The road less traveled...back to good health! They have lice, mites, scale mites, worms, anemia, gl

[chickachee]

Well...I didn't want to say it quite so strongly but... I think you expressed it for me. When my husband was enjoying it and even told some folks about the good video we saw I had to hold my tongue!

But...I think what was really happening for him was that a number of his adult kids and their spouses are into vegetarianism and I think he was thinking that if he told them about that video it would make them feel better about the whole idea of us butchering chickens.

Oh well...I also know that what appeals to some folks doesn't to others and I give folks the "right" to think it's a good way if that's what they want to do. And I can actually respect them for doing it if they are, indeed, following their conscience about the whole thing. Hopefully they'll give me that same respect for my differing view.

As my Mom says "Wouldn't it be boring if we all liked the same things?" To each his own, eh?

 

[Miss Lydia]

That is so cool!!

I think so too, I dare ya to try it.

everything looks easy on TV I mean internet.

 

[Beekissed]

Most definitely! If I had to conform to everyone else I'd rather not live.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I've heard of folks kicking their broodies off the nest to drink and eat and I have often wondered why. Place the food and water near them and let them choose, I always say.

When a good broody is sitting eggs she will rarely get off that nest for sustenance. The heat and humidity of the eggs are her concern and when we take her off the nest we are disrupting her very instinctual regulation of the brooding of those eggs. Sort of like turning off the incubator and messing up the humidity levels.

When broodies go out in the brush to have their young they do not set up the nest by a cornfield and a bubbling brook so they will have food and water...most likely you will find them in a brush pile, far from any available water source. I've also noticed that these wild natured broodies always seem to have the most successful hatches...way more successful than my own with the water and food available. Once they are truly sitting on that clutch, it takes a bomb to get them off and the very best broodies never seem to leave the nest. I've had some that do, for food and water, and their hatch rate is never very good.

I'd leave that gal alone and let her work some magic!

You'll be glad that you did. She will not grow weak or die from going without the food and water. It's sort of like bears in hibernation...when they come out the first poop they pass is a black, tarry plug of unimaginable things that have been in the bowel for a long time. Broodies know how to prepare for this time and they do fine without our intervention, believe me.

Yes..once I have the real eggs I won't disturb her. I am still in the "see if she's going to stick it out" stage so I wanted to do a little "rocking of the boat" still (if you get my drift). The eggs won't be here until either Tues or Wed. so she has extra days she's stuck on the nest on top of the whole hatching period.

 

[aoxa]

How fast do they die with this method? Is there any pain for them?

I did like the video Leah posted much better. Seemed like the bird was a lot calmer.

No one can say if there is pain or not in any one method except the chicken...and they ain't talkin'. 

I've killed hundreds of chickens, many ducks, and a few turkeys, and even a number of rabbits.  I can honestly tell you that dislocating the neck is a good method if you aren't going to bleed one out~say for mercy killings, but it has to be done right..not necessarily a wringing, circular motion as this doesn't always work.  Pulling up on the body during the broom method can tear off the head...might as well have just cut it off to begin with.  When using the dislocation method I look to nature's best killers and how they do it....ever see a dog kill a coon, possum, groundhog?  A very sharp and vigorous shake back and forth.  For me, this is up and down instead of side to side.  It really breaks that neck.  They will still flop and twitch as the body dies...they pretty much all do.  Whether they can feel pain with their spinal cord severed by trauma is something we'll never know...I'm sure they feel the initial pain of the trauma, as brief as it may be. 

For slitting the throat, they will not even react much to being cut...as if they never even felt it happen.  You can hold their head and tilt it a little to encourage the venous/cardiac flow.  You won't see much going on until their blood volume goes so low that their sympathetic nerve system sends a signal for flight or fight.  This is right before and during their actual death from bleeding/heart failure...as their eyes go closed their bodies will twitch and jerk in response to this nerve impulse.  For the most part they are already dead when the muscles are reacting to this nerve impulse and the lack of oxygen to the tissues.  That's a simplified version of all the things that are happening to the dying organs and tissues, but you get the gist. 

For the bird in the girl's lap, you can see that the flight or fight response is already activated and she is giving it more time to shoot adrenalin throughout the body and build up in the muscles, making them tense(translate~tough).  A human petting a chicken while holding it in this position is not soothing the chicken.  If it was soothing, that chicken's eyes would close and you would see its head droop a little...almost like taking a nap.  We've all seen that when we hold and stroke chicks.  They are too young to understand the danger of the large creature and will snuggle right down in our hands and take a nap.  A pet chicken that is used to being cosseted just may do the same...but a regular yard bird is not likely to be soothed by being held in this manner. 

The only way you will find the method that suits you is to try various methods and eliminate the ones that prove difficult, not effective, too slow, too messy, etc. 

This is really well said. Thank you.

I think this will end up being the way we do things.

 

[mrsamplias]

Everyone -
Let me just say I'm SO thankful I checked BYC before FaceBook this morning! This kind of support was exactly what I needed!! I can't thank you all enough.

I knew from the time the bird was injured that culling was a possibility, and yesterday morning when she cried out in pain, I knew in my heart it was time. Aside from botching the killing part (my wonderful 17-year-old son was quiet and gentle as he kept telling me, "it's OK... just finish it,") I had no regrets. Heartache - yes. That goes with new territory like this. But regrets? No. My whole family knew this was the right thing to do.

Before we culled her, I sat my 17-year-old and 9-year-old (with autism) down and explained exactly what I was going to do to cull the bird, and why. I also explained what would happen as her spirit left her body - that she would twitch and flap and flail. I explained that the spirit has to come out of every part of the bird in order to fly free, and this is why the body flails so.

I then had my 9-year-old make an informed choice about what should be done with the bird. We could bury her like a pet, or see that she lived her life for a purpose and allow her to feed our family. My daughter made a very mature choice and chose to eat the bird.

I think it was an invaluable experience for all of us - especially my 9-year-old who doesn't adjust to new things well.

A mom can try to protect and shelter her children, whereby she prepares them for nothing. Or she can allow them to feel the sadness that sometimes comes with life to help prepare them for their future. How would one know true happiness if one has never felt despair? After a long cold winter the sun feels warm and glorious. If one never lives through that cold winter, it would only be another sunny day... and too easy to take for granted.

Your parenting is wonderful. I know the day will come when I will have to do the same. Thanks for sharing your experience with us. I agree that we aren't all blessed with mothers/grandmothers/big sisters with the experiences to help us, but thankful for those like Bee who have adopted us!!

 

[Beekissed]

Yes..once I have the real eggs I won't disturb her. I am still in the "see if she's going to stick it out" stage so I wanted to do a little "rocking of the boat" still (if you get my drift). The eggs won't be here until either Tues or Wed. so she has extra days she's stuck on the nest on top of the whole hatching period.

Gotcha! I was afraid that someone had told you that the broody will weaken and die if you don't force her to food and water. I didn't want your very first broody experience... and good eggs bought with money to go to waste.

 

[lalaland]

I couldn't believe this - a friend sent me the link to williams sonoma which is now selling chicken coops! and a "predator kit". hope it is good for a laugh (and no offense meant to anyone who has a pretty coop)

http://www.williams-sonoma.com/sear...-_-GlobalNav-_-Button&type-ahead-viewset=ecom

 

[Beekissed]

It was good for a grin and a disbelieving shake of the head.

Someone must have seen a market there and it must be a good one to command prices like that. PT Barnum would be proud.

 

[aoxa]

It was good for a grin and a disbelieving shake of the head.    Someone must have seen a market there and it must be a good one to command prices like that.  PT Barnum would be proud. 

 

I couldn't believe this - a friend sent me the link to williams sonoma which is now selling chicken coops!  and a "predator kit".  hope it is good for a laugh (and no offense meant to anyone who has a pretty coop)

http://www.williams-sonoma.com/sear...-_-GlobalNav-_-Button&type-ahead-viewset=ecom

Think that's expensive... check this out...

Finally! A $100k Chicken Coop

Were you a little jealous when you read about the Siegels' Versailles-inspired home? Well, if you have chickens, the Versailles lifestyle can be yours (and theirs)! Retailer Neiman Marcus is now offering the Beau Coop, a Petit Trianon for your chickens, all for $100,000.

Beau Coop is part of Neiman Marcus' 2012 Fantasy Gifts, which features nine outrageous gifts ranging from a walk-on role in Annie: The Musical ($30,000) to His & Hers Matching Watches Plus a Luxury Vacation ($1,090,000).

The Beau Coop details:
• The buyer will receive an initial farm consultation and grounds survey and two additional onsite visits from Heritage Hen Farm expert Svetlana Simon.
• Simon will select three to ten heritage-breed hens carefully selected to suit your region.
• Installation includes two custom-designed and installed raised vegetable or herb garden beds.
• Package includes a multilevel dwelling, nesting area, "living room," broody room, library with books, two Heritage Hen Farm pasture grazing trays, waterer, feeder, and chandelier. All other props and furnishings not included.
• For every Heritage Hen Mini Farm purchase, Neiman Marcus will donate $3,000 to The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, a nonprofit organization that protects genetic diversity through the conservation and promotion of endangered breeds.
More Info: Beau Coop at Neiman Marcus, $100,000