Don't you feel bad?

[BantyChooks]

My mindset is: If it's painful but easily curable or not time consuming, I would try to treat. If it's not causing them immense pain, I try to treat. If the bird is suffering, past the point of no return, has a bleak future, or I just don't have the time/energy to take care of it, that's when I personally would do the Deed.
That's only if I could actually do it, mind you. XD

Agree. I had a Brahma with fly strike once that, by the time I found her, had sustained pretty heavy blood loss and had lost a monumental amount of flesh. I think there were holes into or nearly into her abdominal cavity and they were starting on her keel area. How she was still alive, I didn't know. Trying to cure her would have been bordering on impossible. In that case, putting her down was the kindest thing I could do.

She was a skittish hen, which is why I didn't notice for that long. I still feel bad.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

If you eat meat.. just watch any factory videos of chickens, cows or other things going to processing...

While I don't feel good to take a life and even though processing made me wonder if it would turn me vegetarian... ultimately what it did was give me a MUCH better understanding of the circle of life and make me more conscious of my consumption.

The first time was the worst.. it DOES take practice to perfect any skill. Ultimately, now I am thankful to have the skill and be confident with it before having to dispatch any of the hens that might have gotten injured or ill. After the anxiety building to the first day and that day was over... I cried tears of joy... for my 17 year old daughter (always a highly sensitive child), who did the first dispatching and processing... I was so proud of her and ashamed of my own inability. BUT on the next go around I did the dispatching and she processed.. to lighten the mood, there are some things... maybe not tasteful.. but when pushed on one carcass would make a honking sound. Another time we she discovered that moving the legs made the feet curl and open... and she tried to reach out and grab me with it!

People say don't name your birds so it isn't personal... I name all my birds and taking a life IS personal.. As others have said though... every single moment until the last was a great life, much different than any factory animal. While each time I do feel kinda subdued or slightly off meaning I don't look forward to it or feel happy per say... I don't feel bad.

Fine line between pet and livestock.. all are treated mostly as pets here... but we do eat the extra boys and even some hens for various reasons. My head rooster, a fine fellow... had an accident last season... so we processed him... I was very sad about the loss to my flock and even (unexpectedly) cried for him later in the week.

I understand that processing is not for everyone. But I do think it's a worthy goal! Yes, I did hire someone to process for a while as I can afford to and they were still doing it humanely. It became inconvenient for me to work with someone else schedule when my grow outs were on their own hormonal escapade. Another "helper" made mistakes and didn't leave things as prepped as I wanted them. In the end... I do all my own processing now, noting that hubby does NOT participate. Cone method works best for ME.

Good luck!

 

[BantyChooks]

People say don't name your birds so it isn't personal... I name all my birds and taking a life IS personal.. As others have said though... every single moment until the last was a great life, much different than any factory animal. While each time I do feel kinda subdued or slightly off meaning I don't look forward to it or feel happy per say... I don't feel bad.

Ditto. I name most of mine too, bar the identical ones.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I don't put my sick birds down but instead try to cure them!

This would do a great disservice to the rest of my flock... and really maybe even the whole community. I am all about the greater good... and will cull ANY issue from flock including illness, deformity, or bullying. I too learned the hard way about not culling a deformity in a hatchling... things get worse with age and weight. At first it a very emotional decision... but I keep learning and growing, and many things among a breeding flock you MUST remove your personal feelings and go with what you KNOW is right (for you of course, not just the animal).

Some things are not curable no matter how hard you try... and as stated by someone... I don't allow my selfish desire for everything to live to get in the way of other animals quality of life... inviting both disease and predation to my flock. Every day... for us to live, something dies...

The huge disconnect from where our food comes from ( God help our children) is adding to the obesity epidemic... No understanding of reality that makes gluttony easy. And many city kids being raised with no empathy or compassion.

I don't mean to discount your experience and perspective! Hope it doesn't come off that way. Just sharing in response to your statement of healing the sick.

For me with good pasture and flock management in addition to good nutrition... illness hasn't YET been an issue.

That's one thing I love about BYC! being able to hear how other do it and sharing mine as well... often end up adopting combinations.. no one recipe will be right for everybody.

 

[lilmillefleur]

This would do a great disservice to the rest of my flock... and really maybe even the whole community. I am all about the greater good... and will cull ANY issue from flock including illness, deformity, or bullying. I too learned the hard way about not culling a deformity in a hatchling... things get worse with age and weight. At first it a very emotional decision... but I keep learning and growing, and many things among a breeding flock you MUST remove your personal feelings and go with what you KNOW is right (for you of course, not just the animal).

Some things are not curable no matter how hard you try... and as stated by someone... I don't allow my selfish desire for everything to live to get in the way of other animals quality of life... inviting both disease and predation to my flock. Every day... for us to live, something dies...

The huge disconnect from where our food comes from ( God help our children) is adding to the obesity epidemic... No understanding of reality that makes gluttony easy. And many city kids being raised with no empathy or compassion.

I don't mean to discount your experience and perspective! Hope it doesn't come off that way. Just sharing in response to your statement of healing the sick.

For me with good pasture and flock management in addition to good nutrition... illness hasn't YET been an issue.

That's one thing I love about BYC! being able to hear how other do it and sharing mine as well... often end up adopting combinations.. no one recipe will be right for everybody.

Well said.

Also I love that you always use the popcorn smiley

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Well said.

Also I love that you always use the popcorn smiley

Thank you... it's supposed to show that I'm open to hearing and learning more.

 

[Molpet]

This would do a great disservice to the rest of my flock... and really maybe even the whole community. I am all about the greater good... and will cull ANY issue from flock including illness, deformity, or bullying. I too learned the hard way about not culling a deformity in a hatchling... things get worse with age and weight. At first it a very emotional decision... but I keep learning and growing, and many things among a breeding flock you MUST remove your personal feelings and go with what you KNOW is right (for you of course, not just the animal).

Some things are not curable no matter how hard you try... and as stated by someone... I don't allow my selfish desire for everything to live to get in the way of other animals quality of life... inviting both disease and predation to my flock. Every day... for us to live, something dies...

The huge disconnect from where our food comes from ( God help our children) is adding to the obesity epidemic... No understanding of reality that makes gluttony easy. And many city kids being raised with no empathy or compassion.

I don't mean to discount your experience and perspective! Hope it doesn't come off that way. Just sharing in response to your statement of healing the sick.

For me with good pasture and flock management in addition to good nutrition... illness hasn't YET been an issue.

That's one thing I love about BYC! being able to hear how other do it and sharing mine as well... often end up adopting combinations.. no one recipe will be right for everybody.

X2

 

[cluckmecoop7]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts!

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

As a kid, I would sometimes help dear momma with butchering chickens..... she would tell me to hold the chicken while she slit it's neck. That's the closest I came to killing one. I COULD probably kill a chicken that I didn't raise myself, maybe..... though I'd rather not do it and would rather head out to the nearest KFC to get me a bucket ol' chicken. Mash tato's and gravy too, thank you.

Oh yeah, I remember the old man took me to a pig slaughterhouse..... but that's another story.

 

[Farmer Doc]

We harvested three different types of birds this year: our own hatched-on-the-farm chickens, ducks, and geese. All brought their own challenges to the table and emotions are a part of that challenge.

We celebrate with has been given to us by God and remain thankful in spirit that we have these gifts on our farm and also the abilities to harvest them. That puts a different focus on things. A purposeful life is a thing to celebrate.

We also are mindful that we are harvesting the meat and not killing them. While this sounds strange to some, it is no different than putting down and sick or injured animal rather than letting it suffer. No ones thinks they are murdering their pet when they are "putting them to sleep." Instead they celebrate the life and do what they must at the time. Emotions are a very large part.

Finally, you work through it making yourself stronger through the process - mind you not less caring, just better at working through the emotions. There is a point, when you do it yourself, that it goes from being an animal for which your carefully cared to meat that you will carefully process and prepare. The hardest part is at the beginning. The latter is all technical.

You know, this weekend I had the tough job of taking care of a chicken whose time had come. "No Toes" was a tough bird who survived bumblefoot and served a valuable part on our farm laying eggs that we hatched and ate. Due to injury I had to take her life. I did so with my wife and children watching from the porch. When I finished dispatching her my wife said, "You are a very caring farmer." I guess she saw the emotion in this act of kindness for it was swift and ended suffering.

If you read this far, thanks! This was helpful to write - for me at least!