Cant eat my Chickens!!

[Ratchnick]

Part of the issue is the smell and memory of butchering, raw chicken is gross, guts are gross, it doesn't matter what your trying to eat for dinner if your thinking of that you will lose your appetite! Good on you for broadening your horizons!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

It sounds as if you are emotionally invested in your birds and it feels like a betrayal to be eating them, is this right? Or is it as @Ratchnick says, you recall the sights and smells of the butchering, and it is that which comes back to haunt you?

It sounds as if, in either case, you do want to be a practical harvester of your home-grown meat, but your memories and emotions are creating roadblocks to your success. Here's a suggestion for you. Acknowledge that, for now, you cannot eat the flesh of your birds, and accept that. Do not pressure yourself about it. That's where you are and that's okay. When you are comfortable doing so, see if you can taste some chicken broth or soup made from one of your chickens. Eventually, over time, you may decide to try a bite of the meat, and go from there. Or, you may not. And that's okay too. There is no law that says you have to. You get to decide. There is no right or wrong answer, just whatever you decide works for you.

 

[PurpleCArTires]

It sounds as if you are emotionally invested in your birds and it feels like a betrayal to be eating them, is this right? Or is it as @Ratchnick says, you recall the sights and smells of the butchering, and it is that which comes back to haunt you?

I think its probably a combination. I am their sole provider and handle them everyday. I think its the killing aspect too, once they have passed, i am not bothered in the least since, with feathers gone they look like a grocery store chicken. We just got 10 turkeys and need to butcher them, i didnt raise them and i am gonna have my husband do the killing amd hopefully I will be able to eat them this round. We shall see.
I like your idea of trying the broth or gravy and stepping up to the textured meat and see how it goes. I am hoping overtime it gets easier. I would really like to never buy grocery store chickens again, and I am even going through the caponizing efforts on the spare roos, to make them more palatable.

I really appreciate all the input/ideas
Merry Christmas!

 

[B-Goock]

My wife was kinda the same way. First ones we butchered i dispatched them, dunked, & tossed them in the plucker.
The gutting was almost enough for her to leave which led me to cutting leg quarters off, taking wings off, and just fillet the breast meat off. No guts no mess. She had no issue cutting the quarters into thigh, drumsticks , and cut the wings for Buffalo wings. Then she helps wash, season, bag, & freeze.
Now after a few times of chickens, quail, & fish I still dispatch & gut but she helps dunk, pluck, and quarter up.
Good luck & Merry Christmas

 

[JacinLarkwell]

It's definately odd. I'm in the same boat as you in being the sole caretaker. I have help butchering (I'm small and the larger birds require an extra hand while alive), and it's odd to take a bird that was an individual and then reduce them all to the same look.

There are times I see the birds in the freezer and my stomach queases. But then I remember that they were treated honorably, and that I should be proud of them

 

[Winter Creek Coop]

Hello. I’m new here and a little late to this thread.

A few thoughts: First, butchering an animal should have a certain amount of mental weight to it. That’s what separates us from the weasels . But it doesn’t sound like you are jammed up on the intellectual side, but more a gut level response. It’s a heavy thing, but we have to figure out how to carry that weight until we get used to it. That leads to number 2. Desensitize! If you have neighbors ir friends who home butcher, volunteer to help them. Seriously, let the whole process become praticed and mechanical while working on birds you aren’t close to. 3. And finally, trade a couple birds with neighbors or whomever and let someone else choose the bird for supper. You won’t really know of you’re eating one of yours or a stranger bird.

I hope any of this helps.

 

[featherhead007]

And if you raised them from egg hatch, they are family, not food!

 

[Kusanar]

Maybe a weird idea, but if you have a chest freezer that has enough room, raise a small batch of CX and process them, put them in the chest freezer, buy several roasters from the store and put them in the freezer as well, go ahead and unpackage them, remove the giblets, and package them the same as yours before freezing.

Then, have one of your kids go to the freezer and grab a chicken, any chicken, and bring it to you to cook. You shouldn't be able to easily tell the difference between a store bird and your own so you will have a choice, to be queasy about eating ALL chicken from that freezer, or to just assume they are all store birds.

You may have a friend or neighbor that you could trade birds with as well. You raise and process 5 birds and they do as well, then you swap birds, you don't have a relationship with their birds, and they don't with yours.

 

[PurpleCArTires]

Maybe a weird idea, but if you have a chest freezer that has enough room, raise a small batch of CX and process them, put them in the chest freezer, buy several roasters from the store and put them in the freezer as well, go ahead and unpackage them, remove the giblets, and package them the same as yours before freezing.

Then, have one of your kids go to the freezer and grab a chicken, any chicken, and bring it to you to cook. You shouldn't be able to easily tell the difference between a store bird and your own so you will have a choice, to be queasy about eating ALL chicken from that freezer, or to just assume they are all store birds.

You may have a friend or neighbor that you could trade birds with as well. You raise and process 5 birds and they do as well, then you swap birds, you don't have a relationship with their birds, and they don't with yours.

Id try that but we already have about 15 roos to process in the next few months lol. I can see they arent like the grocery store lol. I dont want to buy CX right now either. I did get 10 turkeys that are already adults that we will process and i havent fallen in love with. I am hoping i can eat them.

 

[PurpleCArTires]

Hello. I’m new here and a little late to this thread.

A few thoughts: First, butchering an animal should have a certain amount of mental weight to it. That’s what separates us from the weasels . But it doesn’t sound like you are jammed up on the intellectual side, but more a gut level response. It’s a heavy thing, but we have to figure out how to carry that weight until we get used to it. That leads to number 2. Desensitize! If you have neighbors ir friends who home butcher, volunteer to help them. Seriously, let the whole process become praticed and mechanical while working on birds you aren’t close to. 3. And finally, trade a couple birds with neighbors or whomever and let someone else choose the bird for supper. You won’t really know of you’re eating one of yours or a stranger bird.

I hope any of this helps.

Yes! Desensitized is the way i hope! I have been watching butcher videos like crazy getting ready to do these 10 turkeys we got. I actually found one dead today my dogs got (not one of my 10... Long story lol) and my friend and I "practiced" butchering him. It was no problem once the bird is with Jesus, its the killing I have some problems with. I just read an article too about putting a sock over their heads. It calms them and you dont have to look into their eyes when you do the deed. I might try that as well.
Gosh, i really appreciate all the input on this thread!