Tomorrow is supposed to be his last day.....

[Jamie Molihan]

It's not easy .. and it's not something that everyone can do. We raise dual purpose birds here and expect to cull the extra cockerels and pullets - tho, we made a decision to try to raise our own birds for both meat, and for eggs. The enjoyment of raising them is a bonus.

I tend to be a bit stand-offish to those I know are going into the freezer-camp. I don't treat them as pets and that makes it a bit easier. It also helps for me that I grew up with a lot of family and friends who owned farms, so I've castrated animals, slaughtered animals, and processed them.

You have to decide if it's something you can follow through with. If you feel it's going to cause more emotional distress than it's worth - you have to do what you need to do for yourself. That being said, if it's strictly a meat bird and you know it's not going to have a long life anyway - maybe you could get someone to take him and do it? If not, that's cool as well - so many people don't realize there's a very harsh reality to slaughtering animals that you have raised.

Thankyou so much for being understanding and not making me feel like a complete butt for getting myself into this mess. I think it is going to be awful for me to do this, but if I keep him and he has a hard time because of how big he is that is also going to make me feel like I let him down. I know that most of my friends think I shouldn’t do it, only the ones that grew up around farms think that this is ok or necessary. I did t want to go to them because....pride....and I feel like an idiot. I really shouldn’t have named this bird.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Thankyou so much for being understanding and not making me feel like a complete butt for getting myself into this mess. I think it is going to be awful for me to do this, but if I keep him and he has a hard time because of how big he is that is also going to make me feel like I let him down. I know that most of my friends think I shouldn’t do it, only the ones that grew up around farms think that this is ok or necessary. I did t want to go to them because....pride....and I feel like an idiot. I really shouldn’t have named this bird.

I grew up on a farm, and manage my chickens more like livestock than pets, but that doesn't mean I don't get attached to some more than others. Most my birds live out their natural lives with a few roosters going to the freezer for my husband. They are usually troublemakers. The nice ones I hold onto and accommodate.

Obviously you don't want to butcher this chicken, so don't and see how it goes. You can always do it later if it starts to fail or you change your mind.

 

[Jamie Molihan]

Thankyou to the BYC family for all of your advice and support. I will keep you updated on what happens.

 

[chickendreams24]

Okay let me ask you how you planned to do it? That can make a lot of difference in my opinion in the quality of meat and the kindness of the end.

I've always been an extremely sensitive person. As a child my father, brothers and Grandpa hunted and we all fished. The venison turkey and fish were eaten of course. It was extremely hard for me. My mother did her best to shield my feelings as best as possible. Every time we went fishing I was allowed to save one minnow, one night crawler to set free. Of course it wasn't ideal. I knew where meat came from and I enjoyed meat. We had chickens and ducks(to my brothers and I were they pets) until we came home from school one day and found my father had processed them all. One year we also raised pigs when they went to slaughter my entire family liked to me... For years in fact I didn't know.

I don't think it was gone about correctly in all situations but it's a hard situation to handle.

When DH2B and I got chickens several years ago now we had great plans! Mine were mostly for eggs and pets. His involved eating the older hens(that first year we didn't plan on getting any cockerals, of course chicken math changed that). Of course I told DH2B "we'll see" about his plans for the older hens.

I did think trying some Cornish cross sometime would be okay.

After we got our first 5 birds and our first 5 birds became 36 in the first year(including 7 cockerals-one being a baby still at that point) We knew something had to give. We had to shoot one cockeral that became super aggressive-as bad as any bird I've ever heard of and worst than most. A second cockeral died in a freak accident that broke his neck. Two more were rehomed the next spring. Two more we lost to a fox in two separate attacks while they protected the hens during the summer. Leaving only one rooster from our first year.

That second year we hatched and bought more birds and passed the 100 mark.

With 50% cockerals at hatch. We had gotten a small taste of the havoc too many cockerals can bring in our first year but in our second year we created a run as a place to put the cockerals who became unruly and disturbed the peace. It's much easier to think about culling hormonal jerks that bully and gang up on the pullets and hens.

The first time we processed a bird we did just one. I didn't participate in the killing part but helped with every other aspect. A year later I have now taken the step to making the killing cut. It's been a long time coming. It hasn't been easy. I've almost backed out several times and I've also cried on occasion.

We breed and hatch heritage breeds and the spare cockerals are used for meat.
We have read a lot and learned about ethical meat and feel like this is above and away that is the best for us.

It's sad but true that there are many people in the world that genuinely believe that meat in the grocery store is manufactured and doesn't involve the killing of an animal.

I don't mean to sound callous or unsympathetic. In fact it's just the opposite this has been a hard thing for me to learn.

I do think it does get easier but it's never "easy" it should never be easy and unfeeling. There should always be gratitude and respect for the animals.

Also we use the killing cone method and it's been great for us.

I do think you got more attached because you only had one. I also think that while it's a possibility that he could live longer(say 6 months-1 year). I highly doubt that he would live over a year even with food restriction.

Now about Arthur. Of course I don't know the circumstances but it's high time you forgive yourself. You've stated it was an accident. Accidents happen we are only people after all. I will tell you that I have nightmares that I forgot about a pet say a hamster or birds etc and that I haven't cared for them in ever so long. Etc. I go to their cage expecting to find them dead and then usually I wake up. To my recollection I haven't ever done any of these things. My point is it's time to forgive yourself and forget because in truth I think most animal lovers have feelings and nightmares about what if I forget.

Yes there have been a few times when we processed birds that it was especially hard for me. Because we keep heritage breeds and all of our breeding roosters are gentle and kind it's easy to love the juveniles that we often let reach 6 months some longer some shorter. In fact I spared a rooster that I rescued from the bachelor group as a cockeral as he was getting picked on. After his injuries healed he went back in the cull group but again and again I pushed it back. Finally one night after free ranging he reintegrated with the main flock and we let him stay there. Now he's a pet, named Buddy and tame as a dog.

We do plan on doing a group of Cornish cross and hopefully one of freedom rangers this year too.

Yes it probably would have helped if you hadn't named him but it's easy to love chicks. I completely see why when he was raised with your layers and pets.

If you find the courage to do it I think you will be proud of yourself. It's very empowering to know that you can provide for yourself and to know exactly where your food comes from and how they lived and were treated. It's hard to take a life plain and simple.

I hope you'll give it a chance but I also understand if you don't.

 

[Jamie Molihan]

Chickendreams24, thankyou for you response. It is hard to forget about boiling your kid’s pet turtle, it was an accident and I know that accidents happen but really, how does one accidentally boil a turtle? And it was horrific, I thought that I was doing him a favor and letting him get some sun. It was the first really sunny warm day of spring and I wanted to help him out because his had just had his first hibernation and wasn’t fully out, he wasn’t eating or even really moving around. So I took him outside and put him on my blacktop driveway to get some sun...in his glass tank....full of crystal clear water.... I learned nothing in grade school science. This is how you accidentally boil a turtle and then feel lifelong guilt for it...and for trying to lie to my kid about it. I am going to process the chicken tomorrow, one of my friends is going to help me. It isn’t just him, I am also processing my neighbors bird that is also a CX. I will use the cone method. I still don’t know if I should cut the side of his throat or just cut off his head with tree limb cutters.

 

[SueT]

I read that if you use tree cutters, they say make sure they are super sharp...

 

[RUNuts]

Best wishes. I also had a difficult time getting over the mental block. But keep the goal in mind. I prefer and choose to know where food comes from. He had a good life and only one bad day. Focus on the good parts.

I'd suggest using a homemade cone, cutting and letting the blood drain for a lighter flavored meat. Expect the convulsions and I hold for a minute while directing the blood into a bucket. Then walk away for 5 minutes. Peace.

 

[Jamie Molihan]

Ok, so I am headed down to the neighbor’s house to collect Enchilada’s brother. Now my questions are going to start to get real dumb. They have not seen each other since TSC, so can I put them in holding together or will they fight? Can I still give them water or do the have to go without both food and water. Do I put them in the garage or can I let the hang out in the shade to enjoy the day?

 

[chickendreams24]

Well I won't lie and say I didn't wonder how you boiled a turtle. That being said now that you've explained I totally get it and it sounds like something I might do. Just because I wouldn't even consider the water getting too hot.

You may never be fully over it but you should definitely forgive yourself. It's just one of those things.

We had a chicken flip a feed pan on itself and we looked and looked and looked but never thought to lift the feed pan. In fact I don't even think we noticed it was flipped. Until the next day when I found the dead pullet underneath it. It's was the feed pan we used for scraps and such and I immediately threw it out. Amidst much crying and guilt. Because it was dark under the pan she didn't struggle and just lay there and suffocated. It was so hard to accept that it was a freak accident and that I didn't know. I personally still think the turtle was the same thing. You're off the hook.

Cutting the throat on both side will give you the best quality meat. Either one you must not hesitate. Remember not to cut the trachea if you use a knife and be sure it's razor sharp.

Carry the bird around for a bit while you talk to it and soothe it. If the bird is relaxed they will have a much quicker kinder end and it will benefit the meat. Once the bird is calm place it gently in the cone making sure the head comes out the bottom, neck towards you. Again allow the bird to calm. Make sure the bird can't get it's feet up next to it's body or it may flip out in the death throes. Some birds will have worse death throes than others.
Hold the beak extend the neck(like the bird is looking straight down) with the front facing you cut one side then the other. Make sure you miss the feather shafts as they make the cut harder. You need quite a bit of pressure more than I thought before I did it. If the neck is extended it's easier. When done correctly you will see the thick stream of blood shooting from the cut. If you have to go back over the cut don't worry. It takes some knowledge and a bit of practice. Hesitation is your enemy.

The cuts should be along the side of the neck under the jawbone sort of side towards the front but not directly in the front. Does that make sense? I'm guessing you've researched all of this?

Good that you'll have someone with you. Have they every processed a bird? DH2B and I had only each other and neither of us had processed a bird when we started.

When the cuts are correct the bird is unconscious in seconds and dead in about a minute. We too let it sit for a few minutes to make sure it's completely gone and bled.

 

[RodNTN]

I am so sorry about your current situation I know it may be difficult to do, but letting him live and suffer is more cruel than processing him. He lived a wonderful life with you and his ladies, what more could he ask for?