First time . . . reassurance.

[scoopy82]

Hi all.
I have 7 roosters that need to meet their maker shortly and after deciding that I want to breed chickens to be backyard pets - having a ratio of 50% boys to 50% girls means I need to be realistic about the disposal of the boys. My problem is all of my chickens are pets, and while I know that the fate of the boys is inevitable and I will have no problem cutting them up and eating them - its the actual killing part that worries me. More so that if I knew there was a fool proof method then I wouldn't hesitate, but I am beside myself with worry that what ever method I choose - if I dont do it properly and thoroughly the first time, my roosters may die in pain and I couldn't live with that.
I know I am making more of this than I need to, my boys have had an awesome life and are healthy and vibrant young men, I just want to give them a pain free ending. How do others cope with these feelings - do others ever even feel like this?
Can anyone recommend the safest and most fool proof way of killing chickens? I would use a scalpel blade to cut their throats but am terrified i would miss the right spot first go and would have to try again. I have watched youtube tutorials and they make it look so easy.
Anyway - the time is coming and any reassurance or advice would be great. Tell me to take a spoon full of concrete if necessary lol.
Thanks

Edited to add that while the whole 'gasing' thing had crossed my mind and I had included it in my post - I have since done a bit of reading and now realise that it is definitely not a good thing to do - for the chickens sake. I always believed that being gased would be a peacefull way to go - apparently not

 

[Avalon1984]

Quote:
Hey Scoopy,

I compliment you on being brave and wanting to process your roosters yourself. I felt the exact same way you do. The only way I was able to cope was to do the deed myself and figure out a fast way. There are many methods here that people have suggested and there are many threads about that; but I personally break their neck with garden shears (they never do a good job cutting the head off but work great on breaking a neck) and my birds are dead right away (no breathing or anything). Then I cut the artery and let them bleed out. You will always have some movement afterwards but just remember that this is the nerves twitching before the body dies entirely. I could never just cut the artery while they are fully conscious but some people do a great job at that. Just my personal preference.

I don’t mind processing too much these days, I take more comfort in the thought that they had a good life, were fed well 9some even too well) and their end was quick. I feel much better knowing that I am in control of how they die and that I am able to make that last act as kind and painless as possible. That is the most honorable thing you can do for them. It also helps to start with the pesky ones first. Trust me, the feeling of relief and seeing your hens happy afterwards is well worth it.

 

[jasonm11]

it will make it easier on you if you take the human element out of it. They are not young men, they are roosters that you have given a good life too. I find it easiest to just cut the head off. If you hesitant to do it with a large knife then get a good pair of sharp tree limb cutters. Once the head is off the bird is no more it is only a chore to do at that point. I have tried bleeding out, stunning and the broomstick, and the old fashioned wringing the neck. I find cutting the head off the quickest and I know that they do not suffer. Which is more than I can say for some of the first birds I processed.

 

[PotterWatch]

We have tried several different methods and I am definitely most comfortable with our current one. We use a killing cone and a scalpel. You just have to be confident with your cut and use more pressure than you think you will need to.

 

[Clay Valley Farmer]

+1

What ever you do use make sure it is very sharp and the killing cone is much neater than the chopping block.

It is not something to go at like you were a lazer eye doctor, get it done quickly will reduce stress on both you and the chickens, cutting too deep or too much is better than not enough.

The first couple are the hardest, after that it gets much easier, processing nameless broilers though is easier than processing chickens that have become pets with names and identities.

 

[galanie]

Quote:
X3

But we all have our preferences.