Culling chickens

[Organics North]

Quote:
Really, if you're gonna kill them it'd be silly not to eat them. Soup sure, but chicken & biscuits, there's the way to go.

Indeed!
At least make some nice soup stock! Then compost the the carcass's along with the entrails and feathers.

Your birds sound young to cull. How is your protein level in your feed?

As far as doing the deed... I really really like the killing cone.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=75677

Just insert chicken and cut veins in neck. Bird is sedated in the upside down position.. Quick, humane, and not traumatic for the one that has to do the deed either..

I personally still have weird childhood memories of the ole axe and stump method. Blood spurting, flopping chickens....

ON

 

[booker81]

I have a two year old polish, she's been the only one laying in the heat - about 6 eggs a week. Now it's cooling off and I'm getting a pullet egg a day, and increased production because my pullets are starting up - all are 20 weeks. Only one started laying two weeks ago, again, heat.

If you're raising chickens for business, sure, makes sense to cull when not a optimal performance, probably 2 years old. However, if they are just for fun, they will continue to lay eggs for a few more years, and be a lot of fun to boot. I wouldn't kill them just to cull and bury, I'd definately eat them!!! Chicken and dumpling soup!!

 

[PhlyinPheBee]

Someone else might want grown hens. To "get rid" of them says that they are disposible and living animals are not!

 

[Baymule]

I too live in a neighborhood with a small yard in town. I am limited to how many I can have-and no roosters. I have 2 SLW hens that are 1 year old. In the heat, they have slowed down on laying. In the spring I will get 6 more chicks and based on what I have read on the forum, they will be slowly introduced to the Queen hens. But the Queen hens won't be going anywhere, they are firmly installed. If and when the day comes that any culling is done, the chicken will go into the pot and dinner will be served. Yes, dinner that night will have a name, but that particular chicken will be celebrated in the circle of life. In life there is death, in death there is life.

Your hens do sound young to be culling, as I understand it, they slow down laying in the heat and also in the winter (short days). I vote with the others, don't compost them, eat them. You sound genuinely concerned for their well being and not wanting them to suffer death in a cruel way and I applaud you for that. But why waste the meat? After all you know they have been well treated, well fed and cared for. Be proud of your accomplishment in feeding your family fresh eggs, you have done well. You can also be proud of feeding your family a tasty chicken dinner when your layers are done laying. There is nothing wrong with that. I wish you the best.

 

[littlethorn]

A year and a half does sound young to cull and if you have had some hot days, that in itself could make the hens cut back on laying. Your hens are young enough to still be very saleable (laying hens go for anywhere from 8-15 bucks around here) or very edible in soup and pot pies so it would not be optimal to just compost them.

Your cousin is not wrong....his situation is just very different from yours.

 

[Muggsmagee]

Great topic! And not an easy one to go through for us "newbies" to culling. IMO I would not merely dispose of your chickens. If you don't want to eat them, that's okay. But SOMEONE could benefit from them! I completely agree with PhlyinPheBee that live animals are not disposable. An ad on Craigslist will do the trick. ALSO, if they are still young, they could produce eggs for another family. Please put them to good use...if not for yourself, then someone else.

 

[chickentricks]

Well, I am so glad that I joined this site...the advice has been very informative AND kind.

I believe I will rethink this situation. I do come from a long line of farmers, and I've had lots of advice from cousins who have had chickens for years. And my one cousin who has most adviced me is pretty progressive...started a farmer's market in his suburb (which grew up around his farm) that is very successful now. But everyone is right...he's doing this for a living, and I'm just providing friesh egss and experience for my family. Also, I forgot to factor in the ugly heat we've had this summer when it comes to laying. We've enjoyed "the girls" so much as a family, I do feel very strongly that they are honored as friends and providers by us, when and how they go. I do think I'll let them lay at least another year before starting new chicks.

Re: the question about how we kept them from molting...we artificially lit them for 13-15 hours and day over the dark months so they didn't molt (another bit of advice from my cousin...). They seemed happy throughout that time and kept laying. Should I let them rest this winter and, if I do, will that increase their egg production in the spring?