Considering my first attempts at culling roosters

[Airyaman]

So I tried to get rid of my way too many roosters on Facebook and Craigslist. Not a single inquiry.

At one time, I had considered a bachelor flock, but with time, I realize I don't really care that much about the birds as I thought I would (I am a big softy when it comes to all life. I even raised four orphan kittens from 3 weeks old to their fat selves today). Thus, the reasons to keep a bachelor flock to save lives start to erode.

That said, for those who find killing distasteful, what did you do to overcome your hesitation?

Understand that none of my roosters (aged 12 -16 weeks) have shown any aggression (yet). They all get along with each other right now but I know that can change any day. I am not really considering culling my older roosters as I have plans for them, but I do have seven black australorps (12 weeks) that I don't really care for and they will be my first culls.

Yes, I eat chicken. But I didn't raise said chickens, so that is the hard part for me. So for now, I'm not going to eat said roosters, but free fresh chicken for my cats is on the menu. Given time, who knows? I'll probably join in.

It's the initial act I'm struggling with.

How did you all do it?

Thanks!

 

[SnackMeat]

If you find yourself struggling, you can post an add for him to be culled for meat for free. Or you can ask to trade roosters. It is easier to kill an animal you haven't raised.

I think the most humane way is the cone and the nicking the arteries to bleed upside down. Being upside down immobilizes them and it seems easier for them? But who knows for sure.


I prefer the pipe method where you hold them and then lay them on their bell with their neck stretched out on concrete. Then take a broomstick handle, or pipe or similar, preferably something that lays completely flat on the concrete, and lay it over their neck. It takes a little doing but you can hold their legs, put the pipe over their neck, step on the pipe to hold it, and then pull up/backwards to break their neck.

At that point you can still nick the arteries and hang.


The other option is breaking their neck by hand. My husband can do it, and I think I could do it if, say, a chicken was attacking other chicks very badly. But in terms of doing it in a calm orderly "we have x cockerels to process today" it just squicks me out.


And finally there is cutting the head off. I don't like this one because they stay alive for several seconds and I don't like the confusion of being separated from their body as a tiny head along with dying. It's probably a non issue but I don't prefer it for them.

As far as what to do with their bodies if you won't eat them---

(It is odd eating them but it's also delicious compared to to store bought. I try to appreciate what they are giving me since we also can't have a bunch of cockerels running around.)


A black soldier fly farm is probably the way to go. Your cats won't eat everything and you can turn food waste in to maggots for the chickens to eat.

 

[Ridgerunner]

That said, for those who find killing distasteful, what did you do to overcome your hesitation?

Some people cannot. We all have different histories and thought processes. Some people just can't do it. I think it is important to understand if you are one of them.

If you are going to end the life, you have to determine which way you can. You do not want to hesitate, flinch, or close your eyes at the wrong time. That would be a good way to injure yourself or only wound the bird, not immediately kill it. You do not want it to suffer because you could not kill it cleanly.

There are many different methods we use. I use the hatchet and stump method, mainly because that is what I grew up using. I grew up using a hammer, axe, hatchet and such so I'm confident I can hit the target. If you don't have that confidence it is probably not a good method for you.

With any method there are a few tricks or details that can make it easier and surer. Whether you use the hatchet and stump, killing cone, broomstick method, loppers, or something else it can help to discuss it with someone to learn these tricks. For example, I drive two large nails in the stump to form a Vee that I can hook the head into so it stays in place and I cut into the grain of the wood as opposed to across it to get a cleaner cut.

With many of these methods the chicken goes into death throes. The death throes are caused by nerves involuntarily firing blankly with no connection to the brain. I do not believe the animal is suffering as the connection is cut, but some people do. If you haven't seen them or don't expect them the death throes can be hard to watch.

Good luck on however you decide to proceed.

 

[Airyaman]

Some people cannot. We all have different histories and thought processes. Some people just can't do it. I think it is important to understand if you are one of them.

If you are going to end the life, you have to determine which way you can. You do not want to hesitate, flinch, or close your eyes at the wrong time. That would be a good way to injure yourself or only wound the bird, not immediately kill it. You do not want it to suffer because you could not kill it cleanly.

There are many different methods we use. I use the hatchet and stump method, mainly because that is what I grew up using. I grew up using a hammer, axe, hatchet and such so I'm confident I can hit the target. If you don't have that confidence it is probably not a good method for you.

With any method there are a few tricks or details that can make it easier and surer. Whether you use the hatchet and stump, killing cone, broomstick method, loppers, or something else it can help to discuss it with someone to learn these tricks. For example, I drive two large nails in the stump to form a Vee that I can hook the head into so it stays in place and I cut into the grain of the wood as opposed to across it to get a cleaner cut.

With many of these methods the chicken goes into death throes. The death throes are caused by nerves involuntarily firing blankly with no connection to the brain. I do not believe the animal is suffering as the connection is cut, but some people do. If you haven't seen them or don't expect them the death throes can be hard to watch.

Good luck on however you decide to proceed.

Thanks.

Once committed, there would not be any hesitation on my part because for many of the same reasons I don't like killing, I would not want the rooster to suffer either. Quick and precise. I've already had to overcome killing two small chicks (different I know, no real time commitment other than the 21 days and assisted hatches), but I was able to carry out their deaths as humanely as possible to end their suffering.

Of course, this time the roosters will not be suffering, but likewise I cannot logically keep them all. I can afford to feed them, but I simply do not have the will to maintain their lives to avoid culling them. They are not like those saved kittens (now 3 y.o.) who lay in my lap, purr, and provide me with company, they are birds I see a few times a day.

I have many chickens already (that darn chicken math) and although I certainly have my favorites, I have not named a single one. And to be brutally honest, the australorps are my least favorite breed so far. So that helps when it comes time to do the deed.

 

[Mrs. K]

My first time, I got a friend - neither of us knew what we were really doing, wanted to be thorough. A lot of nervous giggling. It helped and we got it done.

I started with upside down in a cone, and slitting the throat. The first one, a little nervous, I cut the head off - but hey, it was dead. Later on, I tried the broom stick method. And I rather prefer it now, if I have several to do.

I think the death throes are the most disconcerting aspect. There is that horrible thought that you botched it. But truthfully, if they are having those - they have passed.

I like to have clean 5 gallon buckets. I place the bird in there after the culling, - it contains them, so there is not much damage from the death throes, and it keeps them clean.

Once they are plucked - it really just is like chicken from the store. However, this will not be KFC (unless you have meat birds). I prefer this meat for soups and casseroles.

The first time - I bought chicken, mixed it all up with my own chicken, put it in bags in the freezer and went on from there.

No guilt allowed, a good life and quick end.

Mrs K

 

[Airyaman]

Please consider rehoming them. Killing them is cruel.

I've been trying. I don't know chicken keepers personally and I've had no takers via various FB groups and Craigslist.

And if you eat chicken, someone killed them, right?

 

[SnackMeat]

I wrote this mistaking this post for the person who had to put down a beloved hen. I'll put an addendum at the bottom for your situation:

I am not sure to what extent you will process your chicken after killing her.

For BSF farm, you can put the entire bird in without doing anything after the bird dies.

Before giving it to a domestic pet I would probably want to check for worms and take out most of the offal.

As a side note, after you kill them, it can be handy to defeather her most of the way (you can leave the hard wing feathers or you can scaled with 150*F water and it makes them easy to pull out, but you would typically only do that if you are planning to dress the meat for cooking.)


I say this because you can look for indicators of care issues that may effect your other chickens. Are there abrasians on her chest that may indicate a roosting bar needs to be sanded? Were there any bruises that may indicate roosting bars might be too high or something else in the environment is an issue?

If you've ever had an impacted crop (and I'm not saying you would want to do this to a beloved chicken, but better to practice on a dead one than have to do it for real on a live one) and want to know how to surgically treat, you can look at videos on how to slice the skin that covers the crop (it is so thin!) and then cut into the crop to empty, clean and then suture. On a live chicken you would have dissolvable sutures.


Are there any abscesses that she was hiding, either on her feet or her chest?

If you are not familiar with bumble foot and she happens to have bumble foot, this can be a good way to practice (wear gloves) how to clean out bumble foot. Also do not feed any abscessed parts or bumble foot feet to other animals.


I know all of this is probably too much, and that's okay. But I wanted to raise these points because her body can help you care for the living.



For the cockerels:

You can practice caponizing
their bodies.

This would be handy in the future because no/little crowing, less rooster characteristics, fatter meat if you want to process for meat.

 

[roofriend312]

Where are you located? I have a friend who raises chickens and might be willing to take on some roosters. If not, I am sure many people on this forum will be willing to take them and give them a good home. Facebook and Craigslist aren’t the best places to find people who are willing and able to take care of roosters, but if you post a separate thread about rehoming them on this website, I’m sure there will be many people who can each take a rooster off your hands. Please consider rehoming them humanely instead of going the culling route.

 

[roofriend312]

My friend and I are located in Rhode Island

 

[Airyaman]

Where are you located? I have a friend who raises chickens and might be willing to take on some roosters. If not, I am sure many people on this forum will be willing to take them and give them a good home. Facebook and Craigslist aren’t the best places to find people who are willing and able to take care of roosters, but if you post a separate thread about rehoming them on this website, I’m sure there will be many people who can each take a rooster off your hands. Please consider rehoming them humanely instead of going the culling route.

Thanks new member, did not even realize we had a buy-sell-trade forum here. Posted!

I live in Central AL btw.