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

[Wax Myrtle]

Tadpole and KJ, I'm assuming the CX are "looking pretty bad" either due to heart or leg issues. At least, these two problems are very common with this breed. If it is either of these problems, they are okay to eat.

If it is an illness like cocci, then I dunno. I would probably dispose of a diseased bird, if it weren't heart or leg issues.

 

[Wax Myrtle]

Elke, y'know, you're the only other person I've ever heard to consider animal husbandry a contract. I've put it this way myself, many times. Altho, to be honest, I more often have been talking about cats and how I really only require that they use the litter box, not put their butts where I don't put mine, and not attack people.

 

[tadpole98]

Quote: If it is just leg issues then you shouldnt be worried. The growing at a different rate happens with any types of birds, in fact I have a slow grower in the brooder right now. Nothing to be concerned about! This one that I had was lethargic, runny nose, face was puffy.. Thats sick.

 

[Elke Beck]

Elke, y'know, you're the only other person I've ever heard to consider animal husbandry a contract. I've put it this way myself, many times. Altho, to be honest, I more often have been talking about cats and how I really only require that they use the litter box, not put their butts where I don't put mine, and not attack people.

I hear ya' on the butt thing. I have the same rules for my dogs. And the same for noses - they will never see me putting my nose into someone's crotch or someone else's dinner, and I expect the same from them.

Whether you call in a contract, husbandry or stewardship, I think we need to have an understanding of what our commitment to the animals is and what acceptable animal behavior has to happen. I don't expect the animals to understand that they have to behave a certain way in order to remain in my home, but I will not keep an animal that is a danger to others, including other animals. And I do not pass along problems. If I cannot deal with the animal's behavior, I do not try to pass it along to someone else. I deal with it.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Quote: LOL

 

[tadpole98]

Oh my goshh, this is so hard. I cant stop crying and i am eating the heck out of the icecream bucket. we separated the roosters we didnt want anymore. My two beautiful boys, Emery and Emery 2, are so BIG they are hurting the girls when they breed. But they are my babies!!! I hatched 7 out in september who I socialized real good, and all of them love me! then i brought them to the separator, it was sooo bad. lol i probably dont make any sense right now..

 

[gryeyes]

Oh my goshh, this is so hard. I cant stop crying and i am eating the heck out of the icecream bucket. we separated the roosters we didnt want anymore. My two beautiful boys, Emery and Emery 2, are so BIG they are hurting the girls when they breed. But they are my babies!!! I hatched 7 out in september who I socialized real good, and all of them love me! then i brought them to the separator, it was sooo bad. lol i probably dont make any sense right now.. 

Tadpole, you make absolutely perfect sense to me.


You should have seen me give up favorite Roos for someone who needed a rooster, so it is very tough for me to box my boys "intended" for the table and go to a friend's to be fattened and processed.

I know exactly what you mean. No doubt of it. I am right there with you.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Awww Tad! You may have to turn your upset into being PO'd, remember just like I was told and it worked quite well for me, Your NOT SUPPOSED TO Like this part of chicken keeping! I kept this mindset and I was a major b#$$$% all day and it really helped me to focus on what I needed to do. Just remember if its too difficult, no one says you have to do it either! As we all know some birds we simply let ourselves get attached to! No one can tell you what route to choose. I choose to give away our OE roos for someone else to process, and I'll be darned if someone didn't message me that they want them for breeding! SHOCKED I WAS but I was certainly Thrilled for the boys! If DH wouldn't have just had surgery I am sure we would have done them together. So STAY TOUGH either way you got this!

 

[Elke Beck]

Oh my goshh, this is so hard. I cant stop crying and i am eating the heck out of the icecream bucket. we separated the roosters we didnt want anymore. My two beautiful boys, Emery and Emery 2, are so BIG they are hurting the girls when they breed. But they are my babies!!! I hatched 7 out in september who I socialized real good, and all of them love me! then i brought them to the separator, it was sooo bad. lol i probably dont make any sense right now..

If you did not feel upset, then you would not be a caring person. We care for these animals, and it can feel like we are betraying them when we take their lives. Remember that we have to do this for the health of the flock as well as putting healthy, high quality meat on our tables. If you don't hear anything else, hear this: You are doing the right thing, for your flock and even for these roosters. They cannot continue this way, harming hens, and as the steward of the flock, It is up to you to do the hard thing and make it stop.

It will be over soon.

 

[foxflower]

If you really can't do it, and the only problem with the boys is that they are too big, maybe a few huge hens are all they need. Do you have room for some jersey giants? Those things are like small turkeys. Otherwise, you'll get through it and next year you'll be very careful about how you interact with the boys. There's nothing wrong with having a hard time with it. I'm careful not to get attached and I still don't like it. I know people who won't do it, period. So actually, you are being quite brave.