Please help me understand meat eaters not wanting to process a chicken!

[Jennsbirds]

It is pretty awesome. Yay capitalism.

Were you expressing agreement or disagreement? Or just general enthusiasm for being able to buy tasty animals instead of having to bloody your own knife?

Both agreement and the ability to buy tasty animals (I currentIy can't raise chickens and bloody my knife. Even if I could, I bet sometimes I'd rather have someone else do it and relax).

 

[Child of Noah]

I remember the test patterns that would air all night till broadcasting began again at 6 AM.

Remember this was on when you would get up in the wee hours Saturday morning because that was the ONLY time cartoons was on, and you would see that until Ag-Day which was only on for something like 20 minutes then The New Zoo Review.

 

[gypsychicken]

What method did he show you that was so much easier, if I may ask?

 

[gypsychicken]

Those Folks were probably overwhelmed with emotion and didn't know what to do with it. They mistakenly take it out on you.
This is a process that is not for everyone, but certainly you should be applauded rather than condemned.

Also, condemn not, lest ye be condemned.

Let's not judge them harshly and assume. Humans are very complex creatures and often dissappoint us. Instead, have compassion and turn your gaze and focus on those that are eager to be guided by you. Let those other folks and the negativity around it, let it all go. It's not important. Taking a life is easier for some than others. For me, it is always a very sad day, then a very happy one once rigor mortis has left the carcass and I'm makin' me some FRIED CHICKEN!

A sense of humor is a true sign of intelligence.

I'm here all by my self with this. That's why I'm searching the web tonite, looking for reassurance. Here is my story, Peace out!:

Respectful Chicken harvesting: How do I deal with conflicting emotions?

Tomorrow I take out 2 of the 12 week old roos. Of course, they are the cutest and most personality of the bunch. They are best friends, always hanging out, the first of the bunch to fight and draw blood. This is my third generation and this flock is different. I went to the feedstore where a lovely lady sold me 12 fertilized eggs from her farm for $3.50. 8 out of 12 hatched, one gone, 3 out of 7 roos.

Now I've got 4 old Ladies, one to three eggs a day, and 7 Juveniles eating me out of house and home.

Today the plymouth rock with the pea comb tried to crow, "arooooooooooo" "aroooooo". So darn cute!



I wish we could have a rooster, but my landlord says no.

I'm in hard luck financially right now. I have 4 year old Ladies and 7 juveniles and not enough money to buy feed or organic chicken meat at the store. I've been doing this 3 years and at least I didn't name them, or cuddle them too much, well, a little.

The first batch I killed them one by one: Joselito, Miss Lucille Tucker, La Loca, Cry Baby, and Rojelia. I never cried so hard in my life, I think. It was the hardest thing I ever did. I couldn't eat for 24 hours.

This time its different. I watched them hatched one by one in the little hen house under one of my beautiful broody buff orppingtons. I call her Mamma. She did such a good job, such a good mother until 6 weeks, when she rejected them. It was hard to enjoy their amazing beauty when I knew I was raising them to kill them.

So strange, so hard. I wanted to do this, to know the circle of life, to live off of my land, to understand something lost in our world that needed to be rediscovered. I didnt know what beautiful, gentle souls chickens had, what affectionate, loving creatures they were. I turned them every day under Mama, 'cause I didn't see her doing that. I protected them and ensured their safety and comfort. I laughed and cried when they were born. Now, I have the power to take their life. And eat them. I swear I could become a vegetarian except for the fact that I love my fried chicken! I've done the whole thing with the old gals: chicken pot pies, poullete au vin, stock, stews, soups.

The two boys are in a kennel tonite with only water and straw. I'll take them out tomorrow morning. I'll hold them between on my lap, cut the jugular and bleed them out while I feel the life leave their little bodies. DON'T LOOK THEM IN THE EYE, actually, DON'T LOOK AT ALL!!! Let them rest a few days and have either fried chicken or marinate them in a garlic, soy sauce, lemon for a few days, broil and serve with mashed potatoes on the side.

How do I deal with my conflicting emotions?

This video helped me ALOT! She is so wonderful:

I'll repost this.Anyone have a few kind words? I know it's practical, it's logical, it's natural, its the way things have been since 5,000 AD, but, why is it so hard!?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I put it off as long as I can but I'm always glad when it's over and they're in the fridge.

 

[SunnySkies]

he moved to baltimore not to long ago.  I miss him, but will miss him more when the first butcher date arrives.  I can do it in less than two minutes.

I prefer killing to eviserating(sp).  that might make me odd, but I do it right and quick and that keeps the process moving.

Next time I butcher, can I borrow him? I don't live far away....30 birds took far too long the other day.

I have chosen to butcher my own because I know how they were raised and how they died. They are raised in a clean environment, with sun and the breeze and get to walk on the grass. I have been in commercial houses, and it is so not.....good. Then, on processing day, or the day the rooster has annoyed me the last time, the birds are picked up from where they are resting (no chasing allowed) and quietly handled and dispatched. No fuss, no fear, no scary ride to the processing plant like the poor commercial birds take. Part of that comes from being a vet. Part of my paying job is ensuring our pet animals die quietly and calmly whenit is necessary. I believe all animals deserve the same kind of care, no matter the purpose they are put to. I worked in a slaughter plant while in college, and sometimes, I didn't like how the animals went down. Too stressful for them.

It is significantly cheaper too. I just calculated my first big batch cost me $1.40/lb for free range chicken. Same kind of bird locally costs about $5/lb if I went to the store and bought it as a whole bird; parted out would be much more. Sure I can buy commercially raised chicken for 99 cents a pound if I buy a big pack, but I can't support the agriculture practices I have seen first hand that it took to produce that cheap bird.

I do think everyone should learn where their food comes from and how. They might not want to DIY, and that is ok...when the zombie apocalypse comes, I can trade my chicken processing skills for wood chopping or other things I can't do.

 

[gypsychicken]

In a salt water brine as we speak. Lip smacking slow wood fire roasted outdoors later this afternoon... Glad to know I'm not the only one with some issues.

It really helped to have a LONG very sharp knife. Easily sliced the neck in one fell swoop.

 

[fluttervale]

Just wanted to contribute to the OP's original post.

I want to get into farming because I want to be able to support my friends & family. I don't want the people I care about to have to choose between groceries and the electric bill. I also was in dogs for years before starting to date a man that's allergic to dogs. (We are serious.) In talking to a friend the other day about my plans (she grew up on a smallish farm) I realized that one of the endearments is that I can still be into showing animals--but the ethics are different. I don't HAVE to find good homes for excess puppies. With birds, or sheep, or goats, or cattle, you just turn them into food.

I know that for me, I will need some help on the first day I have to process birds (or really anything). I've never killed anything but mosquitoes and flies. Less than an issue with stomaching killing, part of it will be making sure I do it properly and don't cause the animal more pain than necessary. Dealing with a carcass, I don't have an issue, but it's simply the stress caused to the animal that I want to prevent.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

I hosted a class on rabbit harvesting for a college livestock management course for a college in Toledo Ohio this year.

It was completely optional. Only half the class showed, only one student watched the process through, no one participated.

The class was also raising turkeys back on their class farm... But were unwilling to process any of them when they were done growing they said.

I just don't get it either... What happens if you're managing your livestock and one of your animals gets sick? How will you "manage" that? Have a whole house dedicate dto quarantined animals living out their lives costing you money and risking your healthy ones?

And these were people taking a class on it too... Imagine the gumption (or lack there of) in normal suburban folks! Yikes!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I hosted a class on rabbit harvesting for a college livestock management course for a college in Toledo Ohio this year.

It was completely optional. Only half the class showed, only one student watched the process through, no one participated.

The class was also raising turkeys back on their class farm... But were unwilling to process any of them when they were done growing they said.

I just don't get it either... What happens if you're managing your livestock and one of your animals gets sick? How will you "manage" that? Have a whole house dedicate dto quarantined animals living out their lives costing you money and risking your healthy ones?

And these were people taking a class on it too... Imagine the gumption (or lack there of) in normal suburban folks! Yikes!

Good points.

Big disconnect between the reality of food production and the concept 'out of sight, out of mind'.
Those people are still eating something - every day.