When I began raising chickens, about 25 years ago, I knew, even as we were building the coop, that I would NEVER be able to butcher an animal I had raised. Damn good thing I'm NOT a farmer, because I'd die of starvation with my 1600 pound "pets" lounging in the pasture! I believe the core tenet of this thread would be "Know thyself." If you go into raising chickens not only for eggs, but for meat, then I guess you've got the "right stuff." I don't. The first time the post office called and told me my chicks had come in...….I raced into town "to get my babies." THAT kind of thinking was the dead giveaway that these chicks were not just going to any old chicken coop, they were headed for the "Shady Pines Retirement Coop!" Out of that first batch, I had two wonderful Buff Orphingtons that lived almost 9 years! (They died within a week of each other) They definitely ruled that roost like a pair of benevolent dictators! They broke up fights, they protected anybody who was getting picked on, they were fantastic surrogate mothers, and best of all, when everybody was out free ranging, they were SO much better at warning the flock of the presence of coyotes, hawks and eagles, than the roo...…..I can't say enough good things about them. They were my "managers" and did an excellent job of it. There was no way I could toss those two in a stewpot and eat them. After they both died, chaos reigned for a few weeks until an older Brahma stepped up to the plate. She didn't rule with as much of an iron foot as Thelma and Louise did, but order WAS restored and she held that position for another 5 years until one day she just didn't come out of the coop. Over the years I've had many older hens and sometimes entire groups of older hens, which I started calling "The Coven," take over the job. Butcher them? For ME, unthinkable. I should add here that like my hens, I, too, am growing old and my flock is down to 9 hens and the roo. (Since this is probably a family website, I don't think I should tell you HIS name!) Just trust me, he EARNED it! I always have at least one hen that goes broody and I let her keep about 6 eggs to hatch. I've been REALLY lucky and usually end up with only one roo in the litter. When he is a couple months old, I give him to my neighbor. (I know she will butcher him, and being a bleeding heart, that DOES bother me, but at least at that point, I haven't grown too attached to him yet) I do this only because I've seen the carnage when I try to keep the young roo, foolishly thinking and hoping the older roo will allow him to live in peace. His ending at my neighbors is undoubtedly FAR more humane. So.....to butcher or not? That's a really personal decision we must all make. I would just like to think that any of us who write in to a website called "Backyard Chickens," would, at the very least, butcher humanely.