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

[Chambertin]

People seem to think that, if they don't think about death or go near it, it won't happen to them,  

Think you got it exactly right.
I was forced to deal with death early and often and it completely changed the way I view the world.
Have to admit I fear death, but I accept it (just not today, please?). The reality about when and where I'll never pick... unless!
Nah, got work tomorrow and a long life taking care of family and chickens (right?)

 

[BirdbyGavin1103]

Vegetarians kill too... Every time they eat.
They just have a much better support group.

I think that's part of why we have such trouble with death, life and food. We completely lie about the most basic truth.

So very true!

I agree! They don't seem to look upon vegetables and plants as being alive for some reason.  They even bleed! 



I agree!  I've been a nurse for 20 years, so being around death is part of my job.  The last several years of my career was spent in hospice, where even many seasoned nurses hate to work because they still have hang ups about death.  People seem to think that, if they don't think about death or go near it, it won't happen to them, so their fear of their own death seems to drive their thinking about how they deal with their loved one's medical care, even their pet's medical care.  They try to make both live way past the time they could have or should have pass on, through artificial means and life support, instead of allowing them to die naturally when they are in such pain and distress. 

Over the years I've seen this type of thinking grow and grow.  It always saddens me that so many people fear death, won't think of death and don't prepare for death.  They know it's going to happen, no matter what, but they somehow think if they don't think about it, they will escape it.  It's a mystery to me...death is nothing to be feared and is a natural part of our lives, just like our birth. 

Thank you for putting this so honestly and eloquently. I can honestly say from personal experience that being close to death (those who are dieing, not a near death experience) should not harden your heart, or make taking an animal's life a cold process with no emotion. Instead it should allow you to appreciate life more.

Since my son was born (nearly 8 years ago) I have lost my two remaining grandparents, multiple friends and more distantly related family, and two younger siblings (I was the oldest of 4, and am 31). Some would think my son should have a heart of stone after being to so many funerals, and having been to more viewings than many adults. Yet he is the kindest child I have ever met, he has a heart of gold and is often thinking of others.
He understands death is part of life better than almost anyone I know, and has an appreciation of life I do not see in most of my own generation, let alone his. He has helped with processing, and understands it is part of the natural cycle. He is respectful of the process and that a life ends so that ours may continue.
I can't tell you all the names I've been called (even by fellow "meat eaters") because I choose to process birds we raise and allow Gavin to participate if he chooses to. For a fairly rural area like where we live the lack of connection with food sources was shocking to me. Not nearly as shocking, or perhaps disheartening is a better term, as the willing and almost forced disconnect of death being a natural process, but it was still surprising to me.

Sorry for the rambling, and if I missed the finer points of the discussion (trying to keep 3 days of posts straight in my head) but my point is as I said before. Every death, whether human or animal, should bring a greater appreciation of life, and an understanding that it is a part of the natural cycle. If there is no emotion or respect there is something wrong. And that is coming from a woman who has been told (multiple times by different people) "You'd give the Ice Queen a run for her money, you're so hard hearted and frigid," or something similar that would involve language to make a "sailor blush." While, as I said in a prior post, I have the "luxury" of an emotional detachment from food animals, it does not mean I feel nothing or do not respect that animals gift.

 

[Beekissed]

Quote:
Oh, I can believe every word of it because I have been called those same names and been pretty singled out and persecuted at work and even by my own siblings~who, BTW, were raised on a homestead and were there for many, many animal killings which they ate of later with much gusto. And, yes, even in very rural settings, which always surprises me to church and back.

I've had women at work act like I was Attila the Hun for eating my own chickens and her sister owned a commercial battery house...yes, and with emphasis on the word "battery" as in "assault and"...

When I would explain the difference between my very healthy, free ranged flock and their quality of life and the life of those poor battery hens, she would always say, "But..that's different!" I would always agree with her that it was VERY different...my chickens were treated humanely and her sister's were not..and that's the difference.

Never could penetrate the walls of that kind of messed up thinking. I have a sister who operates what I call "The Death Farm" where animals are constantly dying from willful ignorance and a refusal to kill things that are suffering..it's so incredibly horrifying and sad that I could never tell you all the things that happen there. Countless animals and horrible suffering, all in the name of "love". She calls me a murderer because I eat my chickens.

It's like some kind of infection that has penetrated the brains of Americans everywhere and there isn't a medicine anywhere on the horizon for it. I've even had other nurses call me "the angel of death" because I was in the hospice field of nursing...said they knew when they saw me in the nursing home that one of their patient's were dying. Well, duh! ALL their patients are dying and so are we, cell by cell, minute by minute we are constantly moving towards death. Folks need to get past that, stop fearing it and get on with living while they can.

 

[Elke Beck]

It's like some kind of infection that has penetrated the brains of Americans everywhere and there isn't a medicine anywhere on the horizon for it. I've even had other nurses call me "the angel of death" because I was in the hospice field of nursing...said they knew when they saw me in the nursing home that one of their patient's were dying. Well, duh! ALL their patients are dying and so are we, cell by cell, minute by minute we are constantly moving towards death. Folks need to get past that, stop fearing it and get on with living while they can.

Beekissed, for me this is the root of the problem. Some people act like there is some kind of Get Out of Jail Free card for death. I have had people rant at me about how I am taking away the chicken's natural life by butchering it to feed me and my family, but we all know that if we stopped eating chickens and turned them all lose, there would be a slaughter of epic proportions when all the predators took the easy meals.

None of us gets out of this alive, and none of us is guaranteed a long life. Why should my chickens have it any better than I do? Not that they don't already, since I am the one with the 9 to 5 job to pay for their feed, the little ingrates!

The species of Gallus Gallus Domesticus made a bargain with Homo Sapiens thousands of years ago, trading their wild life style for a domestic one. In exchange for an easier life for the species in general where they are protected from most of the threats of nature and provided easy food, some individuals are eaten by us. For the individual in the killing cone, the bargain could suck a bowling ball through 50 feet of garden hose, but for the species as a whole, it is a great bargain because chickens are one of the most successful species on Earth, with billions of individuals living on almost every continent. Who am I to argue with this kind of success?

 

[3 NH reds]

Has anyone ever done Freedom Rangers before?
So far I'm really really happy with them.
But I was wondering what age you guys processed them (they say between 9-12 weeks) and how the taste was compared to a typical broiler chicken?

We got cornish crosses once and I HATED them, I ended up giving them away at 3 weeks old. They were just gross little freakish blobs haha. I think I may have gotten a bad batch because I have heard others say they love them.

My freedom rangers are so pretty and have a ridiculous amount of personality (which will probably make the culling a little tough, especially on a few of my favs)

I raise Rangers. I took out three roosters between 12 and 20 weeks, 16 was a good number. Mine have no personality but I have Reds, Orps that do have it and yes it makes it harder. Processing the omes with personality can be hard but it is possible, you just have to almost remove yourself and just do it methodicly.

Well that last post didn't turn out very well, did it.

They will never look like store chicken--they're Silkies with a grey flesh with lots of black. It is really weird looking. I'll try to get a picture of the next one I process. The three that were not hurt have started crowing up a storm now their hierarchy has changed. I bought a new knife for them. Maybe this weekend I will grow a spine.

My husband did want to have the chicken really fresh. I let it age in the fridge by the pool (so I wouldn't have to see it!) for something like three days. I thought I probably couldn't eat any, and was surprised I took a few bites.

A new knife is the best thing. I used an older knife the first time but never again. I bought a new knife and it was way better. I hang a killing cone from our wood lean to so they are 100% restrained. Anyone have pics of a silkie bird processed? I am curious as to how they look. I had my first mercy kill this summer. It was a chick with a bad leg that I let it go till 4 weeks hoping it could get around. I finally faced the fact that it would be killed by the other chickens when in with the adults. I managed to break the spine by pulling quickly at the head. It was instant and I should have done that sooner but killing a chick made me feel sick. I have a batch of juvenile delinquent cockerel that are going next weekend. They terrorize younger chicks and never give up. This is more than pecking order, the younger ones gave in but still get beat up. The final straw was a cockerel came in to the coop where the younger birds are and mounted a pullet that is too young to lay eggs. I hate to say it but this kind of bird is easier to kill. Speaking of that I had posted on how to cook a 20 week cockerel here some posts ago. We forgot to take food out for dinner and we had 3 birds in the fridge for 3 days. We roasted it and it was good, the dark meat had more flavor but in a good way. Sorry for the run on thread but I was 150 posts behind.

 

[jajeanpierre]

Beekissed, for me this is the root of the problem. Some people act like there is some kind of Get Out of Jail Free card for death.

Hey, I want that Get Out of Jail Free card! As I said, I have some issues surrounding death.

The species of Gallus Gallus Domesticus made a bargain with Homo Sapiens thousands of years ago, trading their wild life style for a domestic one. In exchange for an easier life for the species in general where they are protected from most of the threats of nature and provided easy food, some individuals are eaten by us. For the individual in the killing cone, the bargain could suck a bowling ball through 50 feet of garden hose, but for the species as a whole, it is a great bargain because chickens are one of the most successful species on Earth, with billions of individuals living on almost every continent. Who am I to argue with this kind of success?

I'm not sure it is such a great bargain for the species. Farming, certainly commercial farming, has not been kind to animals. I think any animal would prefer to take its chances in the wild.

 

[Beekissed]

Quote:
I know where you can get one, if you're interested.

You have no idea how blessedly peaceful and good life is when you no longer have to fear death, no longer worry at all, no longer have anxiety about things that happen beyond your control, no longer have to even engage in the madness of this current world as they worry about the economy, war, crime, politics, family and all the other myriad millstones around their neck. It's like walking on sunshine, I tell ya, and each day is better than the last one!

If you are quite serious about really putting those fears aside, you can PM me for the details.

 

[dutchbunny83]

I raise Rangers. I took out three roosters between 12 and 20 weeks, 16 was a good number. Mine have no personality but I have Reds, Orps that do have it and yes it makes it harder. Processing the omes with personality can be hard but it is possible, you just have to almost remove yourself and just do it methodicly.

Have you tried to hatch your own freedom rangers? They aren't the crosses like the broilers, so you should be able to.
I'm curious how loud the roosters get and when they'd start laying/how much.
I know it would probably be more cost effective to order the chicks, but I have become obsessive with hatching and we live in the city! If I don't start eating them or giving them away we will quickly be overrun with chickens!!!

 

[dutchbunny83]

Chambertin-- I hope you're having a better day!

 

[dutchbunny83]

Good morning everyone!

One of my freedom ranger roosters has started crowing.
Not very loud, but he's improving everyday, so he may be meeting his demise a little early.
At what live weight do you guys usually start to process your broilers?

They're only about to be 7 weeks old, but they are big. I have them in with a couple turkeys so their feed is slightly higher protein than regular starter feed (not much, but a happy medium for the two).
They're all still active and healthy (none of the panting, laying around all the time, swollen joints...)
The website said to process between 7-11 weeks depending on what size you want your bird to be.