Culling humanely?

[chickmomma03]

I am newer to raising chickens (bought in May and June). I bought mine for eggs and to love on/bond with. I realize now it was a little naive to think I wouldn't have to consider culling them. I haven't ever killed anything (above bees/spiders/snakes/flies) besides an accidental run in with a deer on the road near my house (and in all fairness, I couldn't avoid it, it darted out last second, clipped the corner where the headlight is, and I wasn't going to roll my SUV and risk my life to not hit it, the only comfort I find in that is it died instantly, no suffering). Despite growing up around my grandma and grandpa's farm, this wasn't something the children were involved in (most of her stuff was sent for processing, anything above that we weren't aware of), we were raised to enjoy the beauty of the animals, treat them kindly, love them, and take care of them well.

So, I have a rooster, and I know that at some point he will need to be culled. If anything happens to any of my girls I need to be able to be strong enough to end any suffering. My issue, I don't know the best/quickest/least "painful" way to do it. My son's father thinks it's funny to tease about cutting their head off and them running around like that (and a few other things like that he finds funny). I don't know if it's true or not, I hope not, but it's a torturous thing for me to have to imagine. I just don't want them to suffer when time comes. So what is the most humane and quickest/painless way to do it?

Also, after that's done how long does it take to process them and what's the quickest/best way to do that?

 

[deboger]

I have not processed any of my chickens either but we do plan to do so. When we do we are going to use a killing cone which hangs them upside down so that the blood goes to their head and they pass out then you can cut their throat to bleed them out. Not sure about the rest but I hope this helps you some.

 

[Bridebeliever]

I've watched a lot of YouTube on this because I thought it was something I would need to know for the future. The first one I watched made me cry. Not because they were cruel, just because I'm a big baby. It seems the hang upside down in a cone or milk jug that's been cut is a good way. The chickens look like they are asleep when the people do it. There's a lady on YouTube under "Creek Girl" and I thought her video was informative...plus she thanked her chicken for their meat as she was carrying them over to be processed, I thought that was sweet. I eat chicken at least three meals per week...I know those chickens don't have a good life or anyone worrying about how they are killed...this way is so much better. Still, I haven't done it yet and I'm sure I will cry.
Another guy on YouTube says ax and take their whole head off in one moment. He said you can't be faster and more humane than that! The moment the head is not connected they are dead, regardless what the body does. Lord help me, this part is not gonna be easy!

 

[chickmomma03]

yea, I don't think I will be youtubing how to do it. I can't handle running across ones that are terrible.

 

[deboger]

We also thank our animals when we process them for giving their lives for us to eat, I feel you should always thank them. Good luck chickmomma03 because it is hard. My husband does most of our slaughters but he does have me do one so that he is sure if I had to do it to survive that I could do it.

 

[chickmomma03]

I thank mine every day Ghost laid an egg this morning and I always tell her good job and thanks. My Oreo (roo) doesn't care too much for me coming in to collect sometimes, but he'll get over it. When mine are in my "way" and I need to access something I say excuse me and thanks lol. Idk, manners are just ingrained in me like that.