I don’t think I can do it!

[MrsSchwarz]

I’m in NH, USA and I’m lucky to have a processor in the next town over. I haven’t processed any birds yet because mine are primarily egg layers which I will process for stewing hens when they’re done laying. I thought the same thing as you about not being able to do it emotionally, but it helps that I’m in a largely farming community so we don’t have to deal with harsh judgement for processing our animals. My daughter has stopped eating eggs since we got our own layers, so I’m not sure she’ll be willing to eat the meat from a bird we grew, but we will find out when the time comes. I definitely think you should ask your dad, but ask him to show you how and how to do it humanely. I’ve heard a few old timers where I live say “just chop it’s head off with an axe” - that seems like an awful way to go.

 

[Eggscaping]

That’s the way I look at it. Also, If I can’t handle doing these things myself then I don’t feel like I have a right to eat meat! I feel that people disconnect themselves from the actual animal when they’re buying it from the grocery store I know that my Quail are super happy. I still feel guilt though

We have rabbits. When they are tiny they're the cutest little fuzzy things on earth. Rabbits can be great pets. Rabbits are pretty similar physiologically to our cats, whom I adore.
But I got the 3 breeders - one buck and two does - to start a line of meat rabbits...to add to the fish that we catch and eat, and the chickens. Right now, 3 that I hatched have turned out to be roosters, so the clock is ticking there. And my first 3 rabbits are in the grow-out cage, due to become food very soon.
I've watched videos of rabbits being killed and butchered, and the death is very quick Probably a lot quicker than most people get, as a lot of us tend to become ill with some disease or another and languish for a time before dying, with the knowledge that we are headed out.
The rabbits...and the chickens too...will not know. They will have many happy days - out on the grass and clover, eating bugs, interacting with each other - and then on one day they will have a fast and humane ending. They won't know it's coming, and we will eat meat that is clean and healthy - not raised somewhere in miserable conditions (lots of videos online of miserable chickens who never get to scratch the dirt or feel the sun, or walk on grass). The rabbits are a bit iffier for me to think about, since we don't normally eat rabbit and I'm not sure there are rabbits mashed together somewhere, suffering to make supermarket rabbit. However, we intend to try to provide some of the meat we eat - ourselves. In the wild, or course, rabbits are the animal kingdom's fast food. They don't die of old age, they die being bitten, torn apart, picked up by talons, etc. A quick death is the best outcome a rabbit can have. Rabbit meat is extremely healthy. So - yeah. I don't feel guilty...I guess because "Happy life and the quickest, most painless death they can have".
If you do kill your quail, I would be interested to hear how you feel afterward. Good luck to you and good for you for going through the necessary thinking process about taking a critter's life.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

Following this as i have been in this same situation for over a year now. I didn't intend on keeping chickens in my case for meat, but I don't want their lives to be for nothing and be wasteful with them

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I'm the same way right now. I have 2 Cornish bantam male's and a few male quail that I will have to do in about a month if I can't sell the quail (yes I know they will still be food most likely). I know the physics of doing it, at least with the quail and got the equiptment, but these are guys that i eagerly awaited to be shipped and I've handled them all, so I'll feel a bit bad. The Cornish are so gosh darn big for their age That I still have to find the best method for them.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

I'm the same way right now. I have 2 Cornish bantam male's and a few male quail that I will have to do in about a month if I can't sell the quail (yes I know they will still be food most likely). I know the physics of doing it, at least with the quail and got the equiptment, but these are guys that i eagerly awaited to be shipped and I've handled them all, so I'll feel a bit bad. The Cornish are so gosh darn big for their age That I still have to find the best method for them.

I may be wrong but just wanted to ask, with the Cornish, won't they end up being miserable and possibly dying if you don't process them in a timely manner?
I am asking for educational purposes only, so there's a good chance that I am wrong about the breed that this happens to.
I wish you all the best. It's certainly unsettling, to say the least, when we get to the point of needing to do something. In my case, I have Waaayyyy too many cockerels and 2 complete jerk roosters that have been total jerks for most of their lives and made outside life miserable if they're free ranging, so I don't let them anymore and that's not fair (and miserable) to them.

 

[Flockincrazy]

I have a friend that does that stuff for me the only animal I was ever able to process was deer I just remind myself that I'm feeding my family

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I may be wrong but just wanted to ask, with the Cornish, won't they end up being miserable and possibly dying if you don't process them in a timely manner?
I am asking for educational purposes only, so there's a good chance that I am wrong about the breed that this happens to.
I wish you all the best. It's certainly unsettling, to say the least, when we get to the point of needing to do something. In my case, I have Waaayyyy too many cockerels and 2 complete jerk roosters that have been total jerks for most of their lives and made outside life miserable if they're free ranging, so I don't let them anymore and that's not fair (and miserable) to them.

From what I've heard, that is only the Cornish crosses. I've looked everywhere before getting them and because they're a recognized breed, I've figured they're safe they're almost 4 months now and they're still healthy as ever.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I have a friend that does that stuff for me the only animal I was ever able to process was deer I just remind myself that I'm feeding my family

I wish we had someone who could even just butcher for me XD. I'm fine processing

 

[HeatherKellyB]

From what I've heard, that is only the Cornish crosses. I've looked everywhere before getting them and because they're a recognized breed, I've figured they're safe they're almost 4 months now and they're still healthy as ever.

Thank you so much for clarifying! I always appreciate the gift of learning, especially about poultry, so much here. That was exactly why I wasn't sure. I thought it was Cornish or Cornish Cross. Every single time I hear Cornish, my brain goes straight to the meat bird, Cornish Cross. I hate that because I know that Cornish are some beautiful birds. Hopefully this will help me stop doing that. Thanks again

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Here are some of my Cornish bantams I have, I have 10, 1 dark/mottled one, 5 blue/splash laces red and 4 white/splash laces red