Processing Day Support Group ~ HELP us through the Emotions PLEASE!

[wlhtx]

While mine hang instead of a killing cone, I agree 100% with both statements. I just did two more boys who decided to draw first blood (mine and my son's) yesterday. For me, personally, it's easier since I've hunted for YEARS. It allows me to disconnect more than a knife, especially since it always seems to be the ones I name that need to be done... 

Okay, so you just hand them upside down, no cone (which is what we did) and you can still shoot them with a pellet gun? I guess I can see where they would be still enough if you left them hanging for a bit. Is yours a rifle type like Kassaundra's?

When we processed ours last weekend, my DH tried to get me to cut the neck of the last one but I just couldn't do it. Maybe one day, but I DO think I could shoot one.

I'm sure you've said it plenty of times on here Kassaundra, but could tell me again what kind you have? BirdbyGavin?

 

[jajeanpierre]

I need some help. I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed by killing the chickens. I've only done four on two different days.

I have an 5.5 month Ameraucana cockerel I was intending to keep as my "spare" rooster to protect my free ranging Ameraucanas. About 10 days ago, he didn't empty his crop overnight. On the advice of a breeder, I pulled food for 24 hours and massaged the bottom of his crop, gave him a scrambled egg divided into two feedings the next day. On the third day I gave him regular food. After he was clearing his crop, I let him back out. A few days later, he had an issue with the crop again. Same treatment. On Wednesday morning, same thing--full crop. Repeated the treatment.

Needless to say, he's dropping weight. The breeder I asked for advice recommended culling him. I went out this morning and his crop is not fully empty of the soaked pellets I gave him yesterday. I pull food at night, so he won't have any recently eaten food in his crop.

I guess I need to cull him, don't I? I wanted to keep him as a second rooster for protection of the flock. I have two other cockerels that I could keep, both wheatens, not a color I have any desire to breed although I do have one blue wheaten pullet.

The breeder said that as a last resort, I could give him some over-the-counter anti fungals orally, but her advice is to cull while there is still some meat on the bird.

If I cull him, I might do some other birds but I just don't feel really ready to do it--I just feel I need some time to recover from last Sunday's killing of three Silkies.

Thoughts please. This is a bird I had wanted to keep although I wouldn't have used him for breeding.

 

[BirdbyGavin1103]

Okay, so you just hand them upside down, no cone (which is what we did) and you can still shoot them with a pellet gun? I guess I can see where they would be still enough if you left them hanging for a bit. Is yours a rifle type like Kassaundra's?

When we processed ours last weekend, my DH tried to get me to cut the neck of the last one but I just couldn't do it. Maybe one day, but I DO think I could shoot one.

I'm sure you've said it plenty of times on here Kassaundra, but could tell me again what kind you have? BirdbyGavin?

Yeah I just hang them for a minute or two til they calm down and then place it muzzle right against the base of the skull (back of the head where the neck and skull meet). Mine is a Crosman bb or .117 pellet rifle that needs to be pumped the build pressure. I learned how to shoot with it (25 years ago), so I have no idea if they still make the same model.

While I use the bbs, there are pellets that mushroom on impact, similar to a hollow point. Minimizing the chance of through and through and possible resulting ricochet, but I don't know if they'd penetrate the skull even at point blank. I'd recommend having your cone, or hanging area, backed by soft dirt (without any large stones near the surface), an old pillow or even an archery target to catch any possible misses or through and throughs. Ours is backed by soft dirt. ALWAYS use basic gun safety practices: eye protection, having anyone not shooting behind the gunman, always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction (even when empty), safety on until ready to fire, and finger OFF the trigger until ready to fire.

Nothing drives me crazier than pictures of people with their finger on the trigger before they are anywhere near ready to fire or pointed in a safe direction, while the safety should prevent an accidental fire it's no guarantee with any gun. Even my son (7 yrs old) has a fit when he sees them lol.

 

[jajeanpierre]

Needless to say, he's dropping weight. The breeder I asked for advice recommended culling him. I went out this morning and his crop is not fully empty of the soaked pellets I gave him yesterday. I pull food at night, so he won't have any recently eaten food in his crop.

Another "duh" moment--he had access to water all night. It could be just water that he drank this morning. I'll feed him soaked pellets and then pull water and food and monitor his crop. He lives a bit longer.

 

[BirdbyGavin1103]

Removed my post after reading your second one. Hopefully it was just water.

 

[jajeanpierre]

Removed my post after reading your second one. Hopefully it was just water.

I read your post in my email in-box. You shouldn't have taken it down. I found it helpful, regardless of the outcome for this particular bird. Thanks.

 

[Kassaundra]

I'm not home so can't check the name brand of the pellet gun, but it is near $100 has 2 interchangable barrels and is the "break" style where you bent the barrel once insert one pellet and then ready to fire. No pumping, no air cartridge. I got from good old Walmart.

I shoot my birds in my garage since I live in town and don't want the hassal of being "reported" even though I am completely legal, so I shoot over a bucket of water, figure if it is good enough for CSI, should be good enough for my little pellet gun.

About the roo, I would cull any w/ a reoccuring health issue. I do not have the set up or inclination to run a chicken clinic.

 

[BirdbyGavin1103]

I read your post in my email in-box. You shouldn't have taken it down. I found it helpful, regardless of the outcome for this particular bird. Thanks.

No problem glad it helped you. I guess I'll repost for anyone else with a similar situation, I know it won't be exact, but it'll be close (I hope).

If he's lost weight and can't be with the ladies anyway I would do the humane thing and not allow him to suffer. Think of his quality of life (not your husbandry, but his issues with his health) and if it's fair to prolong his time. If treatment is a sure fire thing, I'd say go for it. Otherwise I would give him a day with the ladies, his favorite treats and make it as quick and painless as possible at the end of the day.



On a side note/in addition: I do this with my boys that have overstayed their welcome, even if they got nasty towards me or my son (so far we haven't had anyone get sick enough to cull). When it comes time to do one of the ladies (I know it will eventually), I'll most likely give her a day AWAY from the boys and her favorite treats.

 

[dutchbunny83]

I may have to look into the pellet gun method...

 

[199787]

We had to euthanize a bird today. We used a pistol style pump pellet gun to the back of the head. He never knew it was coming and it was instant. We didn't process him because he was skinny and had a prolapsed vent (vent gleet) we tried to medicate first for quite awhile. Anyway, we were happy with the pellet gun method.