Do I have to starve them before dispatching?

[ChickieBooBoo]

I take away feed the afternoon before killing day, then as I'm killing I give them a tiny bit. It makes their crops easier to find and pull out if there is a bit of grain in them, not too much though.

 

[Tracydr]

I've done it both ways. I don't seem to have a problem removing the guts and crop without contaminating anything when it's full, although I do have to be careful. If I'm planning on killing them, I don't feed that morning. If, for some reason, I need to cull in a hurry, like if a Cornish X is having difficulty with a leg or the heat, I'll just go ahead and get it done. Doesn't seem to matter much. It's not that much harder.

 

[Saltysteele]

we don't starve/fast ours.

why make their last 12 hours of life suck? these guys were born to EAT

 

[peepblessed]

Quote:

 

[Erica]

I just fast them overnight, which is normal anyway.

In case anyone's interested, I recently read that fasting a bird for 8 hours empties the intestine (or nearly) without weakening the intestinal wall.
After that time, the digestive enzymes start to digest the gut wall itself. Thus if you process a bird that's fasted for say 17 hours, you might find the intestines weaker and more likely to tear. Then after about 18 hours this process stops as the gut wall is replaced and somewhat strengthened again.

Sorry I didn't hang onto the citation... It was just a bit of light reading while I was looking for something else. Might interest others (hope I remembered the times correctly).

 

[Tool]

Quote:
My new favorite quote. Almost fell out of my chair laughing. Thanks Ken.

 

[runsw/scissors]

Quote:
My new favorite quote. Almost fell out of my chair laughing. Thanks Ken.

x3!

 

[KenK]

It's kind of worrisome when folks think you are funny when you aren't trying to be. Maybe more so when you are trying and they think you aren't.

I just enjoy the process of making food. When I chop off a chickens head I don't feel any more joy, or guilt, than I would picking a tomato.

I like my chickens a lot and try to give them the best husbandry I'm capable of. Bottom line though is that I hatch them to make food for me and mine.

 

[Tool]

Quote:
Agreed. My chickens are my "friends", but not the same as my dogs are. I did not start my chicken keeping for pets, but food. Tasty tasty food.

 

[runsw/scissors]

It was so funny to me because of the very matter of fact way you said it.

It is in such stark contrast to the some of the hand wringing pee your pants nerves I see about this subject. The dual contrast just struck me as very amusing that's all.