I think I need to be a vegetarian

[KittieChick]

My poor husband! I have these 6 meat birds, they're ready to get done, and I'm light headed, dizzy and sick to my stomach! I can't believe this!

Maybe tomorrow will be better. I know my honey will step up and do it.

 

[Aacre]

You sound like my husband! He can barely do the initial culling. I end up doing the rest of the processing. One day, I hope to upgrade him. haha! I find that it does get easier with practice.

 

[katbriar]

Hang in there. It does get better. And respect your feelings- they are a great motivator to do it the best you can and proof that you care about the well being of your birds.

And don't be afraid if something goes not-as-planned. It's a challenging thing and it's hard to predict what can happen until you have more experience. Be good and gentle with yourself.

I still get anxious the night before and morning of. I just let it motivate me to plan and implement very well. I control the parts I can. And accept the parts I can't.

 

[bobbi-j]

We've been raising and processing our own chickens for years - DH grew up doing it - and I still get just a little sad on butchering day. I have learned not to get attached to the birds - meaties or layers - and that does help some. I don't name most of them. Some special ones get named, but it seems that once they get a name they're doomed anyway. (My favorite broody got eaten in the coop during the day a few weeks ago. Her name was Betty Blue.) There is nothing wrong with feeling the way you do about processing your birds. As stated above, it does get better each time you do it. Just make sure that however you decide to kill the chicken, it's as fast as you can possibly make it. If you're decaptitating or slitting the throat, make sure your axe or knife is sharp. If you're using the "broomstick" method, make sure you can do it hard enough to break the neck immediately. We use the stump and hatchet method here. One swing, and it's over in seconds. I hold the bird, DH places the neck between two nails in a "v" shape in the stump, he lops off the head. It's not pretty - they bleed, they flap and they twitch. I hold them by the feet until the flapping and twitching stops, then put the carcass in a bucket. Once the chicken is dead, it's much easier for me. I just don't like the process of turning a live chicken into a dead one. DH and I together pick and gut them, then I clean out the cavity because my hands are smaller and it's easier for me to get the extra lung tissue out from between the ribs.

 

[LindaB220]

We've been raising and processing our own chickens for years - DH grew up doing it - and I still get just a little sad on butchering day. I have learned not to get attached to the birds - meaties or layers - and that does help some. I don't name most of them. Some special ones get named, but it seems that once they get a name they're doomed anyway. (My favorite broody got eaten in the coop during the day a few weeks ago. Her name was Betty Blue.) There is nothing wrong with feeling the way you do about processing your birds. As stated above, it does get better each time you do it. Just make sure that however you decide to kill the chicken, it's as fast as you can possibly make it. If you're decaptitating or slitting the throat, make sure your axe or knife is sharp. If you're using the "broomstick" method, make sure you can do it hard enough to break the neck immediately. We use the stump and hatchet method here. One swing, and it's over in seconds. I hold the bird, DH places the neck between two nails in a "v" shape in the stump, he lops off the head. It's not pretty - they bleed, they flap and they twitch. I hold them by the feet until the flapping and twitching stops, then put the carcass in a bucket. Once the chicken is dead, it's much easier for me. I just don't like the process of turning a live chicken into a dead one. DH and I together pick and gut them, then I clean out the cavity because my hands are smaller and it's easier for me to get the extra lung tissue out from between the ribs.

Poor sugar, it is hard. Before dispatching them wrap the wings in Vetwrap a couple of times.

 

[bobbi-j]

Poor sugar, it is hard. Before dispatching them wrap the wings in Vetwrap a couple of times.

Good idea! I happen to have some, and we do have some to butcher - probably this week yet.

 

[LindaB220]

Good idea! I happen to have some, and we do have some to butcher - probably this week yet.

It will quieten down the whole day for you. Easier and not so nerve wracking Unwind and do the next.

 

[KittieChick]

I just want to say thank you for all the kindness! A friend came over and helped my husband. I was totally useless, but I also was admitted to the hospital later that night for anemia caused by internal blood loss. That neatly explains the shivers, shakes, nausea and just about every other thing I had thought was nerves, not to mention the true anxiety of dispatching my meaties. I think if I do this again, I'll try to make sure I participate in processing day as part of a cooperative effort. Many hands make light work, and it helps dispel the sadness at taking a life.

On a brighter note, my husband carefully cleaned all the gizzards, livers and hearts for me. When I came home from hospital, I cooked myself a lunch of liver and onions. The taste was far beyond any commercial chicken liver I've ever eaten. That in itself makes me want to grow more "edibles". Wish I could just grow the livers!

Anyhow, thank you all for the encouragement. Maybe come spring I'll try again.

 

[bobbi-j]

I just want to say thank you for all the kindness! A friend came over and helped my husband. I was totally useless, but I also was admitted to the hospital later that night for anemia caused by internal blood loss. That neatly explains the shivers, shakes, nausea and just about every other thing I had thought was nerves, not to mention the true anxiety of dispatching my meaties. I think if I do this again, I'll try to make sure I participate in processing day as part of a cooperative effort. Many hands make light work, and it helps dispel the sadness at taking a life.

On a brighter note, my husband carefully cleaned all the gizzards, livers and hearts for me. When I came home from hospital, I cooked myself a lunch of liver and onions. The taste was far beyond any commercial chicken liver I've ever eaten. That in itself makes me want to grow more "edibles". Wish I could just grow the livers!

Anyhow, thank you all for the encouragement. Maybe come spring I'll try again.

Oh my! I hope you're feeling better and the cause of your problem has been fixed. Good for you for wanting to participate next time. The more you do it, the easier it gets. I don't know that I could ever say it's totally "easy", or that I will ever "enjoy" it, but it does get easier. You just have to make up your mind that it's something you're going to do, and then do it. Just like any other unpleasant task that needs to be done. I figure if I'm the one who wants to raise chickens, I'd better be willing to participate in all that it entails. Even the hard stuff.

 

[Aacre]

Oh! I am sorry to hear that you had a medical situation. I am glad that you went to the hospital and got it taken care of! There will be plenty of next times, if you like to keep chickens! I hope you are well on your way on the mending path!