I have rather enjoyed reading this thread, I'm glad it hasn't gone away.
Some dark humor, some humorous imagery has been discussed in the process demonstrating which methods result in what.
I think the most important lesson I got was from the first few pages in that I shouldn't expect it to be easy or comfortable, nor should I aim to become desensitized when taking another life to sustain my own. That is helpful, very helpful. It's a deed that needs to be done, and the varying ways we all carry it out surprise me.
Thank you all for your contributions.
I myself, try to avoid the killing so far, but have put up 9 or so roosters in the last year. I first used shears to remove the heads completely at once.. it was easy but broke my shears on the 2nd roo. Now I hang, pith, slice & drain into a large plastic storage tote, not obsessing if I cut the windpipe or not . Then I rinse out the tote and put in a trash bag and remove the head and cut the skin around the legs and across the bottom and skin them where they hang. After that, I drop them into a trash bag, finish everyone up to that point and take them inside where I finish at the kitchen sink. If I'm taking too long, I'll refrigerate whoever I am not yet working on.
I would like to switch to cones.. finally bought my first large bleach bottle.
I need a very sharp knife and a new pair of shears for the final head removal.
Plucking is a waste of time for me, I don't want the skins anyway.
But still, I find it difficult to do... I feel STRONGLY as if someone disapproves of what I'm doing! My husband isn't very supportive of the whole thing, perhaps I worry too much what he'll think of me for doing it. He helped with the first couple but after that I've been on my own.. he couldn't do it. I recently practically gave away a pack of 7 roos ready to butcher... just so I wouldn't' have to do it. I have a few more that'll be ready mid winter... I'll just have to wrap my head around it and get some new tools before then. It's true.. once the head is removed it is very much like store bought chicken... so really the WORST part takes 5 minutes if your slow about it... after that... seems quite normal actually.
Some dark humor, some humorous imagery has been discussed in the process demonstrating which methods result in what.
I think the most important lesson I got was from the first few pages in that I shouldn't expect it to be easy or comfortable, nor should I aim to become desensitized when taking another life to sustain my own. That is helpful, very helpful. It's a deed that needs to be done, and the varying ways we all carry it out surprise me.
Thank you all for your contributions.
I myself, try to avoid the killing so far, but have put up 9 or so roosters in the last year. I first used shears to remove the heads completely at once.. it was easy but broke my shears on the 2nd roo. Now I hang, pith, slice & drain into a large plastic storage tote, not obsessing if I cut the windpipe or not . Then I rinse out the tote and put in a trash bag and remove the head and cut the skin around the legs and across the bottom and skin them where they hang. After that, I drop them into a trash bag, finish everyone up to that point and take them inside where I finish at the kitchen sink. If I'm taking too long, I'll refrigerate whoever I am not yet working on.
I would like to switch to cones.. finally bought my first large bleach bottle.
I need a very sharp knife and a new pair of shears for the final head removal.
Plucking is a waste of time for me, I don't want the skins anyway.
But still, I find it difficult to do... I feel STRONGLY as if someone disapproves of what I'm doing! My husband isn't very supportive of the whole thing, perhaps I worry too much what he'll think of me for doing it. He helped with the first couple but after that I've been on my own.. he couldn't do it. I recently practically gave away a pack of 7 roos ready to butcher... just so I wouldn't' have to do it. I have a few more that'll be ready mid winter... I'll just have to wrap my head around it and get some new tools before then. It's true.. once the head is removed it is very much like store bought chicken... so really the WORST part takes 5 minutes if your slow about it... after that... seems quite normal actually.