbers down to a minimum normally and know how much space I have to avoid overpopulation. Plus the birds are easier to keep clean sndn are less stressed in low densities.

But as the moment I have far too many king pigeons.. they are beautiful white birds and very friendly. I was let down by someone who asked me to breed 10 pairs for him to start a pigeon farm. So now I have those 20 birds plus the 8 birds that are mine.

Now I can not find anyone who wants them... and they are costing me a lot as they eat so much! They are using up space so I can't breed my other fancy pigeons.

I am faced with having to cull them... which is such a shame..... and killing tame trusting white doves is just about the worst thing I could think of to kill!!!!!

I have been putting off doing it for 2 months.. but soon I know I will have to do it.... I wish I could eat them.... but don't know how to properly butcher and process them! At least if my family ate them it would not seem a waste of their lives.

Despite our best efforts and intentions.. things go wrong.. and we have to be responsible for our birds.... its all part of being a good breeder and caring about our stock... which often become like extra family to us.

 

[aart]

......... I wish I could eat them.... but don't know how to properly butcher and process them! At least if my family ate them it would not seem a waste of their lives. ....

@jak2002003 I didn't know how either.....until I learned and did it.
I was determined and figured it out by searching online, reading, and asking questions.

Look up harvesting quail, I've seen a couple good videos on that,
and it would apply to your small birds more than a chicken harvesting tutorial.

 

[dheltzel]

I have a friend that raises reptiles and the chicks that I must cull are frozen for him to use as food. At least it's not a total waste and I can ensure the chicks are euthanized correctly.

I'm fortunate to have access to a whole dairy farm where the breeders are penned and the extra roos are allowed to free range. This year I must have released 100 or more young roos to go make their fortune in the world. Some die an unfortunate death at the paws of predators. Some die of other causes, but they are all "masters of their own destiny" and the ones that make it are superb specimens of avian masculinity. They occasionally quarrel to determine the ranks, as they would in nature, and the best of them get the mating opportunities with the hens and pass their genes to the next generation.
It's not a perfect system, and I do have to harvest some of the older ones to sell as food for people when the number of roos becomes to great, but they've had a great life in the farm until then. I realize not everyone can do this, but it's worth considering if you have a farm around.

 

[COChix]

Maybe think about why you are breeding what you are breeding?

I hatch out from my flock for food, to produce more layers of eggs and I harvest the extra cockerels and non productive hens for meat.
My conscience is clean, very little goes to waste.... tho taking those lives does give me pause for respect and thankfulness.

My Two Cents(sense?)

Ditto to what Aart said...I am two years into my chicken experience and we have processed 11 roo's, no hens yet. The first was the most difficult for me, but I kept in mind the intention behind why we got the birds. To be connected to our food source, to know exactly what went into our food and how they were treated. We have a ceremony when we process, giving thanks and reverence to the birds for their life and sustenance they are providing. Nothing goes to waste when we process, feet are used for stock, etc. It gets a little easier as time goes on, but it still requires respect and kindness. That being said, I also understand not everyone feel this way.

 

[Beekissed]

I breed Japanese Bantams and various Fancy pigeons.

I am lucky that I don't usually have to cull.. because I sell my birds at pairs.. one male and one female.

People like the Japanese Bantams for the beautiful roosters, rather then the hens for egg production.

And the fancy pigeons as always sold as mated pairs, again, as the buyers want to breed their new birds.

Maybe choosing a different breed will help you not to have excess roosters?

However, I do sometimes have a terminally ill bird, or a deformed one.. and I have to cull them... which I still hate doing and feel very guilty about.

I keep numbers down to a minimum normally and know how much space I have to avoid overpopulation. Plus the birds are easier to keep clean sndn are less stressed in low densities.

But as the moment I have far too many king pigeons.. they are beautiful white birds and very friendly. I was let down by someone who asked me to breed 10 pairs for him to start a pigeon farm. So now I have those 20 birds plus the 8 birds that are mine.

Now I can not find anyone who wants them... and they are costing me a lot as they eat so much! They are using up space so I can't breed my other fancy pigeons.

I am faced with having to cull them... which is such a shame..... and killing tame trusting white doves is just about the worst thing I could think of to kill!!!!!

I have been putting off doing it for 2 months.. but soon I know I will have to do it.... I wish I could eat them.... but don't know how to properly butcher and process them! At least if my family ate them it would not seem a waste of their lives.

Despite our best efforts and intentions.. things go wrong.. and we have to be responsible for our birds.... its all part of being a good breeder and caring about our stock... which often become like extra family to us.

You can find most anything on YT....here's a vid on butchering doves, though could find none on killing tame doves....they are very, very tender so dislocation would be your best bet. Wouldn't take much effort at all to dislocate the neck...if done with too much force the head may come off in your hand, so I'd do it much like killing a young chick or juvenile chicken...soft hands.

 

[jak2002003]

You can find most anything on YT....here's a vid on butchering doves, though could find none on killing tame doves....they are very, very tender so dislocation would be your best bet. Wouldn't take much effort at all to dislocate the neck...if done with too much force the head may come off in your hand, so I'd do it much like killing a young chick or juvenile chicken...soft hands.

Thanks for that link... I also found one for butchering pigeons.... looks quite easy really.. Now the hard part is the actual culling itself.

Thinking I will actually do this. The birds are really big.. bigger than my bantam chickens... and very fat. I have eaten pigeon before.. pigeon pie.. and it was delicious... I will let you all know how it goes over the next day or 2.

 

[Beekissed]

I applaud you for your trying...many use never have done for an excuse to never do, but it's really no excuse. Most things in life is something we've never done until we first do them, so such is life. I've had dove and it's delicious as well, so can't wait to see how yours turns out.

 

[Mrs. K]

Get a friend to help, it does take a bit of moral encouragement the first time!