Naked Neck/Turken Thread

[Hholly]

@Fire Ant Farm your chicks are so cute! Congrats!

 

[DesertChic]

@chickengr
I am sorry for you that you feel so bad about that cull. But I have to say something. Although I haven't culled any yet, I am getting ready to do it. I think it is part of the process of keeping chickens and even thought it will be alway the hardest part, I try to look it from the other side. What would happen if I didn't do it? What would happen then? They would just eat more, there wouldn't be doing anything except eat and making a crowd in your yard and I don't have to mention what would they do to the girls. Also, if you sold them, you would just spend money on them ( if I remember, 10 euros from 25) so you would give them 15 euros for one. Hope this helps. At least it helped me to get over it.

thank you

at least I got someone who picked them up and did it away from me. so sorry you did it yourself I cannot imagine how YOU feel.

It's a mental game. @Phill98 is right that you have to perceive it as part of the process, and that's really what keeps me going. I have extremely strong convictions about how our food is sourced nowadays, and my love for my family and determination to ensure our health and well-being as much as possible outweighs my trepidation over butchering the birds. There are a few in my flock, both hens and roosters, that I cannot ever imagine butchering because they've become dear to me. That's where having larger numbers of birds is advantageous. The more I have, the less likely I am to bond with the majority of them, keeping the number of "absolute no-kills" down to a minimum. Knowing that I've given each of my birds a pretty good life prior to butchering helps a lot too. I treat them well so they will feed me well.

 

[Phill98]

It's a mental game. @Phill98
 is right that you have to perceive it as part of the process, and that's really what keeps me going. I have extremely strong convictions about how our food is sourced nowadays, and my love for my family and determination to ensure our health and well-being as much as possible outweighs my trepidation over butchering the birds. There are a few in my flock, both hens and roosters, that I cannot ever imagine butchering because they've become dear to me. That's where having larger numbers of birds is advantageous. The more I have, the less likely I am to bond with the majority of them, keeping the number of "absolute no-kills" down to a minimum. Knowing that I've given each of my birds a pretty good life prior to butchering helps a lot too. I treat them well so they will feed me well. 

It will never be easy and it will take time to get over it, and @chickengr, take as much as
you need for that.

I agree with you that there will always be favourites and they won't be culled unless it is a must. And everybody here has favourites like Precious, Phillys, Dumbledore and more and more

 

[chickengr]

thank you. I already have 30 chickens. each one is special in its own way. I am getting more eggs that I can eat, sell and give to my friends. I even feed my dogs with eggs, lol. at least I don't need to kill chickens to get the eggs and with the money I get by selling eggs I can buy more or less their feed. and I will do my best to accept the fact that chickens are food.

 

[hellbender]

It will never be easy and it will take time to get over it, and @chickengr , take as much as
you need for that.

I agree with you that there will always be favourites and they won't be culled unless it is a must. And everybody here has favourites like Precious, Phillys, Dumbledore and more and more

I've been slaughtering chickens for almost 60 years and it still makes me a bit ill at ease. I don't loose sleep over it but there are many things I'd rather do,

 

[Kev]

I've been slaughtering chickens for almost 60 years and it still makes me a bit ill at ease. I don't loose sleep over it but there are many things I'd rather do,

Yeah. I grew up in the country, we had 'super fresh chicken' and turkeys during the early years. Not a city person at all(only three neighbors for a good distance around us)

When I moved to my own place.. the first few were very hard, put it off for days, weeks.. also because it was impossible to sell the roosters, as a result the hens were getting bothered too much.

Hens were Much happier after the culling was done.. I could not eat the birds so they sat in the freezer for the longest time.

It's a lot easier now, but hellbender is exactly right, there are always other things you'd rather do.

There can be a sense of relief when it's all done... less birds so you can spoil them a little more, or the hens are more relaxed or the birds have a lot more room etc

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

I have to agree, in my limited but recent experience. It's hard to do (your post actually brought a tear to my eye), but when it needs to be done for the good of your flock (too many cockerels, not enough room, a sickly or handicapped bird, or even just a bird you know you should cull for other reasons), it is a relief when it is done. Quieter, happier chicken yard.

I think it'll always bother me. And I don't think there's anything wrong with that.

- Ant Farm

 

[DesertChic]

I have to agree, in my limited but recent experience. It's hard to do (your post actually brought a tear to my eye), but when it needs to be done for the good of your flock (too many cockerels, not enough room, a sickly or handicapped bird, or even just a bird you know you should cull for other reasons), it is a relief when it is done. Quieter, happier chicken yard.

I think it'll always bother me. And I don't think there's anything wrong with that.

- Ant Farm

Agreed. I'd be more worried if it didn't bother me. I'd wonder if I'd lost my humanity.

 

[oegbantams3]

i got about 20+ eggs in the incubator from drifferent breeds

 

[draye]

i got about 20+ eggs in the incubator from drifferent breeds

I'm setting March 3rd for the Easter Hatch A Long. Haven't decided how many yet, but all will be sired by my Naked Neck rooster.

There will probably be a few fully feathered ones to hatch out because all my hens and some of the roosters aren't homozygous for the NN gene. Those that hatch fully feathered are the ones I take to the auction house.