Don't you feel bad?

[annagoodspeed]

I was reading a post by a chef who made his kitchen prep help butcher a chicken as part of the conditions of working there. He said it made an enormous change in the amount of food thrown away.
Personally I think that every person that eats meat should be required to dispatch something. Someone mentioned taking responsibility...
It does make it easier when the cockerels are all acting like some of our current media figures.
So far, though, I am 0 for 10 in terms of taking out the older hens. Keep thinking about it, but been putting it off for a very long while.

 

[igorsMistress]

I was reading a post by a chef who made his kitchen prep help butcher a chicken as part of the conditions of working there. He said it made an enormous change in the amount of food thrown away.
Personally I think that every person that eats meat should be required to dispatch something. Someone mentioned taking responsibility...
It does make it easier when the cockerels are all acting like some of our current media figures.
So far, though, I am 0 for 10 in terms of taking out the older hens. Keep thinking about it, but been putting it off for a very long while.

I agree

 

[SomeChickinTN]

I'm still trying to figure out if I'll be able to do it. Cleaning them doesn't bother me, but the killing part does. But I think it's because I don't "have" to. I could just go to the store and get a chicken. Sure, that chicken was alive once too, but it's not now. I'm not even sure if that makes sense. Sort of like adopting a dog from a shelter rather than getting a puppy. I know that logic is stupid though. I know that if I was hungry I'd have no problem dispatching a chicken.....

 

[Mimi13]

I'm still trying to figure out if I'll be able to do it. Cleaning them doesn't bother me, but the killing part does. But I think it's because I don't "have" to. I could just go to the store and get a chicken. Sure, that chicken was alive once too, but it's not now. I'm not even sure if that makes sense. Sort of like adopting a dog from a shelter rather than getting a puppy. I know that logic is stupid though. I know that if I was hungry I'd have no problem dispatching a chicken.....

I know how you feel. I have never taken the life of anything else other than a chicken, mainly because I didn’t want to “hurt” it. I’m speaking mainly about deer. Even though I could never shoot one I have no problem dressing and processing it.

But I think subconsciously I knew that I would have to be the one not only processing the chickens, but dispatching them as well. I don’t like actually slitting the jugular, but I don’t mind the rest of the processing. It is my responsibility.

 

[SomeChickinTN]

I know how you feel. I have never taken the life of anything else other than a chicken, mainly because I didn’t want to “hurt” it. I’m speaking mainly about deer. Even though I could never shoot one I have no problem dressing and processing it.

But I think subconsciously I knew that I would have to be the one not only processing the chickens, but dispatching them as well. I don’t like actually slitting the jugular, but I don’t mind the rest of the processing. It is my responsibility.

Yeah, one of the main reasons I got chickens was to stop giving money to the big chicken operations. I knew that meant that eventually I would be processing them myself, but I figured with chicks, I'd have time to figure it out.... Someone then gave me at least 3year old hens too, so now they are in the back yard waiting for a nice day for me to jump into hands on learning. Initially, my husband said he would do the dispatching, but I'm thinking that I should just not shy away from it and learn to do it.

 

[Mimi13]

Yeah, one of the main reasons I got chickens was to stop giving money to the big chicken operations. I knew that meant that eventually I would be processing them myself, but I figured with chicks, I'd have time to figure it out.... Someone then gave me at least 3year old hens too, so now they are in the back yard waiting for a nice day for me to jump into hands on learning. Initially, my husband said he would do the dispatching, but I'm thinking that I should just not shy away from it and learn to do it.

Having your DH there will be comforting to you, even if he does nothing. I had mine right there with me for moral support. For some reason it gave me that little extra mmmph, so to speak.

 

[Newblet]

I am new to chickens, but i am an avid fisherman and hunter. Also growing up we slaughtered a lot of our meat. I remember the first time i killed anything was a fish not to sad but did affect me. At one point my father handed me a knife, and said we needed to kill a pig for a wedding. I missed the heart, the pig suffered really messed with me (I was around 9 years old). I saw his eye look at me in despair. Just like hunting it is our duty to do it as quick as possible. Im older now and dont mess around. My father taught me if im going to eat meat i'm going to know what it takes. Life sucks then you die, the second part of that statement we can control for out livestock.

What really helped me was realizing everything is going to die. Including us, dying is something we have to accept. So long as you give your birds the best life possible, a quick death, and use everything they give us I see nothing wrong now. It sucks but it feels great to know you gave them the best, and they are giving your family the best. Its a win win.