First dispatch

[bhawk-23]

Good morning, it's been a long night with little sleep here. I keep going over in my head how to make this the least traumatic for the birds AND me. We are using a cone and loppers. Well, hubs will. My job is the calm the birds beforehand. I keep thinking about wrapping them in a towel because that calms them, at least when I have had to treat my girls it has.
Has anyone ever wrapped a chicken in a towel and then place in the cone?
The roosters are 13 weeks so I know them and a thin towel will fit. I am thinking about this for two reasons. First, I can hopefully calm the rooster and keep him calm and secure when placing him upside down in the cone. And second, for my comfort to hopefully minimize the traumatic flapping around. I just want this to be the least traumatic as possible for all involved. I wanted to only do 2 today but I was overruled and we are doing all 6.
Thoughts on if wrapping in towel will accomplish my goal? Thanks!

 

[Matejka]

Yep!

 

[RoosterML]

Holding upside down will send blood to head claiming them down. Lift an slide down into cone. Keep your hand over the cone after the kill as bird will back itself out sometimes and flap all over the place.

 

[bhawk-23]

What an exhausting morning. After sobbing for each individual rooster, learning how to gut a chicken, bleaching my kitchen and starting stock, I cried again and then crashed for about 3 hrs.
I have to say tonight we ate the best chicken and noodles I've ever made. Recipe was the same, I think I just appreciated the life given for my family to eat such a nourishing meal so much more than ever.

Having been a part of this today I have a completely different outlook on where my food comes from. And I know I am not cut out for meat birds, yet. Knowing my cockerels had a spoiled life free ranging and plenty of treats and a humane end made this day a bit easier to get through.

 

[NY Coturnix]

What an exhausting morning. After sobbing for each individual rooster, learning how to gut a chicken, bleaching my kitchen and starting stock, I cried again and then crashed for about 3 hrs.
I have to say tonight we ate the best chicken and noodles I've ever made. Recipe was the same, I think I just appreciated the life given for my family to eat such a nourishing meal so much more than ever.

Having been a part of this today I have a completely different outlook on where my food comes from. And I know I am not cut out for meat birds, yet. Knowing my cockerels had a spoiled life free ranging and plenty of treats and a humane end made this day a bit easier to get through.

Absolutely nothing wrong with crying. I always tell myself I treated them to the best life they could have and now it's time for their purpose. I'd rather do it myself because I know I'm going to be as quick and humane as I can. Wife wanted to have someone else do it and I'd don't want someone hurting my birds, if that makes sense.

Great job!!

 

[FloorCandy]

Absolutely nothing wrong with crying. I always tell myself I treated them to the best life they could have and now it's time for their purpose. I'd rather do it myself because I know I'm going to be as quick and humane as I can. Wife wanted to have someone else do it and I'd don't want someone hurting my birds, if that makes sense.

Great job!!

I feel the same way. Hubby and I always say, “they have a life of good days, and if you do it right, they have one really good day, which ends badly before they know what’s happening.”