From the suburbs and struggling internally with making the plunge into keeping (and slaughtering) meat birds. Need advice!

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

Well I know this isn’t chickens, but I remember the first time I figured out I was eating my pig named Penny Sue. I brought mine to the butcher, but we had a really nice one that would feed it treats and pet it before it’s head was chopped off. I knew she was in good hands. My tip is to just love them while they are there, feed the good, healthy food and help them know they are loved by holding them and petting them. I know it’s hard but there’s no good way to make it easy. Giving your chickens to die is hard, you’ve raised them and you love them. God created animals for humans. He created them so that we can eat. God knows it’s hard, and he doesn’t like to always see animals die, but he created them for us. Something to love and enjoy, and something to gain from as well. We give our animals so much food, time, money, and love. They give us happy life, and life (food is what gives us life!) we give, they give. I’m glad you are feeling more happy and self-sufficient! Enjoy those chickens, I know you can do it!

This is a really interesting perspective, and it makes sense. Other animals (including chickens) aren't afraid to kill smaller/weaker animals to stay alive. And they kill them without thinking about pain/suffering. Maybe there's nothing wrong with being at the top of the food chain.

I appreciate your thoughtful response.

 

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

For me there was nothing to rationalize. If people eat meat from the store, it comes from somewhere more cruel than you raising it yourself and processing it yourself. Factory animals have terrible miserable short lives.
If people have not grown up around other people slaughtering their own animals for consumption or doing it themselves, it can be a bit of a shock to the system at first. I did grow up on a farm with many animals but we didn't really process our own chickens. We just had them for eggs.
If it's something you're going to do, you have to decide in advance not to worry about what other people are going to think / say to you. You're an adult (presumably! ) And can make your own decisions and stick by them.
I would get a few meat birds and take care of them well but keep yourself at a distance. There's no need to get overly attached and get all emotional with them if you know they're going to end up in your freezer.
When it comes time to actually do the butchering, pick a method that you know you can handle. For me it was an ax chop to completely sever the head. Yes, the bird flails but I know that they are dead instantly and feel no pain. The first animal I ever killed was a guinea that had perosis that I attempted to treat but couldn't fix. I knew he wasn't going to have a good life if I let him just hobble around so I decided to end it. Yes, it was hard and definitely a shock to my system to actually kill him, but I took a lot of comfort in the fact that he was no longer in pain and that his death was swift and not painful.
My husband and I raised over 300 meat birds last year and this year are doing just under 200. When you are working around that many, you get desensitized to the killing pretty quick. I think it will be a little bit of a slower process for you, but you can definitely do it.
We're all here for you if you have questions and need moral support.

Thanks so much for this!

Yes, it's certainly a shock to me and others around me because this is so foreign to us suburbanites. But I think you're right when you say it's no better to buy meat.

Do you feel the axe method is even more humane than the "broomstick" method?

 

[Isadora]

Thanks so much for this!

Yes, it's certainly a shock to me and others around me because this is so foreign to us suburbanites. But I think you're right when you say it's no better to buy meat.

Do you feel the axe method is even more humane than the "broomstick" method?

I would say both are perfectly humane as long as they are done correctly. However the broomstick method is a steeper learning curve so I don't recommend it for first timers.

 

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

I'm pretty much in the same boat as you right now, except maybe a couple steps ahead where I have some extra birds currently growing that will eventually become meat for my family.

My rationality for it all is pretty much the same as yours, my birds will live well, be dispatched quickly and used respectfully.

Live well - my birds will have room to move around, they will feel the earth under their feet, they will be generally allowed to do natural chicken things. This is in heavy contrast to the 1x1 wire cages of the industrial meat birds.

Dispatched quickly - I've put a decent amount of study into this and I believe I will be going with the stump and axe method. From my reading, there's no real wrong way to dispatch a chicken (except those involving suffocation), so pick the one that you can do with the least chance of hesitation. Hesitation will bring an unclean kill. So practice the motions many times before hand, chopping sticks, for example. This is in contrast to... I'd rather not know what happens at the factory farms here.

Used respectfully - NOTHING is to be thrown away. Every bit of the bird will find use somewhere on my property. This is in contrast where most of the bird just goes to a landfill. The meat goes to market and may or may not sell.
*Meat - freeze and eat
*Bones - bone broth, then burnt and the ashes given to the fruit trees
*Cookable organs - soup,
*Non-cookable organs/head - burnt and ashes given to the fruit trees
*Feathers - burnt and ashes given to the fruit trees
*Feet - Dehydrated and given to the dogs as treats

Wow thank you for really breaking this down. I didn't know you could feed the ashes to the fruit trees! I actually just planted a peach tree. And I'm sure my dog would love chicken feet. This is so beautiful how you have no waste. I hope to be like this as well.

 

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

Not sure if it helps but the cornish cross, the white meat birds, have minimal personality to me. All stomache, little brain. And by the time they are 4 weeks the smell of their litter even when moved daily is so foul you will want them gone asap.
It is best to keep in mind that they will be dinner, try not to name them or handle them too much. 2 months of good food, clean bedding and then 1 bad day.

Good to know! Do you think they would be too smelly for me to have in the city? My neighbors are very close. I think I would get 4-5 chickens if I do this (since there is a limit to how many I can have on my property in my city).

 

[babyratt]

Wow I really appreciate all of the kind words and great advice, everyone!

From what I gather, this never gets "easy", but it's not wrong. And also, it's best to not get attached. I think that may be the hardest part for me. I'm extremely attached to all of my pets because I love observing them and appreciating their qualities. I'm still on the fence, but hearing all of this does help a lot.

Be true to yourself. There is nothing wrong with raising your own food. I can't do that. I have pets. Many farmers think I'm crazy and they're probably right because I just set myself up for heartache. If you can do this, I truly respect you. If you can't, there's no shame either.

 

[SheaLoner]

Good to know! Do you think they would be too smelly for me to have in the city? My neighbors are very close. I think I would get 4-5 chickens if I do this (since there is a limit to how many I can have on my property in my city).

4-5 will be fine. And much easier to keep up on then 50. Just keep in mind by 4-5 wks they will be as big if not bigger then laying hens. But they wont move around as much. They WILL graze some if given the oppertunity.

 

[babyratt]

Wow thank you for really breaking this down. I didn't know you could feed the ashes to the fruit trees! I actually just planted a peach tree. And I'm sure my dog would love chicken feet. This is so beautiful how you have no waste. I hope to be like this as well.

I admire you so much. My dog loves chicken feet! Honestly, Christmas shopping for her turns my stomach

 

[Isadora]

I admire you so much. My dog loves chicken feet! Honestly, Christmas shopping for her turns my stomach

The things we do for love

 

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

4-5 will be fine. And much easier to keep up on then 50. Just keep in mind by 4-5 wks they will be as big if not bigger then laying hens. But they wont move around as much. They WILL graze some if given the oppertunity.

Thanks! Do you think 4-5 in a chicken tractor will still kill all the grass in my small-ish backyard?