Emotions Tied to Culling

[U_Stormcrow]

I think part of it is that the first few culls are more awkward, you’re less confident, don’t have a good technique yet. I know that worried me a lot and still sorta does in that I don’t want to cause them suffering. I have done my fair share of crying over culling, the first chick I had to do was really upsetting. But now it’s more matter of fact. I’m more confident and I’m not as attached to them bc there are just so many of them now. Lol They don’t all have names anymore.

As long as you’re not so detached that you’re getting sloppy, lacking in respect for the animal during slaughter, or taking a morbid joy in the killing part, I think there’s nothing unhealthy or abnormal with what you describe.

There is something to this. I'm the first to admit I'm not wired right. No excess of empathy slowed me in my approach with the knife to my first cull. On the other hand, I was quite anxious about doing the job correctly swiftly and cleanly.

 

[BrandonsBirbs]

I think part of it is that the first few culls are more awkward, you’re less confident, don’t have a good technique yet. I know that worried me a lot and still sorta does in that I don’t want to cause them suffering. I have done my fair share of crying over culling, the first chick I had to do was really upsetting. But now it’s more matter of fact. I’m more confident and I’m not as attached to them bc there are just so many of them now. Lol They don’t all have names anymore.

As long as you’re not so detached that you’re getting sloppy, lacking in respect for the animal during slaughter, or taking a morbid joy in the killing part, I think there’s nothing unhealthy or abnormal with what you describe.

There is something to this. I'm the first to admit I'm not wired right. No excess of empathy slowed me in my approach with the knife to my first cull. On the other hand, I was quite anxious about doing the job correctly swiftly and cleanly.

Between the two of you I think you describe how I felt exactly right, I felt something for my first couple of culls because I really couldn't stand messing it up and causing an animal to suffer, not so much that I had to say goodbye. Quail are very easy to dispatch (good quality scissors is all that's needed) so if that made me nervous a bigger bird would be worse I assume! Eye opening guys nice one.

I do think if someone was enjoying the killing of their animals they most likely wouldn't admit it and yeah I cannot imagine a circumstance where someone often kills their animals inhumanely and is okay..

 

[BrandonsBirbs]

Turning it into an anatomy lesson is a great idea. Once the head and/or feathers are off, it’s easier to mentally separate the live bird running around from the food that will go on the table. I thought it was so interesting when I first got up in there, trying to figure out what’s what. I thought the warmth of the freshly dead bird would freak me out but it didn’t. Anyway, making it educational allows some of the emotions to fade away. My kids prefer not to really watch still, although they thought the one rabbit I did was cool and they did watch that. That was not our own animal but one we got from a neighbor to try out and see if the process was something I wanted to do more of, so they were not attached to that animal in any way. Might be the difference.

The warmth definitely took me by surprise, jeez those birds are hot after being killed! Really wish someone could've have taught me, I had to learn from reading these very forums. I mean it worked for me I suppose. After reading both your responses definitely seems like an educational display is the way to go. Thank you very much!

Well, I won't lie. My dad did chop its head off. One quick chop. And it sorta ran around. He also skinned it instead of plucking. I had to learn to pluck as an adult. But when he started 'dismantling' the chicken, he showed me all the different parts on the chicken and what they were called. Now keep in mind, I was used to seeing my dad do squirrels and he did deer too. I was a tomboy growing up. I was ten at the time. Also my grandpa is an avid hunter with deer heads on his wall. Has he been exposed to any type of butchering? You could have a light conversation and sorta gage his reaction.

Sorry, I missed your message! I generally skin all my quail as it's my preference, also I can kill and skin them in under 2 minutes so it's great when I've got to do 20-40 at a time! Interesting, so it was more informative, I like that. Currently this is my only extra-curricular activity so to speak of but I wouldn't say no in the future to having other animals etc.

My little man is currently about to turn 7 months so I am thinking very far in the future, but as my daughter doesn't seem interested in learning (but isn't against me doing so) I would love someone to help me as I get older.. lol. Thanks for your response, really awesome.

 

[BrandonsBirbs]

Sorry, I missed your message! I generally skin all my quail as it's my preference, also I can kill and skin them in under 2 minutes so it's great when I've got to do 20-40 at a time! Interesting, so it was more informative, I like that. Currently this is my only extra-curricular activity so to speak of but I wouldn't say no in the future to having other animals etc.

I would like to comment on this, in respect to my son I think I will desensitise him over the next few years by skinning the birds in somewhat of a proximity to him. He already recognises the raw meat once it's all clean (he LOVES quail - can't blame him!). Then maybe it will be normal for him to see and grow with.

My partner and her daughter are both very scared to even see a few feathers or drops of blood so I'm not sure they'll ever really come around to it. Especially since I've been doing it for like 18 months with them already.

 

[BrandonsBirbs]

Tried plucking today, did three birds and a really shoddy job. Definitely willing to give it another go but I think I need a slightly better setup for it than what I have.. really can't beat the speed in which I can butcher them though. The breast and legs are out within 1 minutes tops, just need a quick clean then all done.

Also, decided to try a different method to kill the birds and I decided on trying cervical dislocation. I have done this before, in fact I have done a few lots of birds that I killed using a similar method. I used to just pull the heads clean off, requires a bit of force but definitely doesn't mean they suffer.

Anyway, wanted a cleaner method so I did and I honestly I was really impressed. Will be my main method now, so easy to do and I could do 10 birds then skin them all. 10-15 minutes of work and I've got 10 breasts and 20 legs sorted.

 

[3KillerBs]

I've been following this thread without commenting but decided to contribute. I think I put some of my thoughts into this article: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/slowpoke-a-reality-check-after-an-assisted-hatch.77702/ and this thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/butchering-cull-cockerels-today.1548075/

For me it's not a routine chore that I can do without thought -- and I'd never want to get so used to it that I failed to properly respect the birds -- but I like eating, I like eating chicken, and I want to breed new hens so I need to cope with the existence of cockerels.

They get their chance on Craigslist for a few weeks toward the end of their grow out (and maybe longer once I'm producing nice birds to sell as breeding trios), and then they feed me instead of me feeding them.

I'm not naturally an emotional person or naturally a sentimental person. I'm not completely a "cold fish", but I was able to pick up the cockerel I called "Little Boy Blue", pet him, tell him that I was sorry he didn't find a flock of his own and that I was sure he'd have been a good rooster like his dad if he had, put his head under the broomstick, and do the job. He made really delicious soup and I was happy to eat it.

But I was also happy to be able to sell all my cull hens rather than harvest them. I can and have eaten retired layers, but I *prefer* to send them on to people who will appreciate them as layers -- with full disclosure of their age and likely impending molt and shutdown.

Turning it into an anatomy lesson is a great idea. Once the head and/or feathers are off, it’s easier to mentally separate the live bird running around from the food that will go on the table.

That's what I told my family after the first time.

Once I get them undressed they look about like any other chicken -- just a little skinnier in the breast.

 

[samanthaoverton]

Tried plucking today, did three birds and a really shoddy job. Definitely willing to give it another go but I think I need a slightly better setup for it than what I have.. really can't beat the speed in which I can butcher them though. The breast and legs are out within 1 minutes tops, just need a quick clean then all done.

Also, decided to try a different method to kill the birds and I decided on trying cervical dislocation. I have done this before, in fact I have done a few lots of birds that I killed using a similar method. I used to just pull the heads clean off, requires a bit of force but definitely doesn't mean they suffer.

Anyway, wanted a cleaner method so I did and I honestly I was really impressed. Will be my main method now, so easy to do and I could do 10 birds then skin them all. 10-15 minutes of work and I've got 10 breasts and 20 legs sorted.

Good for you. I bet it was harder to pluck a small bird. Never thought of that. It would be harder to measure the force to pluck it. I did my chicken at 145 and tried a tutorial on here for my first pluck. Here's the link I used. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/how-to-process-a-chicken-at-home.63089/

 

[samanthaoverton]

I've been following this thread without commenting but decided to contribute. I think I put some of my thoughts into this article: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/slowpoke-a-reality-check-after-an-assisted-hatch.77702/ and this thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/butchering-cull-cockerels-today.1548075/

For me it's not a routine chore that I can do without thought -- and I'd never want to get so used to it that I failed to properly respect the birds -- but I like eating, I like eating chicken, and I want to breed new hens so I need to cope with the existence of cockerels.

They get their chance on Craigslist for a few weeks toward the end of their grow out (and maybe longer once I'm producing nice birds to sell as breeding trios), and then they feed me instead of me feeding them.

I'm not naturally an emotional person or naturally a sentimental person. I'm not completely a "cold fish", but I was able to pick up the cockerel I called "Little Boy Blue", pet him, tell him that I was sorry he didn't find a flock of his own and that I was sure he'd have been a good rooster like his dad if he had, put his head under the broomstick, and do the job. He made really delicious soup and I was happy to eat it.

But I was also happy to be able to sell all my cull hens rather than harvest them. I can and have eaten retired layers, but I *prefer* to send them on to people who will appreciate them as layers -- with full disclosure of their age and likely impending molt and shutdown.



That's what I told my family after the first time.

Once I get them undressed they look about like any other chicken -- just a little skinnier in the breast.

I have no idea about my older leghorn hens. They will be 3 in April and are in molt now. But uhhh leghorns don't have much on them so I ponder whether I should fatten them up alone for a bit before the deed or if it's worth it to put in the effort.

 

[3KillerBs]

I have no idea about my older leghorn hens. They will be 3 in April and are in molt now. But uhhh leghorns don't have much on them so I ponder whether I should fatten them up alone for a bit before the deed or if it's worth it to put in the effort.

The thing with retired layers is that they are full of FLAVOR. The reason some kinds of commercial chicken products are so intensely chicken-y is that they're made from retired laying hens or the culls from commercial breeding flocks.

They have to be crockpotted or slow-simmered for tenderness, and the meat may still be stringy and tough, but the broth will be amazing -- unlike anything you've ever made from a store-bought Cornish X.

 

[Morrigan]

I have no idea about my older leghorn hens. They will be 3 in April and are in molt now. But uhhh leghorns don't have much on them so I ponder whether I should fatten them up alone for a bit before the deed or if it's worth it to put in the effort.

If you process them and want to pluck, rather than skin, wait until the molt is complete, as the incoming pin feathers are impossible to pluck.

The thing with retired layers is that they are full of FLAVOR.

That is the truth. We've started pressure canning the meat off of our old layers and those cans of meat are awesome in soups, burritos etc. The bones make incredible broth. That is the biggest reason why I butcher, rather than sell, older hens. My husband considers the meat (and chicken fat) to be irreplaceable in terms of good eating.