Struggling with killing a chicken

[ChickyWhicky]

Sounds like it was an accident. Dont beat yourself up over it. Forgive yourself and move forward. Accidents happen and dwelling on them will bring you no peace.

Also sounds like your roo was a bit of a meanie... Maybe this was not such a bad ending. You may have ended up culling him anyway. You could consider it a blessing in disguise.

And for the record, if it helps console you, I have whacked my roo (more than once...or twice...) with whatever I happen to have nearby. Sometimes they need whacked.

 

[Mrs. K]

It is hard at first. At first I bought chicken and mixed it up with the home raised chicken. It is a fact of life that most people have stepped away from. But eventually one becomes confident and there is something satisfying in providing for yourself.

I have had chickens for a long time. I know it has to be done. When I plan it, I distance myself from them, those are the chickens I don't watch and laugh at their antics. Then I just do the deed. Once they are dead, it has never been hard for me to finish the processing.

Mrs K

 

[goats-n-oats]

So he was fighting other roosters... And you smacked him with a pole, in the head, as punishment, and he struggled and died?

I can see why you feel guilty. Never act in anger towards an animal. What even was the situation? How many roosters, to how many hens? Were they introduced properly? Was he injuring them, drawing blood?

I'm sure you were trying to protect your other roosters. But this wasnt handled correctly.
I'm sorry he died

It wasn't in anger, but I thought (incorrectly) I might be able to teach it to stay away from the other roosters. I have 5 purebred roosters in the larger barn, and all the other hens (and a few cockerels) are in their private garage/coop. This sixth rooster, whom I spoke about in another thread, was bred by my flock last summer. I gave him to a neighbor as a chick, and for whatever circumstances, he exited that neighbor's property a few weeks ago, as an adult rooster, and I received calls from other neighbors saying they saw one of my roosters running in the street. I was able to catch him and bring him to my property, but he immediately started beating up my peaceful roosters and cockerels among the hens (yes drawing blood on their waddles). I put him in a dog crate for two weeks in the larger barn with the other adult roosters, but he beat them up too through the wire. I just didn't have enough cages for all the special needs animals (this rooster and my adolescent Anatolian shepherd).

 

[goats-n-oats]

While it would, of course, have been better to cull a problem cockerel/rooster in a planned and intentional fashion, it sounds like this fellow was asking for trouble and ended up getting it.

The need to deal with excess and/or aggressive males is one of the downsides of raising chickens.

As one of our respected members frequently advises, if you can't bear to eat him then plant a rosebush on top of him.

I did bury a hen who was mauled by one of my dogs. I placed a large 30lb rock over the grave. It was dug up and consumed by a predator. I assume a black bear or coyote.

 

[goats-n-oats]

I don't understand what you're asking or saying.

Are you saying you hit your rooster with a stick in the eye and it killed him?

You didn't mean to kill him by hitting him like that or you did?

Yes, hitting the rooster with the stick killed him. I did not mean to kill him at that moment (I was hoping he would get the message and learn to coexist in the barn with the others), but he would have been harvested at some point, because he was injuring all the other chickens, and I do not have the space or resources for a private cage for a pet rooster. He died quickly, but I feel guilty that it was an inhumane way to kill him, and it was a waste because I still don't have the tools or knowledge to butcher chickens.

 

[gimmie birdies]

I do process roosters, but I never hit them with a broom, or kick them with a boot. I process them as they are growing, I may keep a non-troublesome rooster. But they come to me for cuddles or avoid me all together. I don't mind either way. I never show fear, and walk into my coop yard with purpose.
Roosters raised together will get along better than a newly introduced rooster. Also a very young rooster chick will get along better with an adult rooster, because very young ones know their place.

 

[sdm111]

It wasn't in anger, but I thought (incorrectly) I might be able to teach it to stay away from the other roosters. I have 5 purebred roosters in the larger barn, and all the other hens (and a few cockerels) are in their private garage/coop. This sixth rooster, whom I spoke about in another thread, was bred by my flock last summer. I gave him to a neighbor as a chick, and for whatever circumstances, he exited that neighbor's property a few weeks ago, as an adult rooster, and I received calls from other neighbors saying they saw one of my roosters running in the street. I was able to catch him and bring him to my property, but he immediately started beating up my peaceful roosters and cockerels among the hens (yes drawing blood on their waddles). I put him in a dog crate for two weeks in the larger barn with the other adult roosters, but he beat them up too through the wire. I just didn't have enough cages for all the special needs animals (this rooster and my adolescent Anatolian shepherd).

He needed to be culled for all parties involved. Your other chickens appreciate not being beat

 

[goats-n-oats]

He needed to be culled for all parties involved. Your other chickens appreciate not being beat

It's true. I placed the carcass outside (temporarily) where I was working on the barn, and all the hens came by to see it. They muttered some but didn't seem too upset, and moved on.

 

[Mrs. K]

Really not that big of deal. If you have a knife that is sharp you can harvest, but if not, dispose of him as you see fit. Death happens. No need to feel guilty. You did not torture him, he was torturing other animals. If you were going to harvest him anyway, just a change in time does not make it worse or better.

 

[goats-n-oats]

Really not that big of deal. If you have a knife that is sharp you can harvest, but if not, dispose of him as you see fit. Death happens. No need to feel guilty. You did not torture him, he was torturing other animals. If you were going to harvest him anyway, just a change in time does not make it worse or better.

Bless you