Processing Day Support Group ~ HELP us through the Emotions PLEASE!

[Sally Sunshine]

Quote: oh NO! I have no trouble with mine and I am newly on that Topamax for my migraines and diabetes too. so he said that should help lower it with the meds. How long have you been on it?

 

[Sally Sunshine]

I'd like to join in on this thread. We have tried several different methods of processing, and I prefer slicing the jugular. I find it is the least stressful on the bird, and the human.

I have also tried:

• Axe (Way too uncoordinated. Even with someone holding bird down) I found the bird was terrified up until death. It was not a good experience.
• Breaking neck (Screwed that up too)

As soon as the birds were upside down they were in a trance. Once neck was cut they didn't appear to feel anything. If you think of it like this: If you get a deep laceration, you don't feel the pain right away. I speak from experience.. I had a cat attack my face and had to get 22 stitches. I cried instantly. I thought they were going to kill my cat, and didn't feel like it was his fault. I didn't feel any pain until 20 minutes later. The theory is this: When the chicken's pain sensors would kick in, they would already be long dead. The birds seemed to be in more pain being touched than this part.

I ordered 30 meat birds that will be free ranged. They are due to arrive June 28th. I never look forward to killing a living thing. The days leading up to the kill are always worse than actually doing the killing.

I am not heartless.. I swore a year ago I would rather die myself than take an animal's life.. But seeing an animal suffering? I can't do it. I can't let them suffer when I can take away that pain. That is how I killed my first chicken. We were also to kill 8 boys for meat, and my friend Dylan was to do the actual killing but botched it. I stepped in and finished the job. I did the remaining 7 roosters myself. Couldn't risk him messing up again.

I am not cheap. If I felt like the birds weren't paid undue stress by sending them to the butcher, I would pay someone else to do it. I do the killing because it is what is best for the birds. They were born here, and if they are going to die for meat, they will do it here.

well stated as what we experienced and I with pain also, I was horticulturist for years and fiskard my pinky off and I swear I did not feel a single bit of pain for at least a half hour and then boy oh boy did it hit me while we where looking for the top part of my finger! I said NOOOOO way its not enough to worry about anyways lets go in ER N O W!

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Quote: Absolutely beautiful too! Thank you aoxa! Will the activeness of this breed have any effect on the taste of the meat? or should I say tenderness?
I love the simplicity of the coop, I guess you can do this as you will raise them for only a short time and the cold wont effect them.
I don't have as much acres we only have 2 and neighbors much less so they are too close for us to free range. which stinks!
I love seeing them running around on their own! what a wonderful life too!

 

[Sally Sunshine]

I saw wingstone from PA thread got/getting Bresse ?? spl? anyone raise these for meaties? I think that's what they are good for right?

 

[aoxa]

well stated as what we experienced and I with pain also, I was horticulturist for years and fiskard my pinky off and I swear I did not feel a single bit of pain for at least a half hour and then boy oh boy did it hit me while we where looking for the top part of my finger! I said NOOOOO way its not enough to worry about anyways lets go in ER N O W!

It does hit you all at once. All I cared about was my cat, who I had just rescued from a dog that was trying to kill it. My fiance thought he got my eye, but he was millimetres away. He did get my eyelid though. I looked like a million bucks for a week haha

Absolutely beautiful too! Thank you aoxa! Will the activeness of this breed have any effect on the taste of the meat? or should I say tenderness?
I love the simplicity of the coop, I guess you can do this as you will raise them for only a short time and the cold wont effect them.
I don't have as much acres we only have 2 and neighbors much less so they are too close for us to free range. which stinks!
I love seeing them running around on their own! what a wonderful life too!

I can't see how it would bother the meat any. I have had pasture raised meat kings before and didn't notice any toughness, but they may have been allowed to gorge on feed, which I refuse to do. I'll let them free feed until two weeks. I'll cut down to a twice a day feeding, and than to once a day at night.. after they have stuffed their faces with their own findings.

 

[chicksooner]

I had hard cider over the weekend.....and didn't even process chickens. It rained Saturday, and I didn't really want to process on Mother's Day, so I still have 6 CX to process. That will be a good excuse to have some more cider...or wine.

If you don't me asking....what is your new BP med?

Lisinopril? I know it is a really low dose with a diuretic. I think it is dropping my BP too low.

 

[BCMaraniac]

Lisinopril? I know it is a really low dose with a diuretic. I think it is dropping my BP too low.

If you have a BP cuff at home, check it 3-4 times a day so you can tell him what it is running....write it down each time. That is a good medicine....a generic is available so it is reasonably priced. I hope you feel better.

 

[fisherlady]

Aoxa.... you said you ordered 30 and were worried about processing so many... I would expect that you will probably be able to process 6 or so at a time, and over the space of about 2 or 3 wks. My experience with them so far has been that even though they are the same breed, and many are similar, you will have a few that are 'ahead' of the others and you will want to process them earlier to prevent them from dying of heart troubles or joint/leg problems. Our first Cornish X were ready by 6 wks, but others from that same group won't be done till 8 or 9 wks. Some just don't gain weight at the same rate, so when a group hits the target range they can be processed and leave the others to keep growing.

Watch for behavior changes with them also, not just growth rate/size. I noticed a couple who were more lethargic than the others and one even had some cyanosis of the comb. The one with the cyanosis actually seemed like it died very quickly in the cone and didn't bleed out as well as well as the others. I think he may have actually had a heart attack before we cut him. Even though I would have liked another pound or so on them it wasn't worth risking them having heart failure just to gain a few more ounces. Ours were taught to scratch for seed while in the brooder and since being out in the coop/run they love being out moving around and scratching through the leaves and soaking up the sun. Though they didn't get to range as freely as the flock in the video they didn't lay around 24 hrs a day either and the meat was tender. I think when you keep them moving at least a bit it helps to reduce the heart problems also. But I would have to do a lot of experimenting over multiple groups to be able to make that statement with actual #s to back it up.

Sally, I don't know if there is a formula for the live weight to finished weight... but we lost about 25-28% on ours butchered at 6 wks. I will have to weigh a few on the next batch we butcher to see if those #s continue with older birds. I also never bothered weighing the rooster culls from other breeds to see if the percentage change with different body types.

 

[fisherlady]

If you have a BP cuff at home, check it 3-4 times a day so you can tell him what it is running....write it down each time. That is a good medicine....a generic is available so it is reasonably priced. I hope you feel better.

If tracking your B/P... check it at approx the same times during the day, and be in the same position (sitting in a chair or laying down doesn't matter, just so that it is the same) and do it in the same arm or mark which arm was checked. Your B/P can vary as much as 10 points or more between your left and right arms and vary even more from reclined, seated and standing positions. If you are having a lot of dizzy spells, check your pressure in each of these positions (all within a brief period of time) and write them down so you can provide that to your doctor.

If you drink caffeine you should wait a while after your last drink or cigarette to check it also, since both can cause a short term spike. and remember that chocolate has caffeine also. When DH was first placed on B/P meds it took quite a while to get both the right medication/dose... and the right time of day for taking it. If he took it in the morning he felt horrible, tired and washed out after lunch but he gradually changed the time of day he took it till he found the time that allowed him to have the fewest problems with side effects. He now takes his in the evening and it works for him. The thing to remember is that everyone is a bit different, so it takes a while to get the right combo for each individual.

 

[kacklinkelly]

Lisinopril? I know it is a really low dose with a diuretic. I think it is dropping my BP too low.

Chicksooner, I too was on Lisinopril for a while. I couldn't stand the side effects and was willing to do anything to come off of it.
I had to stay on it for 6 months. During that time, I changed my diet but not completely. I did as other writers have said and
bought a blood pressure cuff (digital from Walgreens).
I took my pressure at least twice daily in the same position on the same arm. Someone recommended to have the machine
at the same level as my arm and heart so I just positioned it on an opened drawer and sat in a chair. It was amazing to see
the different readings. It helped me to continue to eat differently. I have yet to drop all the weight the doctor wants me
to drop. However, I lost approx 10 lbs and have successfully lowered my blood pressure enough that I was able to come off the Lisinopril. If I need
bp meds, I will take them. But will investigate different types. Hoping you find the right fix for you. It's great to know we are
in good company.