Need Advice-I'm too soft hearted to butcher the cockerels

[Rooster Cogburn Jr.]

As anyone knows that has ever bought a Str Run from Tractor Supply or any St Runs you end up with too many Roosters. I was needing advice on what everyone does to prepare themselves to do the deed. I'm trying to sell them in the classifieds. I can't afford to give them away even if someone would take them. I didn't think I'd be doing it at all because I raised them from babies. But the lower ranking cockerels are harrassing my pullets all day long and my patience for them has ran out. They are about to go into lockdown in the dog kennel till time comes to butcher. I have about 6 that will be going. Maybe more. I know which ones are my alphas. I'll be keeping them. I wanted to be a Vet when I was a kid. Then when I was a teenager I knew I wouldn't be able to cut on animals. Much less see peoples when they brought them in wounded.

So basically Im just curious how everyone prepared themselves the first time they had to butcher extra roos

 

[goldnchocolate]

When I had my first batch of chicks I ended up with 7 cockerels. The first one to go was a mean black australorp cockerel who was trying to kill my little Silver Spangled Hamburg cockerel. My son came over to do the deed. Then as soon as that guy was gone another one rose up to take his place, so on and so forth until the SSH was the only one left.

My son ( a hunter) is the one who came over to cut off the heads but now I think that I would like to learn to do it but I would like to put them in a killing cone and cut the jugular vein. It almost seems like it would be a much quieter death

...to bleed out and sort of "fade away".

 

[Judy]

It's just part of having chickens. What helps people the most, I think, is thinking of how much better a life they had while you owned them than commercial birds have. Not to mention how much better quality the meat is. For dual purpose roos, they are probably fortunate to have had any chance at life at all.

Life is full of less pleasant chores and more pleasant chores. And the processing is really kind of interesting, once you get past the killing.

 

[weaveagarden]

If you have a friend that hunts, they may be willing to come and do the actually killing. I have found that most hunters are comfortable with that task.

 

[Rooster Cogburn Jr.]

I hunt myself and don't have a problem shooting deer or anything. But I have ones I feed in my front yard and I don't shoot them. I don't think it's very Sportsman like to hunt over bait. Plus I like to watch them and want them to come back. But these roos are kind of like Pets. I raised them from chicks. I pulled out 6 this evening a put in the dog kennel...I have 4 more to pick out tommorow out of 5 RIR's....I already picked out 5 of 8 NHR's and put them in there. I'm keeping the other 3. 2 of them I already named. The one RIR I'm keeping I named too. But they all look alike. I only know him because he jumps up on my knee when I'm giving them treats. So tommorow or the next day I'll find him and set him aside. And put the rest in the kennel. I already feeling better about it knowing my pullets won't be getting chased all over the yard all day long now. Trying to get it down to 1:10 Thanks for all of your advice everyone

 

[Sunny Side Up]

I find it helps to look at it like harvesting good produce you've planted in the garden. Sure you've known it all its life, tended its needs while it was young, admired its growth & beauty. Now it's time for it to fulfill its purpose. It would be a shame to let it just wither & die on it own. You gave them a good life, will treat them well right up to the end, and dispatch them quickly & humanely. And appreciate them at the table.

 

[al6517]

Quote:
That is how I came by it so easy, I have hunted and fished since childhood so it was no problem. I have had to in the past dispatch some of my favorite chickens but held no remorse or ill will for doing it, they don't have names and I don't play huggie pie kissey poo with them. they are well cared for and happy.

AL

 

[BlackBart]

Quote:
Thats a really good way of thinking about it

but I still can't do it, they have names and personalities. yup I'm a sucker

 

[Rooster Cogburn Jr.]

I knew from the beginning I would keep 5 or 6 roos for my hens. So I only named 3 I knew for sure I was going to keep. I was hoping to sell the rest but haven't had any luck. I have about 14 cockerels right now....going to keep 5 or 6 of those. I ordered 50 NHR pullet chicks from the Cackle Hachery. So far 3 or 4 of those look like they are getting big combs. I will make sure not to name them or get attached.

 

[OSUman]

you could always just keep buying pullets until its all evened out.

BTW what was your hen to roo ratio for st run from TSC???