Had to grow up a little tonight in chicken rearing

[ChickiKat]

RIP Popo - White Crested Black Polish. She was an egg eater. We had known it for awhile. But since we are still new to all of this we gave her every chance we could. But she had issues. She would be in the coop almost all the time, stomping around our brooder girl LBJ. If LBJ got up for anything, Popo was right there to raid the egg clutch. She always had egg all over her crest. And when she was in the coop she acted as if she had a screw loose. So after having the evening discussion with DH, we decided we needed to act. With sticks in hand we tried to catch Popo, to no avail. So that is when we decided we needed to swing with force. First blow DH took landed true and snapped her neck. DH fetched the hatchet and I put her on the stump. Her head was severed cleanly and we agreed that we had done the right thing. But, oh dear God that was hard. We know in keeping chickens we will have to cull them once in awhile. But, as with everything, the first it the worst.... I am humbled by what God has given me and the tasks he has me do... Hopefully, Popo is now sitting at the right hand of God, not eating his eggs....

 

[swampcat]

Quote:

Sorry for your loss

but that was pretty funny!

 

[Ridgerunner]

I raise mine for meat as well as eggs, so I don't have some of the issues you have. I know it is not easy. I never enjoy the killing part, although it is something that goes with me raising chickens. I have only had one egg eater and it was one I wanted to keep to get chicks from. It seem it is always the ones you want to keep that something goes wrong.

I think you did the right thing, hard as it was.

 

[luvinrunnin]

Ughhhhhh. I love my chickens, and know that's part of it..................but just don't know that I can do it.

 

[Gmsg01]

Why did you need to catch her with sticks?

I have not had to cull yet, so I can only imagine how difficult it was.

 

[MamiPollo]

I am so sorry. I would be so sad to have to do this.

 

[ladyride]

This is never the easy part cause no matter the behavior we the human have an emotional investment. We keep hoping they will change behavior but this is not always the case. We raise both meat & egg chickens but it is hard sometimes to seperate the 2. But it is a part of raising chickens. So sorry for your loss.

 

[chicktwins]

So sorry you had to do that!!

You did the right thing, unfortunate as it was. I dread the day I have to take action on one of ours. I fear my kids will never understand that it is the right thing and will be very upset even though I have from the beginning been very honest with them. They have been told over and over that the chickens will remain our pets as long as they are good and well behaved but if they aren't they will become dinner. They don't love the idea but so far they say they get it. I know saying it and really understanding it when it comes are two very different scenarios I am not looking forward to.

 

[suki'smom]

So sorry

 

[poseygrace]

You are brave, and you did the right thing. I am about to do the same for a couple of girls that aren't laying any more. I keep repeating the mantra, "They are just chickens, you eat chicken all the time..."