INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Faraday40]

Yesterday was a horrible horrible day.

I messaged DH on his way home to help me find Joan, she and I had gotten into an argument the day before about her aggression and I held her while she screamed at me and Kronus came to defend (until he saw me). I was worried she had somehow managed to get out.

When DH got home he helped me look in all their normal hiding spaces and then looked behind the "shed" we have in there will supplies. Low and behold, there was Joan and she was picking on Ana. My sweet sweet Ana and they had managed to get themselves stuck. I thought I had put the shed close enough to the garage that they couldn't get behind it, but I guess I put it in just the right spot that they could get in, but not out. This has since been fixed. DH pulled them out to find Ana bloody and barely able to walk. I got a plastic bag and a knife to cull them both pending how bad Ana was.

Well, we caught Joan and put her separate. I set Ana down for two seconds and both Kronus and Blue started attacking her. Ana is Kronus' favorite lay, he appeared to mount her, but Blue was attacking. Poor Ana couldn't defend herself.

Joan's been aggressive at the flock for about a week, having stand offs with Kronus for the past few days, and not laying. I didn't find mites or worms, but she hasn't been healthy looking so we elected that she needed to go. I don't have time for aggressive birds.

I got Joan hung up like I've done a million times with my grandma, but I couldn't pull the knife. I couldn't take her little life. I never have been able to, grandma always cut their heads off and I always plucked and gutted. I called my grandma crying and looking for reassurance all while Ana is just sitting by a bowl of water trying to hobble around and drinking. It was the most awful thing. So much for duck processing next year.

On to my sweet Ana. DH picked her up and was examining her legs, and they were fine. Her chest was solid and her wings weren't broken. Minus the blood on the neck and wing she seemed otherwise healthy from the front. I did notice her backside seemed to be dirty so I had DH turn her around to check her vent. As he leaned her forward all the water she had been drinking came out of her mouth and her vent appeared to be prolapsed and infected, it stunk sooooooooooooo bad. I don't know how she got so sick so fast, she was out jumping at our hands for treats just the day before.

I won't go in to how we ended up letting them go, but it was humane and they're passed now. I swear if any of my neighbors had heard us out there talking about killing them, cops would have been called.

This is the stuff that I wasn't prepared for when I got chickens. I can process a chicken just fine. Scalding, plucking, cleaning, no problemo. Taking the life of such a defenseless little being is not easy, even to put them out of misery. Looks like I'm going to need to do research on culling so this goes better when we're processing.

So sorry you had to make that call. I understand how you feel.

It's very, very hard to kill an animal - especially when they cross the line into the pet territory. My DH can't deal with blood. Like you I can process a chicken, but not yet do the kill part. I have a handyman whom I call for help. He grew up on a farm, hunts, and can process just about anything. Last year I helped him process 2 of my chickens that needed to go. (DH wanted to learn, but turned green and had to leave.) This year, I'm able to do more of it myself but never alone. I hope to be able to work myself up to a chicken, but it's hard enough for me to make the decision. However, I did do a quail from start to finish..... with my handyman/friend next to me in case I needed help. I used a good pair of scissors. It was a mixed feeling of sadness & pride. My kids don't help by making me feel guilty, but I know and tell them that any birds processed here had a much better life & death than commercial poultry.

My advice is to find a friend / mentor to help you through it. It's hard emotionally, so I must pick the date & make the arrangements ahead of time. Just having someone to talk to while working makes it bearable.

*There are also live poultry /butcher shops where you can drop off your chickens & return to pick up packaged meat.

 

[Indyshent]

Yesterday was a horrible horrible day.

I messaged DH on his way home to help me find Joan, she and I had gotten into an argument the day before about her aggression and I held her while she screamed at me and Kronus came to defend (until he saw me). I was worried she had somehow managed to get out.

When DH got home he helped me look in all their normal hiding spaces and then looked behind the "shed" we have in there will supplies. Low and behold, there was Joan and she was picking on Ana. My sweet sweet Ana and they had managed to get themselves stuck. I thought I had put the shed close enough to the garage that they couldn't get behind it, but I guess I put it in just the right spot that they could get in, but not out. This has since been fixed. DH pulled them out to find Ana bloody and barely able to walk. I got a plastic bag and a knife to cull them both pending how bad Ana was.

Well, we caught Joan and put her separate. I set Ana down for two seconds and both Kronus and Blue started attacking her. Ana is Kronus' favorite lay, he appeared to mount her, but Blue was attacking. Poor Ana couldn't defend herself.

Joan's been aggressive at the flock for about a week, having stand offs with Kronus for the past few days, and not laying. I didn't find mites or worms, but she hasn't been healthy looking so we elected that she needed to go. I don't have time for aggressive birds.

I got Joan hung up like I've done a million times with my grandma, but I couldn't pull the knife. I couldn't take her little life. I never have been able to, grandma always cut their heads off and I always plucked and gutted. I called my grandma crying and looking for reassurance all while Ana is just sitting by a bowl of water trying to hobble around and drinking. It was the most awful thing. So much for duck processing next year.

On to my sweet Ana. DH picked her up and was examining her legs, and they were fine. Her chest was solid and her wings weren't broken. Minus the blood on the neck and wing she seemed otherwise healthy from the front. I did notice her backside seemed to be dirty so I had DH turn her around to check her vent. As he leaned her forward all the water she had been drinking came out of her mouth and her vent appeared to be prolapsed and infected, it stunk sooooooooooooo bad. I don't know how she got so sick so fast, she was out jumping at our hands for treats just the day before.

I won't go in to how we ended up letting them go, but it was humane and they're passed now. I swear if any of my neighbors had heard us out there talking about killing them, cops would have been called.

This is the stuff that I wasn't prepared for when I got chickens. I can process a chicken just fine. Scalding, plucking, cleaning, no problemo. Taking the life of such a defenseless little being is not easy, even to put them out of misery. Looks like I'm going to need to do research on culling so this goes better when we're processing.

I'm so sorry

Chickens are very attracted to blood and red in general. Joan was a dominant bird but probably found Ana prolapsed, and then attacked her (chickens attack sick and especially injured flock mates regularly). Ana probably fled because she had prolapsed and got stuck.

The Buff Orp I got from you is doing marvelously, and she'll be your forever buddy for cat food. She's always flying onto our shoulders here. If you want either of your girls back, let me know. I also have lots of cute chicks here, if you're interested.

 

[Indyshent]

View attachment 1152069 View attachment 1152068 View attachment 1152067 View attachment 1152066 View attachment 1152065 View attachment 1152064 Some of my pretty cockerels. They are bred from a mixed buff Orpington rooster and Dominique hens.

These boys are so soft.

Is their dad a BO/Dominique mix, or something else?

 

[Nyla]

I'm so sorry you had to endure this. I too went through these feelings my first go around. After all was done I felt horrible and depressed about it for months. I use a sharp hatchet to cull mine. I can't get myself to use a knife..
I hope you feel better soon! If you want help processing next year I can help you!

Yesterday was a horrible horrible day.

I messaged DH on his way home to help me find Joan, she and I had gotten into an argument the day before about her aggression and I held her while she screamed at me and Kronus came to defend (until he saw me). I was worried she had somehow managed to get out.

When DH got home he helped me look in all their normal hiding spaces and then looked behind the "shed" we have in there will supplies. Low and behold, there was Joan and she was picking on Ana. My sweet sweet Ana and they had managed to get themselves stuck. I thought I had put the shed close enough to the garage that they couldn't get behind it, but I guess I put it in just the right spot that they could get in, but not out. This has since been fixed. DH pulled them out to find Ana bloody and barely able to walk. I got a plastic bag and a knife to cull them both pending how bad Ana was.

Well, we caught Joan and put her separate. I set Ana down for two seconds and both Kronus and Blue started attacking her. Ana is Kronus' favorite lay, he appeared to mount her, but Blue was attacking. Poor Ana couldn't defend herself.

Joan's been aggressive at the flock for about a week, having stand offs with Kronus for the past few days, and not laying. I didn't find mites or worms, but she hasn't been healthy looking so we elected that she needed to go. I don't have time for aggressive birds.

I got Joan hung up like I've done a million times with my grandma, but I couldn't pull the knife. I couldn't take her little life. I never have been able to, grandma always cut their heads off and I always plucked and gutted. I called my grandma crying and looking for reassurance all while Ana is just sitting by a bowl of water trying to hobble around and drinking. It was the most awful thing. So much for duck processing next year.

On to my sweet Ana. DH picked her up and was examining her legs, and they were fine. Her chest was solid and her wings weren't broken. Minus the blood on the neck and wing she seemed otherwise healthy from the front. I did notice her backside seemed to be dirty so I had DH turn her around to check her vent. As he leaned her forward all the water she had been drinking came out of her mouth and her vent appeared to be prolapsed and infected, it stunk sooooooooooooo bad. I don't know how she got so sick so fast, she was out jumping at our hands for treats just the day before.

I won't go in to how we ended up letting them go, but it was humane and they're passed now. I swear if any of my neighbors had heard us out there talking about killing them, cops would have been called.

This is the stuff that I wasn't prepared for when I got chickens. I can process a chicken just fine. Scalding, plucking, cleaning, no problemo. Taking the life of such a defenseless little being is not easy, even to put them out of misery. Looks like I'm going to need to do research on culling so this goes better when we're processing.

 

[JanetMarie]

Is their dad a BO/Dominique mix, or something else?

The dad is 50%+ buff Orpington (the cockerels' grandma). Here's a pic of the grandpa (the cockerels' great-grandpa) on the couch. The other 50% is a mix of rose comb Rhode Island Red, Production Red, and hatchery buff Orpington.

The moms are Dominique.

 

[JanetMarie]

Is their dad a BO/Dominique mix, or something else?

As more direct answer to your question, here's some pics of the mixed buff Orpington dad and Dominique moms.

I miss the other two (grandma, and great-grandpa) and wanted to post pics to show how adorable they were.

 

[JanetMarie]

Strange. I heard Dominique roos were usually sweet - except for those few exceptions like any breed can have. I only have one female, so I can't speak from experience. Of course if the plan is to eat the extra males that hatch, then orps will give you a lot more meat.

I wouldn't able to raise and butcher buff Orpingtons, because I've found that they are great pets.

One reason I chose Dominiques to raise is reading that some roosters are aggressive, and so for me they're easier to butcher, but I would like to find one that is not aggressive to keep. I think in a couple years or so I'll get Dominique hatching eggs again.

 

[wheezy50]

If anyone is looking to start a small flock of bantam Cochins, Here You Go!! This trio is looking for a new home before winter. 1 smooth cockerel with one smooth and one frizzled pullets. I have just started getting eggs from this pen in the last couple weeks. They were hatched this past Feb/Mar.

Please PM me!

 

[Indyshent]

Shelbyville RK has BO, ISA and BR pullets on sale, plus two bins of CX chicks for $1 and $1.50 (bigger ones are cheaper). I picked up 6 to process later, but couldn't turn down cheaper meat birds that someone else had already fed for several weeks.

One day, I'd still like to figure out what happens when you cross a Sumatra and a CX, since Sumatra make sexy half breeds, and CX are about the most ungainly, graceless birds on Earth. Got too much else on my plate right now.

Speaking of said projects though, we're once again having issues of predators (in addition to the dog). Not wanting to get attached because we're losing and missing chicks left and right here, it seems. Most of the F1 look like boys, too.

 

[Trish1974]

Does anyone know where to send birds for necropsy in Indiana, and the cost?