The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[lalaland]

dang delish, you make it sound so easy! ok, I'll get my dgf to hold them while I screw up my courage and do it. I don't have a styptic pencil, but I've heard flour works good. I have a funny little runty hen that has curled toes that are twisted, so the claws don't touch the ground point down, they just grow sideways and tomorrow is clipping day. she is a little flighty, and with the nails going in instead of out, takes two people to do the job.

 

[delisha]

Aoxa,
Great video..and yes.removal is that easy...just like that. The outside you remove is clear and sort of like finger nails. The inside is the start of another finger nail. It is a little soft like when you do dishes and your nail gets a little soft, soon it gets hard again.

Your other video was so cute..love kids on the farm..when we had foster kids I loved that part..all the dirt and chores and happy kids laughing. The best times were when one of the older kids would let a younger one try to carry something way to heavy, and you loose more than you keep, and the little ones were soooo proud to get that heavy bucket to where it was going. They did not care they were soaked, just simply proud.

 

[countrygirl74]

While hard to read at times, I appreciated all the info on the culling. I never knew if, or when, I might have to face that. Well... I think I am there. We have too many roosters. I know I could re-home them, but most people they would probably go to around here would cull them anyway. So... I am thinking I might have to get brave and at least feed my family with it.
It is a big white roo and I am sad to have to do it but we just have to get rid of him. Everyone likes the other roo better as he has more personality, is more protective and really pretty. So, poor white roo has to go.
I have some questions...
I am thinking that the head chopping seems the quickest, most humane way after reading everything? If that's the case, I am assuming that I need to take him out of sight of the other chickens to do the deed? Is there a good link someone can share on step-by-step directions on how to do this quickly and easily to get the chicken ready for eating?
Any suggestions, comments, advice?
I am working really hard on building up my courage as I really hate the feeling of killing anything. I HATE spiders and I still feel kind of bad when I squish them - lol. So trying to kill a roo that we have raised from a baby is not going to be easy - especially when he's a really nice guy!

 

[delisha]

While hard to read at times, I appreciated all the info on the culling. I never knew if, or when, I might have to face that. Well... I think I am there. We have too many roosters. I know I could re-home them, but most people they would probably go to around here would cull them anyway. So... I am thinking I might have to get brave and at least feed my family with it.
It is a big white roo and I am sad to have to do it but we just have to get rid of him. Everyone likes the other roo better as he has more personality, is more protective and really pretty. So, poor white roo has to go.
I have some questions...
I am thinking that the head chopping seems the quickest, most humane way after reading everything? If that's the case, I am assuming that I need to take him out of sight of the other chickens to do the deed? Is there a good link someone can share on step-by-step directions on how to do this quickly and easily to get the chicken ready for eating?
Any suggestions, comments, advice?
I am working really hard on building up my courage as I really hate the feeling of killing anything. I HATE spiders and I still feel kind of bad when I squish them - lol. So trying to kill a roo that we have raised from a baby is not going to be easy - especially when he's a really nice guy!

1. stop thinking about the negative..the bird you have cared for..you will honor his life by giving sustanance to your family.
2. Your birds do not care, they do not have human emotions..if you killed and gut the bird right in front of them and dropped it they would make quick work of it...you need to do what makes you comfortable.

after the bird is clean... soak it in salt water (1 gal water 1/5th cup salt) for 12-24 hours, rinse and soak it in ice cold water for another few hours. Keep it cold for two days..and it will be ready.

 

[aoxa]

While hard to read at times, I appreciated all the info on the culling. I never knew if, or when, I might have to face that. Well... I think I am there. We have too many roosters. I know I could re-home them, but most people they would probably go to around here would cull them anyway. So... I am thinking I might have to get brave and at least feed my family with it.
It is a big white roo and I am sad to have to do it but we just have to get rid of him. Everyone likes the other roo better as he has more personality, is more protective and really pretty. So, poor white roo has to go.
I have some questions...
I am thinking that the head chopping seems the quickest, most humane way after reading everything? If that's the case, I am assuming that I need to take him out of sight of the other chickens to do the deed? Is there a good link someone can share on step-by-step directions on how to do this quickly and easily to get the chicken ready for eating?
Any suggestions, comments, advice?
I am working really hard on building up my courage as I really hate the feeling of killing anything. I HATE spiders and I still feel kind of bad when I squish them - lol. So trying to kill a roo that we have raised from a baby is not going to be easy - especially when he's a really nice guy!

I agree with what Delisha said above.

My first cull was by axe. If you are uncoordinated, you may want to consider another method, as I did NOT get the head off first try, and it was traumatic. I tried slitting the jugular in the killing cone and that was the easiest. IT doesn't take a lot of coordination like aim. The birds don't react to the blade at all. The handling is the worst part for them.

I've also tried breaking the neck of a chick. Again, takes effort and you have to know what you are doing.
Some people I've talked to shoot the birds point blank in the head. Some people Pith and slit the jugular. Some people whack them on the head to put them unconscious and then slit the jugular. Some take a broom handle, and step on both sides and break the neck that way. I've only tried the axe (can't do it again), the killing cone and jugular (definitely the best in my opinion) and breaking the neck (also can't do that again).

I take mine away from the flock for one reason... they are vultures, and they make the job harder. They are around while I pluck though.

It is much harder to think about it than to do it. You doing the deed is the respectful thing to do. Don't send the bird off. I know you can do it. I have faith in you!

 

[loanwizard]

Lionwizard my coops DL consists of leaves, pine needles, wood shavings from my planer (never ending supply) and a month ago I started tossing ash in there before I top off the wood chips. They really toss the litter around a lot with the ash in it, so that is good. My thoughts were like yours, but I came to it in a different way. I wanted my cooped Sumatra's to go broody. Most of my free range girls try to build their nests in the earth. So I created a forest floor in their coop. Here are 2 of the broody's from that coop in pine needles,dried grass and dirt only at this point. Yeah, dirt ....

I guess Lionwizard is better than Loinwizard....

Sometimes I crack myself up.....

 

[delisha]

you are funny

 

[Bulldogma]

I guess Lionwizard is better than Loinwizard....

Sometimes I crack myself up.....

 

[lalaland]

heavens, what happened? woke up to only 5 posts! everyone must be busy.....

hmmm, today is the hen spur removal day at my house. I'm going to try delisha's method, although I spent a lot of time youtubing last night.

One question I have is that the method of using a plier and twisting off the outer shell seems to leave this yucky pink inner spur - and one you tuber said to be sure to keep the roo away from everyone else a day or two til it hardened because otherwise the hens would go for the pink ness and pick at it, causing blood flow. Well, I have 4 welsummers (never will again) that have problem spurs and one elderly buff orp to do, and 8 other hens that will be watching. - also smaller quarters with the winter snow keeping them in a smaller area..has anyone had problems with the others going after that newborn little red/pink spur?

am wondering if it will look like a free for all with everyone trying to eat everyone else's baby spur?

 

[stonykill]

I guess Lionwizard is better than Loinwizard....

Sometimes I crack myself up.....

this is the loin(cloth) wizard