Just caught all my roosters ... for the deed.

[catdaddy66]

Both my wife and I are afraid that we will get too attached to the chicks and won't want to "do the deed" when it is time, for whatever reason. My son, however, said he would do it. I'll believe it when I see it!!

 

[jocoupon]

Hi,

It is not the funnest thing on earth.

A half-dozen girlfriends and I get together every 3-4 months, bring our boys, and butcher. Two of the ladies are doctors, so we get quite an anatomy lesson. My little kids have learned quite a bit from it. It was nice doing all of them at one time, because we only had 1 mess to clean up and some people wanted the hearts, lungs, and feet, and others didn't.

We each already have some of our younger ones picked out for our next date.

I knew from day one that I was going to have to take care of the roos, you just can't keep all of them and I don't want inbreeding.

Some of us decided to keep a couple of other's roos and butchered more of their own, to help the blood lines.

good luck,

the crazy chicken lady

 

[foxrunbantams]

I keep around 100 roosters around the house.so i don"t get to upset when i loose a few.i do love to hear them crow

 

[Garden Gal]

We just culled our second batch last Sunday, and it was a bit easier than the first. I had intended to not get attached or name the first bunch, but unfortunately, I did name a few and got attached to most. This second bunch I definately did NOT name these guys, did not handle them as much, but absolutely gave them all the same treats, warm coop, etc... I ended up with six roos with twelve hens, and the hens were getting far too much attention toward the end. It was not fun, it was not easy, but I knew they had been treated very well, given oatmeal with cheese, etc.. and dispatched as quickly and painlessly as I could manage. I also suggest you work up toward doing the deed yourself, with the help of someone if needed. I haven't slit their throats yet (my dear husband does this) but I go pick them up, talk to them and tell them thanks, put them in the cone, and then do the rest after the "deed". I would never have imaged I could do this two years ago, but since I've eaten meat my entire life, I'm proud I can make sure my guys were treated far better than those bought in the stores. You can do it.

 

[ZooMummzy]

I am facing this very thing right now and I have yet to wrap my brain around it. I have 6 for sure roosters from the last two hatches and probably about 12 out of 22 from this last hatch. I do have a place they can all go if I can't rehome them and I know they will have a good life till the end, but I do get attached to my chickens...all of them...no matter what I tell myself so it's hard. So far, I have always been lucky and been able to rehome my roosters. I ask that they go to a non-food source home and when they are adopted, I forget about them. The two that I really loved are living at a sanctuary farm my friend runs so I know they are safe. The rest, I just hope they have good lives and quick deaths if that is their fate. I will never do the deed myself and I am very adamant about this fact, but I am also realistic and know that I cannot keep roosters and I know that will be the fate of some or most of them.

 

[Cindiloohoo]

I haven't had a slaughter day yet, but I don't particularly forsee any issues. It is a roos purpose in life. Serve the hens or serve as supper. I've always viewed it this way, and do not get attached to my roo's. I actually rather hate one of the current two and would slaughter him in a second if he wasn't sold. I like them when they are little guys, but beyond that...they look good in a pot. Perspective has a lot to do with the ability or inability to butcher I think. Some folks just can't and that's fine. I'll do it for them for half the meat

 

[chocolate m'scovy]

Hey, roosters can look nice! (But some people think they look better dressed. ) Okay, maybe we do butcher all our "ugly" roos so the only ones left are handsome...

The hardest chicken that we've had to kill was Predator, a handsome Silver-Laced Polish with black beard and trousers; he adopted the dangerous habit of sneaking after us, and after a while, he started flying into people! I did feel a little sad when he was dispatched. But you do what you have to, and I knew it wouldn't do to keep him.

I never feel glad to kill anything. I too pet my suppers-to-be and talk to them before the"deed." If you want to eat meat, any meat, someone has to kill it!

 

[SunshineSilkies]

A fella that I work with always comes to get my extras....that takes the guilt off of me because I know that he will enjoy a good meal from them!!!