I'm traumatized. (graphic)

[thechickenchick]

Oh I'm sorry! That would bother me too. Just remember you did what you thought needed to be done. It didn't work out the way you expected, but its not your fault. You know what they say... Live and learn. I applaud you for even trying, I on the other hand am a huge sissy! I agree with the person who said to call someone to take the birds you don't want. There is always someone to take it, even if they are using it for food. At least then you don't have to do the deed. I hope you are feeling better. Take care. I will be thinking of you.

 

[ccrecelius]

Don't think I can do it. It sounds horrible. When the time comes, I will beg someone to do it for me while I am NO where around.

 

[Ace_king_brahma]

Sorry to hear it went like that. I have an older friend at work and she tells me constantly the merits of killing them in that method. I just don't think I can do it like that and not now hearing how her brother botched things the first time he tried. He spun the bird and thought the neck was broke and instead the bird was just laying stunned. So he tries again...and again. Finally the bird stopped moving and they left it alone to get the rest of the butchering supplies. When they returned the bird was just getting back up stunned again. Once he saw them he took off running and lived for several years longer lol.

It's hard to have to kill something you raise yourself. I had some guilt for awhile when I culled my quail but eventually I realized it had to been done. If you feel up to culling again later I would do as others sugguested the kill cone or chopping the head off. I do the chopping method and it kills them fast with less pain.

Don't dwell on it too much. Things didn't go smoothly my first time killing either but somethings have to be done. The main thing is the rooster had to be culled and you did all you could to end his pain when you saw he was alive still. I've heard of them making noises after the head comes off too and heard that this is just another reflex.

 

[jenjscott]

I just slaughtered two roos for the first time in 30 some years. I always used to make my husband do it. It took several swings of the hatchet, and I had to make myself go back and do the 2nd one. They sell a chicken dispatcher on ebay that comes out of australia I think. you clamp it on their neck and squeeze like a pair of pliers and it breaks their neck. Not as good if you want to bleed them good, but quick and not as messy for the faint at heart.

 

[ButtonQuailBoy]

AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!! chickens...heads..off...scary...still...alive...yet dead...I'm scared and vERy paranoid...I suggest letting a professional do it next time to avoid seeing a phycologist..they're expesive you know!

 

[Rhett&SarahsMom]

I am so sorry you went through that.

I plan on using my barn owners guy should I ever need a chicken culled

 

[dangerouschicken]

I'm sorry it was traumatic for you. My grandfather assures me that the wing flapping is just the nerves post death, not pain. If killing or culling is too much for you, have you considered using a local poultry processor? Someone might have mentioned that already in the thread (I scanned it fast, might have missed something), but to me, that is really a good way to go. We have a processor in Oregon that does chickens for $3 a piece, slaughtered, plucked, gutted, and wrapped. They look beautiful when done and it takes the anxiety out of the butchering process.

 

[seismic wonder2]

That's about as bad as you can get. I'm sure the next time (if there is one) will be better because you are educated now and you know exactly what to expect.

Your bird was most likely dead at your first try and was just doing the normal flop and squack thing that chickens do when culled.

I went through the whole freak out thing when I was a kid. Grand Dad thought it was real funny that I was being attacked by a headless chicken. I didn't think so. Didn't eat chicken for months. I got over it. You will too.

 

[Wolf-Kim]

I find the best way is to chop the heads off. You just know they are dead and any flapping is the result of the muscle spasms.

I'm very sorry to hear it went so poorly for you. I avoid the neck breaking techniques because I am worried that I will botch them.

-Kim

 

[Rte.66_chicks]

I am sorry for your bad experience-been there. A couple of years ago I tried to cull a roo with a hatchet that turned out to be dull. That was an awful experience.

I had to cull a cockerel yesterday, and it wasn't easy, that's for sure. I researched how to before I did it, and by following the procedures from the University of Minnesota Extension Service for home processing of poultry, I now have a home-raised chicken carcass in my refrigerator, awaiting its turn on the grill, and the printed instructions have gone into my "All Things Chicken" binder for future reference.

The actual killing went textbook perfect; I made sure that the knife I used was VERY sharp. The bleeding out didn't take long, and the flopping took even less time. Since this was my first time killing a chicken this way, I wasn't holding the head well enough, and I lost my grip on the first flop. That won't happen again.

It is really not mentally easy to make the cut, but it had to be done, and the info I read made it go right, with little pain to the bird. Check out the site I mentioned above. I don't know how to post links, but any search engine should take you there.