Tips for getting through first cull.

[Kusanar]

I was not alarmed, just sad.

The roo is alive, lets forget about the other one.
Suffice it to say I won't be commenting on here any more- except to support OP if necessary. And you don't even have chickens.

No, I don't but that doesn't mean that I don't eat meat and know where it comes from. I am still getting my farm together and will be putting sheep and chickens out there once it is finished being fenced and everything is moved around the way it needs to be.

I hang out on the processing threads and learn which you obviously do not. I watch processing plant videos, I know where the meat in the store comes from and how it lives and dies, I know how birds are killed at home, sheep as well. I have even watched horse slaughter plant videos and I have horses. This is information that people should know.

 

[SulkyBantam]

No, I don't but that doesn't mean that I don't eat meat and know where it comes from. I am still getting my farm together and will be putting sheep and chickens out there once it is finished being fenced and everything is moved around the way it needs to be.

I hang out on the processing threads and learn which you obviously do not. I watch processing plant videos, I know where the meat in the store comes from and how it lives and dies, I know how birds are killed at home, sheep as well. I have even watched horse slaughter plant videos and I have horses. This is information that people should know.

I'm sorry if that was rude.
It just felt weird to be told off about chickens by someone who doesn't even HAVE any.
Let's face it, I dislike killing, especially chickens.
I have no problem when a problem roo or meat roo is killed because that's just life.
The reason I found this problem upsetting was because the roo was not harming anyone.

As for the other one, I just feel for animals and love my roos. So don't go blaming me.

 

[SulkyBantam]

I hang out on the processing threads and learn which you obviously do not. I watch processing plant videos, I know where the meat in the store comes from and how it lives and dies, I know how birds are killed at home, sheep as well. I have even watched horse slaughter plant videos and I have horses. This is information that people should know.

Watching slaughter videos is not an occupation I'm fond of, but I agree it is important to know where your food comes from.

 

[Kusanar]

Watching slaughter videos is not an occupation I'm fond of, but I agree it is important to know where your food comes from.

I'm not particularly fond of it either, but, in the case that something happens and you need to put an animal down NOW and not wait to get it to the vet or wait for the vet to come to you (for instance one of my horses is down with a broken leg, I can't haul him that way and do I want to let him lay and suffer for hours before the vet gets there?) it is good to know good and bad ways to end the suffering. From 1st hand accounts of people who have had accidents where they pretty much bled themselves out like you would with a chicken, it is pretty painless. If the knife is sharp you barely feel the cut, then because you are cutting the main blood supply to the brain, the blood pressure drops dramatically and you get lightheaded and pass out very quickly. Yes, the body may live longer and still move around, but the brain is pretty much done at that point and what little it is doing is pretty much the "light at the end of the tunnel" flashes that people who have had near death experiences report, basically the brain short circuiting and throwing all sorts of weird stuff out as it shuts down (ever see a computer with the "blue screen of death"? essentially the same thing going on) but it is no longer communicating with the rest of the body, only to it's self so there is no pain being felt by the brain at that point.

 

[SulkyBantam]

OK @Kusanar. If I ever put one down it will be with a broomstick.

 

[Kusanar]

OK @Kusanar. If I ever put one down it will be with a broomstick.

That is your choice, it could be debated that more could go wrong with that and cause more suffering, but I'll let it drop

 

[SulkyBantam]

That is your choice, it could be debated that more could go wrong with that and cause more suffering, but I'll let it drop

Yes, please do.

 

[Maynard7669]

I need advice.

The thing I am trying to overcome is, killing an animal that is perfectly healthy, causing no problems, and has the desire to live. I feel selfish for taking that away.

A while ago I bought three 2 1/2 months old "pullets" due to Covid I couldn't see them before bringing them home. Once I got home I opened the box and was 99% sure two of the three were actually roos. I confronted the lady but she insisted they were girls and wouldn't take them back. I got my first chickens at the very beginning of April so I'm still fairly new to chickens, but obsessed enough that I spend all my free time on BYC reading everything possible. She has had them for years. I figured "What do I know" and kept telling myself they were pullets till the saddles and sickle feathers came in. I bonded with the two of them, so giving them away is hard, let alone culling.

With my first batch of chicks I got straight run Ameraucana's (NOT Easter Eggers)
All four Ameraucanas, the single EE I had, and one of the cochin x brahmas were roos. I kept the brahma x cochin and managed to give the rest to breeding homes.

I was left with only two ladies so I needed some more girlies.

The three pullets I bought were supposed to be two lavender orpingtons, and one BR. I managed to rehome the barred last weekend, the other LO roo is still looking for a place. (They are not actually LO, they are blue EEs.) I don't want to give him to someone to be meat. I figure if his fate really is to become dinner, it might as well be for me. I have put too much time, money, and love into these birds, just to give someone a free dinner.

If I were raising cornish X I imagine this would all be easier for me. If I didn't harvest them, they would be miserable and have a hard time walking, not a fate they should have, and wouldn't live very long anyways. I also wouldn't bond with them as their purpose would be food, not eggs and company like layers are.

I just can't get over the fact that he wants to live and is not causing problems by living. I also don't need the meat, so I feel cruel for taking away his life.

Any advice on how to get over this guilt hurdle?

My heart goes out to you. I've had several roo's that I've had to let go. I took the first 2 to the local feed store. I packed them bags with food, treats, grit etc and put each ones name on the bag. I cried as I left. I told them they were hand raised and hoped they wouldn't be someone's dinner. It got a little easier with each roo. The one we have now will be harder. I've hand raised him since he was 5 weeks old. He was the only egg that hatched out of the last batch. So he's gotten all the attention. I told my honey he'll have to take this one to the feed store if it comes to that. I got to attached. But I don't think I would eat him if we butchered him anyway. It would be too hard for me.
Good luck. It's a hard decision.

 

[Juju2773]

My personal feeling is if you have any hesitation..to just not do it. I hatched and raised 16 baby chicks. 11 turned out to be roosters. They were all beautiful , healthy, happy and very friendly roosters. I never intended to have even a single rooster. Only hens. I was naive enough to think all my eggs would hatch sweet little hens. But, When they all started crowing I knew i had to make a very hard choice. I had raised them all on totally organic non gmo feed and let them free range in my yard in a fenced protected area . I had learned each ones little quirks and personalities. Watched them enjoy themselves in the sun. They were innocent living beautiful creatures. But the crowing was getting way too much. I had to consider my neighbors and I made the decision to cull them ...a few each day ..and only keep one. I first tried to find homes for them, but as someone else commented, I felt most were just out for a free chicken dinner and I had put a lot of money and effort into feeding them all organic and free ranging them so I was apprehensive about just giving them away. I tried to tell myself I was doing as many before me. It was normal. I was living a self sustaining life. But several of the smarter ones would actually scream out , as if they knew exactly what was about to happen. And afterwards, the others would crow out all day until dark, walking the perimeter of the fence., as if they were calling out to the few that had been taken away earlier that day. All of them physically would try to get out of that cone. I had to pull their head out to the opening. It has been several months since the culling and I am completely haunted by this. I wish I had not done it. I will never cull another rooster in my life. I don’t care how many people did it before me. I would rather give him away to one of those people on Craigslist that you know they just want a free chicken dinner. At least I won’t have to bear the burden of seeing their little eyelids shut for the last breath. And their neck stretch out and relax while they breathe their last few faint breaths . I wish I could take it back. Even as I did it, I had the feeling I was taking the life that they clearly wanted to live. My heart pounded hard every time. To make myself feel better.. I told myself I wouldn’t waste anything and I prepared good meals from the meat,... which I did have trouble eating, For some odd reason. I’ve eaten chicken all my life, but because ..I knew them. It was very difficult. I can’t forget it and I will never do it again.

 

[TheOddOneOut]

Exactly...it's the repetition that's most annoying.

X2.
People ask for advice, and then someone comes in, guilt-trips them, says ‘Noooooo’..
Like, if you don’t agree, just don’t post.