It hasn't gotten any easier.

[aceintoledo]

I just butchered my last four chickens to get ready for the new chicks. I would have thought after doing this a couple dozen times now that it would be a little less stressful by now. Nobody gets named in this next bunch, I'll see if that helps any.

 

[BCMaraniac]

It is never easy....at least it shouldn't be because it involves taking a life. I think it really makes you appreciate where your food comes from. Heck, I felt guilty when I had a stray cat spayed because I knew she had just been in heat and was likely pregnant.

Not naming them is a good idea. Our first chickens will all probably die of old age because my DH named them. LOL. We got them for eggs before I went chicken crazy. the DP birds that I am raising for meat don't get names.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I agree. I raise mine for meat much more than the eggs. If I didn’t eat them I wouldn’t have chickens, but I never enjoy the killing part.

My chickens have a good life. They get to eat grass, chase bugs, and take part in flock life. When it’s time to butcher, I make it quick and sure. I also try to use every part I can, down to making broth from the carcass and burying what I can’t use in my orchard so the trees eventually get the benefit. I’ve even been known to save feathers from roosters for people that make jewelry.

I try to treat mine with respect and give them the best life possible. I don’t feel guilty in taking their life but I really don’t enjoy that part either.

 

[blucoondawg]

We usually have 1 or 2 with names, usually an unusually friendly hen and the head rooster, the rest are just chickens, we have a little runty red hen my wife calls Sweetypie because as a chick she was the first to become person friendly and she still is, she follows us everywhere and is right under our feet while feeding, she is quite fearless as well which will probably be her downfall as something will kill her eventually, but if she lives she will likely never be butchered simply because that one bird is the wife's pet, the rest don't really matter that way.

 

[aceintoledo]

I agree. I raise mine for meat much more than the eggs. If I didn’t eat them I wouldn’t have chickens, but I never enjoy the killing part.

My chickens have a good life. They get to eat grass, chase bugs, and take part in flock life. When it’s time to butcher, I make it quick and sure. I also try to use every part I can, down to making broth from the carcass and burying what I can’t use in my orchard so the trees eventually get the benefit. I’ve even been known to save feathers from roosters for people that make jewelry.

I try to treat mine with respect and give them the best life possible. I don’t feel guilty in taking their life but I really don’t enjoy that part either.

I always mention to my wife how good our birds have it. They get to roam the yard, left over grapes and other snacks, and on several cold days during the winter hot oatmeal for breakfast. Couple that with a heated coop and there life all in all is pretty good.

 

[Quailsong]

OP, I agree - culling is never easy. I don't think it'll get 'better'. Maybe more efficient, from a technical-culling standpoint, but not emotionally easy.

As a side story...

My DH named our spare rooster "Handsome Jack" over the winter cause he overheard me saying how handsome the roo was. Because of that, he got attached to it & we couldn't cull. I ended up having to find a home for it, but he did the 3 hour drive to give it away to someone. I think he learned his lesson, however I'm not sure. Now we have a "No naming people names or cutesy names" rule here. I had been joking earlier in the year with my DH that our future turkey Tom would be named "Guard Dog", but now I can't even allow that because I don't want another "Handsome Jack" situation to develop. The only 'names' our meat birds will get are numbers for IDing or "Thanksgiving" as a reminder of their fate.

The big issue is, we're still new at this lifestyle together. I tend to talk to the birds & even treat meat birds like pets, which my DH's not really used to. He grew up with a city-slicker mindset and feels with city pets you cuddle, with farm animals you distance your emotions. I have the mindset that they're living beings who need/crave love & attention, regardless if they're city or farm animals. I want my birds all to have a wonderful life with only one bad day (culling). Now I try to keep my baby talk & cuddling down when he's about, or only do it with him when there's chicks or injured birds. It seems to be working better.

 

[bobbi-j]

My husband and I have been raising and processing our own chickens for years. He's been doing it most of his life, and is very matter of fact about it. I grew up in a suburb of the Twin Cities where the attitude is, "animals are our friends" so it was harder for me when I first moved to the farm and raised chicks for meat. What helps me is, I'm a pretty hands-off chicken keeper. I don't name them (except the rooster and an occasional hen), I don't pet them, I don't try to make pets of them. I just keep telling myself that one day they will be in the freeze or in my pantry in a jar. And then I remember just how good canned chicken is...

 

[BCMaraniac]

Everytime I process, I absolutely dread it.....days before I am supposed to do it, I struggle to get my mind around it. Once it is done.....I am fine with everything else.

Now, killing snakes......I have no problem....especially when they come through the barn wall and drop into a brooder full of chicks.....

 

[Quailsong]

Everytime I process, I absolutely dread it.....days before I am supposed to do it, I struggle to get my mind around it. Once it is done.....I am fine with everything else.

Now, killing snakes......I have no problem....especially when they come through the barn wall and drop into a brooder full of chicks.....

That's big mama/papa instinct taking over right there! I too think if I had to defend little critters from the same I'd be right at the snake/whatever in a flash!

 

[BCMaraniac]

That's big mama/papa instinct taking over right there! I too think if I had to defend little critters from the same I'd be right at the snake/whatever in a flash!

I think it must have been a female.....cause a few days later, a bigger one was laying just inside the barn in the sun.......my hubby took care of that one. Give me mice any day......I have cats for those, but no snakes around my babies.....period. We did see any more last year, but I dread warm weather for that very reason.