Please help me understand meat eaters not wanting to process a chicken!

[bobbi-j]

I think dumping animals is not humane, its unfortunate that there are people who think their dumped animal will find a "good" home". Good- to me meaning processed or unprocessed.

I agree. It's a coward's way out, in my opinion, of disposing of an unwanted animal. Dump it and leave, that way you don't have to watch it starve to death, get hit by a car, or get killed by another animal. At least the person dumping the poor animal doesn't have to get their hands dirty.

 

[GAchickennewbie]

Ran across this thread while, ironically, I was looking for a way to find someone to process my chickens.

I think it's important to remember that not everyone is equipped with personality traits that make them comfortable with the act of killing a living animal. That doesn't mean that I don't know where my food comes from. I am just not personally comfortable with the process. If it came down to a choice of killing or starving of course I could do it. But luckily I am not faced with that choice at this time in my life. My son, on the other hand, is a born hunter. And I fully support him and we feast on the game he kills and enjoy every morsel. But I personally wouldn't want to do it myself.

There are a lot of things I could do myself but I'd rather pay someone else to do them for me. Farming is a hobby that gives me a mental sanctuary from a full time law practice. It is not something that I do to survive. Therefore I do the parts I like and I hire people to handle the things I can't or don't want to do. It's a win win. I don't have to do them and I can help someone else make a living. Free enterprise and job creation at its best!

Sometimes it's because I don't have the time to do it myself. For example I have a secretary at work. Yes I could do it all myself but I have limited time, it's more efficient and cost effective for me and luckily I have the ability to pay for this help.

Sometimes it's because I don't have the equipment needed. I have a guy that takes care of my pastures because he has the equipment and I don't.

And sometimes it's because I just don't want to do something. Like slitting a chicken's throat.

Does that make me silly and spoiled? Maybe. But the benefit of being silly and spoiled is that it gives a few total strangers on the Internet an opportunity to (1) feel superior about their own lives and choices and (2) to impress others with their obvious superiority. And I like to do my best to make other people happy.

Where in GA do you live? Blalock's does it in Rabun Gap. I'm currently researching raising meat chickens myself.

Hope this helps.

 

[nimopiba]

So I came across this thread after my horrible experience killing my first rooster and I had to share my experience. A few years ago I started thinking that as a city chick I needed to know where my food came from. I got chickens a few years ago and we have been collecting eggs ever since. I ended up with a rooster about 7 months ago. Roosters are not allowed in my town but I kept him anyway. "Falcon" as he was named by my children started to crow faithfully at 3 am, 5 am, and 7am almost every morning a few weeks ago. He wasn't too bad before that. I didn't get any complaints but I didn't want any either. He also started puffing up at my children and me when we entered the coop. The last straw was a few days ago when my 15 yo son was afraid to change the water in the coop and collect eggs for fear the rooster was going to "Bruce Lee" his eyes out (his words, not mine).

It had been his favorite chore for 2.5 years until a few days ago. Falcon had officially earned a one way ticket to freezer camp.

So being the city slick quasi farmer that I considered myself I decided to dispatch my own rooster. I did some major online research took a swig of something righteous and headed to the coop. I put Falcon in a makeshift killing cone (gallon milk carton with the ends cut off), cooed to him, pet his head, and thanked him. I laid him on a chopping block (we split wood on this city homestead) and started to freak out. He laid there ever so calmly waiting for whatever was going to happen (not so tough in a milk carton). I took a deep breath and attempted to slit his jugular. Not only did he not make a peep, his blood didn't start flowing like I saw on Youtube. He lost some feathers but that was it.
Back inside for another shot of liquid courage. A little more panicking and 2 shots later I tried again. No one ever mentions how tough chicken skin is on a living chicken in those Youtube videos (I'm just saying). My second attempt failed. More lost feathers and a squawk but again, no blood. I was shaking at this point.
Now before you go on about the knife, I know my knife was sharp because it was the same one I cut myself on washing dishes 2 nights ago. So at this point I am in need of some heavy sedation because I am a major train wreck. I go whining to my uncle who lives downstairs. He comes out and goes to swinging. CHOP! (his hatchet) SQUAWK! (the rooster) AAAHHHHH!! (me). CHOP, CHOP, CHOP, CHOP!!! AAHHHH!!! I put my hands over my ears, turned my back, closed my eyes, and prayed to God for forgiveness. At this point I am practically hyperventilating. Im not sure how many chops came after that but all I could think about was the beheadings on the news. I was nauseous and lightheaded.
My poor rooster is kicking and jerking, without his head, mind you. I pick him up and place him in a bucket to drain out . My poor uncle (city guy born and raised) has blood splatters on him and is laughing nervously. I am worried he is going to pass out. I'm a nurse and I have seen many people laugh nervously then pass out. He admits that he is totally freaked out. (YaTHINK!?!?) Anyway, I have more than had enough. Inside I go for 10 minutes to gather my courage for part 2.
This wasn't quite as bad as part 1. At this point it became an it instead of Falcon. This was a bit more doable. I wasn't as freaked out as before. So with all that being said I will definitely NOT be killing my own chickens. I will however take them to someone who will at least dispatch them without having a panic attack. I think this went horribly wrong (this happened about 2 hours ago) and I will NOT subject another bird to my inexperience (or my uncle's). I have not sworn off processing my own food but I have decided that Youtube and other tutorials are no replacement for hands on training with someone who has a clue of what they are doing and can guide me from beginning to end.
Speaking as a city person my main concern about killing my own food is making the animal suffer at my hands because I don't know what I am doing. If I was actually competent in animal processing I think I could handle it so much better but after this experience I am certain that I will have nightmares.

 

[Beekissed]

That's why surgeons practice their technique on a cadaver instead of live subjects.

As a nurse I'm sure you botched several of your first venipunctures..we all do...and it's hard to do it knowing you may hurt someone in the process, but it just must be done if you are to grow proficient at it.

The problem with stopping now is that practice makes one better and I don't know that many people are good at their first attempt at things. I applaud you for trying and for knowing that you need someone with some hands on experience for tutelage. I loved your story! It gave me a good chuckle.

The YT vids I've seen put a lot of emphasis on petting a chicken a lot before killing, but not much on the finer details like pulling the skin taut~which you cannot possibly do with a chicken lying down on a chopping block just lying inside of a cone...the cone is for a hanging bird~or placing your knife in an area under the jawline that has little to no feathering at all and not further down the neck where the feathers are thicker and the skin slides around like a slip and slide.

A knife that cuts human skin may not cut a chicken's skin...one is more tender and stretched tightly over your appendage whereas chicken skin has lived outdoors all its life, is thicker and is designed for all weathers, not to mention is loose enough in the neck area to accommodate expansion for food being swallowed.

Maybe you could visit one of the threads by people from your area and ask there about folks who can give you a live demonstration.

Here's a pic that may help you with knife placement and skin tautness in the future....in this pic you can see that the hanging bird has its neck stretched slightly downward and the skin pulled taut by pressing down on the bottom of the beak with the thumb. The knife is placed right under the jawline of the bird, where skin is pretty bare and feathers are small...the skin is also thinner there.

 

[nimopiba]

That's why surgeons practice their technique on a cadaver instead of live subjects. As a nurse I'm sure you botched several of your first venipunctures..we all do...and it's hard to do it knowing you may hurt someone in the process, but it just must be done if you are to grow proficient at it. The problem with stopping now is that practice makes one better and I don't know that many people are good at their first attempt at things. I applaud you for trying and for knowing that you need someone with some hands on experience for tutelage. I loved your story! It gave me a good chuckle. The YT vids I've seen put a lot of emphasis on petting a chicken a lot before killing, but not much on the finer details like pulling the skin taut~which you cannot possibly do with a chicken lying down on a chopping block just lying inside of a cone...the cone is for a hanging bird~or placing your knife in an area under the jawline that has little to no feathering at all and not further down the neck where the feathers are thicker and the skin slides around like a slip and slide. A knife that cuts human skin may not cut a chicken's skin...one is more tender and stretched tightly over your appendage whereas chicken skin has lived outdoors all its life, is thicker and is designed for all weathers, not to mention is loose enough in the neck area to accommodate expansion for food being swallowed. Maybe you could visit one of the threads by people from your area and ask there about folks who can give you a live demonstration. Here's a pic that may help you with knife placement and skin tautness in the future....in this pic you can see that the hanging bird has its neck stretched slightly downward and the skin pulled taut by pressing down on the bottom of the beak with the thumb. The knife is placed right under the jawline of the bird, where skin is pretty bare and feathers are small...the skin is also thinner there.

Yes YT how-to videos left those things out. They do make it look so easy and I was convinced that it wouldn't be so bad. I was wrong. I was ill-prepared, nervous, and hesitant. I do NOT want to go through that again. I am not totally turned off from trying again but I know I have definitely learned what not to do! I am sure it will the me until molting season to gather enough courage to dispatch our "retiring" laying hens. God help me!

 

[Beekissed]

He will, you know. That's who I depend upon for courage and strength to kill the chickens that are necessary to kill. I rely on Him exclusively for that and also for direction in my flock strategies, to show me good stewardship of the animals He has entrusted to me. Pray about it and ask Him for His help in this matter and He will give you peace and strength to go forward on it.

 

[Buckhowdy]

We started with an order of chicks in the mail about 6 months ago. We've received two more small orders since then. My wife and I processed 12 birds today. I'm getting better at collecting a bird and using the cone. All of them are in the freezer now. It was a lot of work. It kind of feels like we've come full circle and completed something. We still have a good flock left of 19 hens and 2 roosters. I'm glad that we can process our own food. I know the birds were better off than those from the store.

 

[mermie]

I see my ducks as "pets" in the sense that I care, love, and protect them for reasons other than "they give me meat/eggs". I think they still feel fear and pain like humans might, but I completely agree with you that most people don't realize what it takes for them (humans) to eat. Animals raised in warehouse like places and slaughtered and thrown around literally makes me sick. I kill my own meat when I can and take my ducks to local farmers when I cant. But I don't like doing it. Its not a hobby or something that's done easily. Id always rather eat my own ducks or chickens knowing they knew a good life, were always healthy and were always clean...but I cant imagine seeing anything I take care of as "just meat" =/

 

[mermie]

what do you do that makes it easier?

 

[Sabz]

Back inside for another shot of liquid courage. A little more panicking and 2 shots later I tried again. No one ever mentions how tough chicken skin is on a living chicken in those Youtube videos (I'm just saying). My second attempt failed. More lost feathers and a squawk but again, no blood. I was shaking at this point.
Now before you go on about the knife, I know my knife was sharp because it was the same one I cut myself on washing dishes 2 nights ago. So at this point I am in need of some heavy sedation because I am a major train wreck. I go whining to my uncle who lives downstairs. He comes out and goes to swinging. CHOP! (his hatchet) SQUAWK! (the rooster) AAAHHHHH!! (me). CHOP, CHOP, CHOP, CHOP!!! AAHHHH!!! I put my hands over my ears, turned my back, closed my eyes, and prayed to God for forgiveness. At this point I am practically hyperventilating. Im not sure how many chops came after that but all I could think about was the beheadings on the news. I was nauseous and lightheaded.
My poor rooster is kicking and jerking, without his head, mind you. I pick him up and place him in a bucket to drain out . My poor uncle (city guy born and raised) has blood splatters on him and is laughing nervously. I am worried he is going to pass out. I'm a nurse and I have seen many people laugh nervously then pass out. He admits that he is totally freaked out. (YaTHINK!?!?) Anyway, I have more than had enough. Inside I go for 10 minutes to gather my courage for part 2.
This wasn't quite as bad as part 1. At this point it became an it instead of Falcon. This was a bit more doable. I wasn't as freaked out as before. So with all that being said I will definitely NOT be killing my own chickens. I will however take them to someone who will at least dispatch them without having a panic attack. I think this went horribly wrong (this happened about 2 hours ago) and I will NOT subject another bird to my inexperience (or my uncle's). I have not sworn off processing my own food but I have decided that Youtube and other tutorials are no replacement for hands on training with someone who has a clue of what they are doing and can guide me from beginning to end.
Speaking as a city person my main concern about killing my own food is making the animal suffer at my hands because I don't know what I am doing. If I was actually competent in animal processing I think I could handle it so much better but after this experience I am certain that I will have nightmares.

Heheh I'm sorry, this sounds so much like MY first time!!

I took shots of vodka before trying.
I took one of my kitchen knives.
I studied many youtube videos.
The first 2 cuts didn't touch the skin AT ALL.
Went back for another shot. Was shaking like crazy. Then finally got it...

What I learned was (i was butchering a duck) that the feathers are very hard. You must get the knife on the skin, near the ear of the duck/chicken, like on the image above.


I find meat eating people so dishonest when they don't want to know where their food comes from. I stopped trying to convince them, their arguments are so lame. "If I don't know about it, it doesn't happen".
Yeah...