Advice needed for doing the deed....

[nautical_bouy]

You loose the guilt when you buy meat birds, it's the known end when they arrive.

 

[Beagler1776]

I can't thank you all enough for sharing. I couldn't agree more with what Sunny said. In fact, I mourn all of our farm animals deaths at the same time I am saying a prayer of gratitude for having had them... I try to talk with all my friends and their kids about the realities of life and death on the farm... I think people are really hurting themselves NOT to come to terms with the life cycle (or life!). And don't get me started on what we're doing to this world with overpopulation!

Thanks for providing a forum where it's safe to discuss these issues. I truly appreciate the refreshing down to earth and honest perspectives found here.

 

[First To Hatch]

It is a hard thing to do, and in my experiance I thought the meat tasted bad cause I was attached to them and played with them when they were young so I had ended up giving the meat away to my friends (talking about meat rabbits right now) but I've help process goats, rabbits, chickens, sheep, even pigeons.

When we went to a lady once to buy a boer to kill and put in freezer, her husband asked us how we can do that, my brother answered it helps not to think about it so my advice is to:

1. Not to think about it just do the job well.

2. Feed them, water them, clean there living area and get out don't sit there and watch them or play with them just do the jobs you have to do to keep them alive till the date when they must die.

 

[greyfields]

I would be far more worried about someone who wasn't bothered at all by the processing of chickens. The people who are conscientious, care for their animals, are the ones who should be raising food. It's always with a bit of regret when I take a batch of birds in to be processed (I pay for the service as I must by law and it's simply easier on my mental health). Every now and again I wonder if I ought just turn around and drive back home.

But, really, in retrospect, I should feel guilt over ever scrap of meat I ate out of a styrofoam package covered in saran wrap. I was dodging the whole issue as a consumer. I should feel proud of the birds I did myself and ashamed of those I didn't.

At least, that's my perspective. But, even to this day, taking the geese in before Christmas is very difficult on me. The geese always blur the line between livestock and pets to me.

 

[Farmer Gab]

THANKS to all of you for your advice! My husband and I bit the bullet and butchered out 13 chickens. He chopped off their heads, then we both skinned them, and then I gutted them. The have been salted and bagged and are now waiting a few days in the fridge before being frozen. Everything went REALLY well and now we know we will do this again and again. I just can't justify buying the meat from abused animals anymore. THANKS AGAIN!

 

[Poulets De Cajun]

Yall can rationalize this all afternoon, in 9 different languages, and with 20 different reasons. I still don't know that I can do it.

For me, its not so much the killing part of it. Its the actual eating. The whole time I'd be chewing I'd be visualizing the bird running around the yard, and wondering which part I was chewing on now. And that just ruins the whole thing.

I've had to cull babies before either because they were sick, weak, or injured, so that part isn't so much a hard thing to do. Its the latter.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

To me it adds to the enjoyment of the meal knowing the chicken lived a life of contentment, was kept in the peak of health, received kind treatment, and was humanely processed, feeling gentle hands and reassuring words right up to the end.

Visualizing the care & treatment of factory-farmed chickens is what would ruin my appetite.

 

[HobbyChickener]

All makes very good sense especially the about buying meat birds knowing their end from the beginning. It probably helps that I am a hunter and that I hunt for the purpose of puttng food in the freezer and the outdoor enjoyment is just iceing on the cake.

My first culling was not planned it was actually done more out of frustration so there wasn't any guilt involved. Now to explain that.

I was feeding the flock one evening. We had our girls and a couple roos and our pet barred cochin roo. Roadrunner had been around our family for about 4 years at that time. He was my sons pet and our first chicken. He is the reason that I have chickens still to this day. Apparently one of the standard roos kicked his butt the night before. Roadrunner was in pretty rough shape but would be ok (he had lived through the jaws of a dog more than once). O got him out and looked him over and decided that I would isolate him from then on. No sooner did I turn my back to pick up the feed bucket before I picked up him, the same roo (I assume) jumped on him again. Probably more out of anger than protection for roadrunner I grabbed the roo and twisted his neck...... Now keep in mind he and 3 other where headed there anyway as we eat our extra roos and always had. It was just a poor timeing thing on his part. I have done several since and will continue too. It is all in how you look at why that animal is in your possesion than anything at least to me.

Hobby

 

[seriousbill]

Quote:
I wouldn't call it "rationalizing." I'd call it "coming to terms." There's a big difference, y'know. "Rationalizing" means you're failing to face a reality and coming up with all sorts of excuses. IMO people who butcher their own meat birds with full awareness of all of the aspects are very much facing reality and thoughtfully grasping it. I'm totally fine with that, in any language. Oh, and my country fried chicken with gravy is to die for

Hobby, my parents taught me to hunt when I was 12 (did I mention I was from WV?), and I have the same twinge of "reality" when I do that too.

 

[Beekissed]

Hear, hear!