How did you prepare yourself (mentally) for first time butchering?

[pintail_drake2004]

For me, its business not personal. We eat meat! I raise food for my family. I raise meat chickens, rabbits, ducks, etc for food.

 

[springvalley123]

Read up on the process. Read some more. Watched a video or three. Sharpened my knives. Set up my station. Did a "dry run" to ensure everything was in the right place (moved the plastic storage bags, cooler, found a better way to hang the hose. Did the dry run again. Satisfied.

Walked into the pasture, grabbed a bird, brought it back, did the deed. Learned a bit.

Those "dry runs" are so important, especially if you're doing it alone. I used a "noose" around the neck to hold the bird's head in place, so the dry run with a stuffed toy ensured I knew exactly how to hold the bird in my right arm and which fingers to use to successfully place the noose and hook it up with my left hand.

 

[drow13f]

I was a kid my first time but now looking back if I had to do it again I would say just make sure that from the start that you've done everything to give them the best life that you can and that everything is done as quick and painless as possible and that's something the birds in the supermarket never had.

 

[CarlaCo]

So how I think about its, is that my hens love to go broody. I feel that if I never let them hatch out eggs and raise chicks, I am kind of being cruel to them.
And of cause, around half the chicks are male.
So I feel that to let the broody hatch them, and for them to have a very good life growing up, with just one bad moment, is the best my chickens could ask for.
There is no way of selling the amount of cockerels I get.
As far as the first time I did it, it was hard, but doable. I knew I wanted to eat meat, so I knew I had to be able to get it to the table.
I asked myself, can I do it, and replied yes I can, and then did it. I think that helped my mind set.
I do like to say thank you, and say a small prayer asking to make me swift and sure, and to do it in the best way possible.

"..one bad moment.." so great, lol.

 

[CarlaCo]

Just saw this thread and we had dispatched our first, an unruly (with most of us) 6 month old RIR rooster. I had never wanted a roo in the first place, but really enjoyed raising him. He was great with me up until about a week ago. But before me, he had drawn blood on my grandson, my husband and a visiting neighbor. He was still good with me and my son (who was the one who ordered him against my wishes in August.) Last night, from an upstairs window, I watched as he came after my husband, who was filling their water, and he came again and again as my husband stood his ground, even after two kicks that sent him flying he kept coming back for more. I knew the end was here and wouldn't have been surprised to find him dispensed with a baseball bat by DH last night.

I'd already bought a cone when my son had to dispatch his from the same litter a month ago. We screwed it to a tree, then we watched a nice video, and headed out with an Australian way too big "This is a knife" blade, lol. My son was able to catch him easily in the coop, I taped his legs together, then we flipped him upside down and waited for him to calm. That rascal never really calmed fully, but enough. We got him in the medium cone, which we discovered was a tad too small for him. My poor son (who was the only one who still liked the bird) had to push him further in and pull his head out more. DH sliced the side just under the wattle. There was a bit of the nerve stuff - more than I imagined - and a goodish amount of blood down the trunk of the tree. All in all, it felt humane. And he had a good life as one poster put it.

I immediately went to the coop and petted my girls, who actually enjoy that and then gave them treats. I'm looking forward to the one who he always picked on getting back her back feathers. She was actually bleeding last week. I feel nothing but relief that he is gone as beautiful as he was.

He is in the croc now - hubby defeathered and butchered quickly - in lots of wine, seasonings, vegies and broth. I'll slow cook all day, until bed, and make coq au vin tomorrow, thanking God for the gift of him and the experience. RIP Roo.

 

[FunClucks]

Just saw this thread and we had dispatched our first, an unruly (with most of us) 6 month old RIR rooster. I had never wanted a roo in the first place, but really enjoyed raising him. He was great with me up until about a week ago. But before me, he had drawn blood on my grandson, my husband and a visiting neighbor. He was still good with me and my son (who was the one who ordered him against my wishes in August.) Last night, from an upstairs window, I watched as he came after my husband, who was filling their water, and he came again and again as my husband stood his ground, even after two kicks that sent him flying he kept coming back for more. I knew the end was here and wouldn't have been surprised to find him dispensed with a baseball bat by DH last night.

I'd already bought a cone when my son had to dispatch his from the same litter a month ago. We screwed it to a tree, then we watched a nice video, and headed out with an Australian way too big "This is a knife" blade, lol. My son was able to catch him easily in the coop, I taped his legs together, then we flipped him upside down and waited for him to calm. That rascal never really calmed fully, but enough. We got him in the medium cone, which we discovered was a tad too small for him. My poor son (who was the only one who still liked the bird) had to push him further in and pull his head out more. DH sliced the side just under the wattle. There was a bit of the nerve stuff - more than I imagined - and a goodish amount of blood down the trunk of the tree. All in all, it felt humane. And he had a good life as one poster put it.

I immediately went to the coop and petted my girls, who actually enjoy that and then gave them treats. I'm looking forward to the one who he always picked on getting back her back feathers. She was actually bleeding last week. I feel nothing but relief that he is gone as beautiful as he was.

He is in the croc now - hubby defeathered and butchered quickly - in lots of wine, seasonings, vegies and broth. I'll slow cook all day, until bed, and make coq au vin tomorrow, thanking God for the gift of him and the experience. RIP Roo.

Sounds like you handled that awesomely. Good for you guys, taking care of things well.

Enjoy the newfound peace of your flock.

 

[Shabby Chic-Hens]

I find it’s easiest if the rooster has attacked me. I can get revenge.

 

[Fluster Cluck Acres]

Just saw this thread and we had dispatched our first, an unruly (with most of us) 6 month old RIR rooster. I had never wanted a roo in the first place, but really enjoyed raising him. He was great with me up until about a week ago. But before me, he had drawn blood on my grandson, my husband and a visiting neighbor. He was still good with me and my son (who was the one who ordered him against my wishes in August.) Last night, from an upstairs window, I watched as he came after my husband, who was filling their water, and he came again and again as my husband stood his ground, even after two kicks that sent him flying he kept coming back for more. I knew the end was here and wouldn't have been surprised to find him dispensed with a baseball bat by DH last night.

I'd already bought a cone when my son had to dispatch his from the same litter a month ago. We screwed it to a tree, then we watched a nice video, and headed out with an Australian way too big "This is a knife" blade, lol. My son was able to catch him easily in the coop, I taped his legs together, then we flipped him upside down and waited for him to calm. That rascal never really calmed fully, but enough. We got him in the medium cone, which we discovered was a tad too small for him. My poor son (who was the only one who still liked the bird) had to push him further in and pull his head out more. DH sliced the side just under the wattle. There was a bit of the nerve stuff - more than I imagined - and a goodish amount of blood down the trunk of the tree. All in all, it felt humane. And he had a good life as one poster put it.

I immediately went to the coop and petted my girls, who actually enjoy that and then gave them treats. I'm looking forward to the one who he always picked on getting back her back feathers. She was actually bleeding last week. I feel nothing but relief that he is gone as beautiful as he was.

He is in the croc now - hubby defeathered and butchered quickly - in lots of wine, seasonings, vegies and broth. I'll slow cook all day, until bed, and make coq au vin tomorrow, thanking God for the gift of him and the experience. RIP Roo.

Thank you for sharing your experience. We haven’t reached that point yet… but we have three 3-month old cockerels, and 6 up n coming straight run chicks. So it’s somewhat inevitable.

 

[Fluster Cluck Acres]

I find it’s easiest if the rooster has attacked me. I can get revenge.

That’s the way we felt with our previous rooster. We managed to find him a new flock, but the desire to handle him ourselves got pretty strong!

 

[Shabby Chic-Hens]

That’s the way we felt with our previous rooster. We managed to find him a new flock, but the desire to handle him ourselves got pretty strong!

You really should have had dinner.