How to process processing

[Ninjasquirrel]

So today my SO processed his 2nd rooster. He was far quicker this time with the process but still managed to forget a few organs which I removed when he brought it in. He just seemed so sad afterwards. I asked him if he was ok and he just shrugged and said "its just another job. Im sure it will get easier". I just worry about the emotional toll. Everyone says it gets easier...but when?

 

[BantyChooks]

For me, it got easier once I was confident in my ability to do the job right. My initial uncertainty contributed the most to my difficulty; once that cleared, I found myself able to do it without much avoidance.

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

For me, it got easier once I was confident in my ability to do the job right. My initial uncertainty contributed the most to my difficulty; once that cleared, I found myself able to do it without much avoidance.

Maybe that's it...his confidence. I dont know. Ive noticed him delving on a dark sense of humor in regards to it like he's trying to cope. The first one he did he was supposed to do 2 that weekend but he was so frustrated and upset when he came in that he said he couldnt do another until he knew more. He brought it in with everything but the crop and intestines. I had to remove all the organs myself...which was not something I was comfortable with...but I sucked it up to be supportive. I was sick to my stomach for the rest of the day

 

[BantyChooks]

Maybe that's it...his confidence. I dont know. Ive noticed him delving on a dark sense of humor in regards to it like he's trying to cope. The first one he did he was supposed to do 2 that weekend but he was so frustrated and upset when he came in that he said he couldnt do another until he knew more. He brought it in with everything but the crop and intestines. I had to remove all the organs myself...which was not something I was comfortable with...but I sucked it up to be supportive. I was sick to my stomach for the rest of the day

Hm, I'm not certain. I have never dealt with a sensation like you are describing. Best of luck to you, and I hope it gets easier.

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

Hm, I'm not certain. I have never dealt with a sensation like you are describing. Best of luck to you, and I hope it gets easier.

I hope so too. He had a proud air about him after the bird was dead. But after he sat and watched me cut it up into individual pieces he seemed sad. I can butcher rather easily...but thats meat. Not anything alive. I just worry about him because I know I am not strong enough to perform the job.

 

[Teneniel]

For me, the mental processing got much better when I saw the end result: a meal I raised and prepared myself. I knew what happened to that animal from the moment it arrived on my property, all the way to the table.

I do get “butchering blues” on harvest days, especially with the rabbits. If it ever became too much for me, I’d just stop consuming meat I think.

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

For me, the mental processing got much better when I saw the end result: a meal I raised and prepared myself. I knew what happened to that animal from the moment it arrived on my property, all the way to the table.

I do get “butchering blues” on harvest days, especially with the rabbits. If it ever became too much for me, I’d just stop consuming meat I think.

Butchering blues...I like that. Its indeed the type of feeling I've noticed. I made homemade fried chicken out of the first roo and it was delicious. It wouldn't be a requirement for us if we didnt have so many roos. I just see it as a disrepect to the animal to just chuck it in a grave because its a boy. I thought about caponizing so we could keep them but I worry that I'd kill them in the process by being undereducated and I see that as far crueler than ending it quickly.

 

[Molpet]

I usually process at 16 weeks. When they are harassing the pullets a lot. It's easier when they are causing problems. I figure it should not be easy to take a life anyway.

 

[nao57]

This is a hard part about poultry raising.

But its really really important we as a country know how to raise and grow our food. That includes processing them.

One of the reasons we're having so many problems as a country is that only about 2% of the country knows how to grow its own food. And we're trying to get foreigners to do it.

And guess what,...

These foreigners hate us. We're seeing evidence of that pile up this year. There were many farm failures last year also, and in Europe. At one point last year they were saying that about 2,000 farms a day were failing in Europe, due to all kinds of mayhem and problems.

So it won't work for us to not be self sufficient; speaking non-politically and as a self sufficiency point of view.

 

[3KillerBs]

It is less personal if you're processing a number of birds at the same time and not just one.

I name my birds things like Dumpling, Noodle, Stew, etc. as a reminder that they are livestock, not pets.

Do you know which aspect of the job bothers him the most?

What bothered me most during the process was the flapping -- I was using the broomstick method so holding a frantically-flapping bird by the ankles was a bit disturbing until I understood that the really STRONG flapping indicated the swiftest, most effective, most merciful killing. We're considering trying killing cones to see if it's more efficient, especially because the arthritis in my wrists is worse now.

You might consider the different methods to see which is the least upsetting.

My husband doesn't want to do the killing himself, but thinks he could handle the other parts.