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

[Elke Beck]

I am as practical as can be.... but still sucks to process sometimes. However.... I chose to get chickens knowing that extra roosters had to be dealt with. As a responsible flock steward I have to do what is best for the group, not what is best for my mushy heart. It is up to me to keep the balance since we have removed the chickens from an environment in which Mother Nature would do it (wild birds are kept in balance through predation and self sacrifice of male birds, we removed that population control factor, hence the extra roos)

I could not have said it better. Right now I have an egg eater in my layers, and as soon as I figure out who it is, I am going to make a big pot of old hen soup. For some reason killing hens is harder on me than killing cockerels. Maybe it is because I always have it in the back of my mind that the boys will not be around for long, but the girls are supposed to stay long term. But I cannot afford to feed 5 hens and only get eggs when I beat the egg eater to them.

 

[ronott1]

I could not have said it better. Right now I have an egg eater in my layers, and as soon as I figure out who it is, I am going to make a big pot of old hen soup. For some reason killing hens is harder on me than killing cockerels. Maybe it is because I always have it in the back of my mind that the boys will not be around for long, but the girls are supposed to stay long term. But I cannot afford to feed 5 hens and only get eggs when I beat the egg eater to them.

From my research and experience, egg eating is a problem with the flock and egg shell condition.

Before you start culling, work on getting the egg shells harder.

I have worked several people though this so I know it works.

By the way, I have no problem processing hens for dinner. When I was 12, my Mom told me to pick a hen for chicken and dumplings! It was very tasty too. I just don't like to see a Hen in her prime of laying processed when not necessary.

 

[Beekissed]

From my research and experience, egg eating is a problem with the flock and egg shell condition.

Before you start culling, work on getting the egg shells harder.

I have worked several people though this so I know it works.

By the way, I have no problem processing hens for dinner. When I was 12, my Mom told me to pick a hen for chicken and dumplings! It was very tasty too. I just don't like to see a Hen in her prime of laying processed when not necessary.

Ditto this. Thin shells will last but a little while and then your egg eater will disappear into the flock once again. Don't kill a hen for doing what comes natural...she's just cleaning damaged eggs out of the nest.

Never had a dedicated or chronic egg eater in all my flocks in 37 yrs so I tend to not believe in the mythical "egg eater" that needs to be culled or "broken" of it.

 

[hogster160]

I am as practical as can be.... but still sucks to process sometimes.  However.... I chose to get chickens knowing that extra roosters had to be dealt with.  As a responsible flock steward I have to do what is best for the group, not what is best for my mushy heart. It is up to me to keep the balance since we have removed the chickens from an environment in which Mother Nature would do it (wild birds are kept in balance through predation and self sacrifice of male birds, we removed that population control factor, hence the extra roos)

  I just take comfort in knowing they were spoiled rotten and happy as long as they were here and they won't go to waste... in a weird way it is easier to butcher them than sell them to a stranger when I would always wonder how they made out in their new home.   The other thing that helps is walking into a coop after you have culled a bunch of unruly teens and find it peaceful and calm again...  the difference is usually notable enough that it will let you know you did the right thing.

We did meat chickens a couple of months ago, I had no problems at all with them. Done deal. And I knew when my broody hatched these that any rooster would be culled for meat. But then I started to look into keeping one rooster. We live in the country and the girls have a huge fenced in yard. I figured having a roster could only be a good thing. Watching their interactions with the girls, see whose naughty and nice. I stopped looking at them as dinner and started seeing them as protector of the flock. Trying to see who would be the best for the girls. They are the main priority. The one we are keeping is the middle of the roosting order. The high roo is to stinking mean to the girls, and it was really. A toss up between the two lower ones. But as hubby says, if the one we decided to keep fails at his job, he will be dinner too. We have no roo for the girls other than these 3. I brought eggs in for a broody. I can always do it again.

I never should have changed how I was looking at them. I have learned my lesson. I agree I don't think they have had a bad life here. Pretty good life actually. And they eat a ton! They have had a good life. The white one is just an *** to the girls. No problem eating him. The other two though are just well I can't find anything wrong with them. So that's the one I'm feeling a funk about. But it's still early in their lives and I don't know who will make a better protector. That's what I'm hung up on. I really wanted to see who would turn out a better roo for the girls and I don't know if I'm making the right choice.

Yup, told myself that before we even started with the chicken journey. Gotta take care of those extra roos.


I'm pretty ok with it, as long as I keep myself detached from them and know their ultimate destination (my belly).

We can have Roos. I told myself the same thing, any Roos = dinner. And was doing good until we decided to keep one for the girls since we don't currently have a rooster. We may still do all thre as dinners, only time will tell.

 

[fisherlady]

Hogster.... I have found that almost any rooster will eventually fall into a 'protector' mode once they get past a certain age, they may not be a stellar rooster, but their ingrained caretaker hormones do kick in. What usually makes a difference is removing other male dominance from the group. I am still often amazed at how quickly you notice changes in behavior after a nasty bird is removed. Any rooster who is nasty with hens is absolute top of the cull list, no matter how pretty or people nice they are.

In your situation I would take the nasty guy out of the flock for a day (cage him in a garage or something similar) and then watch to see how the other two start behaving with the girls. You will be able to get a much better 'read' on them that way. Or plan to process one this weekend and one next weekend, then you will have a week to evaluate who is doing what you want. If both are equal in behavior then figure out what physical traits you want to pass on to youngsters and chose the rooster that has those.

There is no really good way to stay detached from flock members when you spend a lot of time interacting with them. I raise our roosters to be as people tolerant as possible, so in a way I make it harder on myself... but I have no problems with adult roosters, so it is a trade off. If I had a larger flock, or a different set up it may be different, Everyone's property and situations are different. I have learned a lot from trial and error, that's for sure!

 

[jajeanpierre]

Trying to see who would be the best for the girls. They are the main priority. The one we are keeping is the middle of the roosting order. The high roo is to stinking mean to the girls, and it was really. A toss up between the two lower ones. But as hubby says, if the one we decided to keep fails at his job, he will be dinner too. We have no roo for the girls other than these 3. I brought eggs in for a broody. I can always do it again.

If you have enough hens, you might consider keeping both of them. If something happened to one, you would have a spare.

 

[BCMaraniac]

I could not have said it better. Right now I have an egg eater in my layers, and as soon as I figure out who it is, I am going to make a big pot of old hen soup. For some reason killing hens is harder on me than killing cockerels. Maybe it is because I always have it in the back of my mind that the boys will not be around for long, but the girls are supposed to stay long term. But I cannot afford to feed 5 hens and only get eggs when I beat the egg eater to them.

I bought a couple of juvenile pullets from a guy nearby last year, and he was showing me his birds, and pointed out to me a certain bird, telling me she was an egg eater. Then in the next breath he said he was taking her to the poultry sale! It absolutely amazed me that he would sell his problem to someone else. I will never buy from him again.

Unbelievable!

 

[jajeanpierre]

What do I do now?

One of my Silkies drowned in my pool this afternoon. I've cleaned her and put her in water. I've never used a brine before, but think that might be a good idea since she didn't bleed out.

Suggestions, please.

 

[Tomtommom]

Not sure if I would eat that... I suppose there's nothing wrong with the meat.. I don't know, honestly!

 

[ronott1]

What do I do now?

One of my Silkies drowned in my pool this afternoon. I've cleaned her and put her in water. I've never used a brine before, but think that might be a good idea since she didn't bleed out.

Suggestions, please.

How old was she? You may need moisture cook her.