Do you slaughter your birds in front of the flock?

[Henery Hawk]

I'm about ready to slaughter a bunch of meaties and it would be much easier to process them near the hen house. This seems like it could be cruel but I have no experience with this. What do you all do/think?

 

[sourland]

I don't slaughter anywhere near the flock. When I was a kid (that's quite a while ago), I was given the job of dispatching a crate of chickens for processing. As I approached the 'chopping block' with the fourth or fifth chicken, she started screaming and struggling. I felt that for sure she knew what was coming - I released her. Since then I have always dispatched birds out of the line of vision of the others. Just a personal preference on my part.

 

[Buster52]

I used to worry about that sort of thing. I was afraid I would upset the rest of the birds, so I would even hide those waiting for departure out of sight.

No more. The birds watch with something more like curiosity, up to the point of putting them in the cone, they just sort of watch me slit the bird next to them. Now my layers are my cleanup crew, snatching every little piece that falls off the processing table and fighting over it.

Gruesome creatures, chickens.

 

[partsRheavy]

If it has to happen, it's away from the main henhouse. It happens in the backyard close to the kitchen, and only once every couple weeks or so, if that.

Nevertheless, they ARE free-range and a certain nosy individual nicknamed Speckles thought that the blood bucket was her business a couple of weeks ago. She seemed to enjoy it....never mind the Jersey Giant roo that just met his demise.

They don't have any moral compunctions about the situation. Neither did our paleolithic ancestors......

 

[Henery Hawk]

I'm leaning towards trying it with them watching the horror show and see how they react. The few that I have killed have been away from the flock but it was an inconvenient place to do it. Thanks for the replies.

 

[dancingflower68]

I vote for no...please don't do it in front of the others

 

[angel8035]

I think that is unnecessary and cruel, to be honest.

 

[SouthernChicka8]

ive never slaughtered a chicken.. but if i had to.. i wouldnt do it in front of them. I dont want them to fear me lol

 

[fancyfowl4ever]

I always do it in sight of the pen(well, anything is in sight of the pen really) the chickens dont give hoot about watching their kin go. I got a few that play tug of war with me and the dead bird.... they run up and grab either a foot or wing and wont let go.... and of course they are the clean up crew of the blood puddle and any viscera they can get their little beaks on.

Remember that chickens dont mind eating one of their own when its still alive just cause it has an injury.
Also what freaks animals such as cow, sheep and pig out when you slaughter anywhere in sight is not that they see their kin die its the smell of blood(instinct, run away from blood or the predator gets you too). Chickens sense of smell is basically non-existent so they dont really care unless I run after them screaming cause they got into the "good organ-meat" bowl and made off with a heart or something thats MINE!

 

[SouthernChicka8]

I always do it in sight of the pen(well, anything is in sight of the pen really) the chickens dont give hoot about watching their kin go. I got a few that play tug of war with me and the dead bird.... they run up and grab either a foot or wing and wont let go.... and of course they are the clean up crew of the blood puddle and any viscera they can get their little beaks on.

Remember that chickens dont mind eating one of their own when its still alive just cause it has an injury.
Also what freaks animals such as cow, sheep and pig out when you slaughter anywhere in sight is not that they see their kin die its the smell of blood(instinct, run away from blood or the predator gets you too). Chickens sense of smell is basically non-existent so they dont really care unless I run after them screaming cause they got into the "good organ-meat" bowl and made off with a heart or something thats MINE!

Wow those crazy chickens!