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

[featherhead007]

So, Enchilada is now in his holding crate and has plenty of water and shade. The girls are sitting by his side keeping him company. I put their food and water out of his sight so he didn’t get worked up over seeing it and not being able to get to it. Eating is his favorite activity. My neighbor and I think the other might be a girl, because of how much smaller and delicate she looks, so they have decided to keep her. I will have my closest friend and of course my husband there to give me support tomorrow. Should I cover up the crate so that he stays calm or do you think he will be ok looking around while in his pen?

I can't read anymore of this!

 

[JDN]

A few more thoughts...I fish. I hunt. I raised my own two Cornish X's this year. I've killed animals to eat before, some wild, and some domestic too. That doesn't make parts of it emotionally unpleasant. I still feel for a minnow or even a worm as I hook it. I still am cognizant of what I'm doing and what it means to pull the trigger on a deer, or to kill a bird.

I don't totally get the whole "I need to know I can do it" or "I need to be a part of my food chain" mentality. I just don't. I've done a lot of things, that I know I can do, but don't have a great desire to. I can clean vomit out of a bar urinal. I can break up a bar fight or finish one with a nasty, drunk customer. I can change my own oil. I can change a flat tire. I can slaughter and butcher an animal.

All of the above though, are examples of tasks that I will happily forego or outsource if I can without significant delay or monetary outlay. There are a lot of things I can do without much guilt or afterthought, things that simply need doing, that I don't "enjoy" or anything.

I think if you want to know about raising and processing meat birds, visit someone as they go through the process and on butchering day. Just my .02. Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[bobbi-j]

I can't read anymore of this!

Then you should probably stop. We all raise chickens for various reasons. One of them is meat. As long as the bird has a quick, humane end, there is nothing wrong with that, and it’s not up to us to guilt someone into keeping a chicken that is not destined to have a long life anyway. This chicken is already having “mobility problems”, meaning it’s legs are already giving out. Soon it’s legs will give out completely. If that doesn’t happen, chances are good that it will have heart problems and die from them.

 

[SueT]

Should I cover up the crate so that he stays calm or do you think he will be ok looking around while in his pen?

I'd say cover it if he's pacing around, and he will settle, even sleep. When I took my cockerel to the swap, I kept his cage covered until we got there and he was still the whole trip. The person that bought him just reached in the cage and carried him out in his hands, this chicken who wasn't used to being handled. They said they weren't going to eat him, which was nice to know, but I wasn't going to ask. There were a hundred or more roosters for sale, and I was just grateful mine got picked. This wasn't a meet breed tho.
So I think you are doing the right thing and I wish you well.

 

[chickendreams24]

Don't do it! That's "Enchilada" right there, spare him his life!

I can't read anymore of this!

Then you should probably stop. We all raise chickens for various reasons. One of them is meat. As long as the bird has a quick, humane end, there is nothing wrong with that, and it’s not up to us to guilt someone into keeping a chicken that is not destined to have a long life anyway. This chicken is already having “mobility problems”, meaning it’s legs are already giving out. Soon it’s legs will give out completely. If that doesn’t happen, chances are good that it will have heart problems and die from them.

Thank you bobbi-j for what you said.

Feather head I often see your posts and they feel inflammatory to me often. We are all only trying to be helpful and supportive to the OP. Please don't cause them to feel any guilt.

Chickens are used for both meat and eggs. That's it. It's not easy for those of us who take it upon ourselves to raise and process our own meat birds. It's hard and causing someone to feel guilty over that is shameful. Enchilada has had a much much better life than any commercially raised Cornish cross.

Death is something we all must face and go through in the end. Better that end have a purpose and be full of peace than suffering.

 

[Jamie Molihan]

I know that this is hard to read, and I know that it is hard to fathom why some people do certain things in certain ways. I am not upset by the ones on here begging for me to spare his life, I understand, because I want to so badly. This morning went I went out to give them their goodmorning and look them all over to make sure everyone was in good health and spirits not only was Enchilada having a hard time walking but when I turned him over to check his belly and feet I noticed that he is wheezing and breathing so heavy. Of course I broke down like a baby. As for why I decided to raise a bird was because I am moving to two acres of land to live off grid and I thought that I might want to raise meat birds and eggers to help sustain me. I have never taken a life on purpose, I have never really done anything that wasn’t modern consumerism. I don’t want to spend a bunch of money on animals that I don’t know for sure I will be able to keep healthy and cull for food or if something bad happens. I am envious of anyone who, just knows, they can do it; I don’t. So from the emotional safety of my urban environment (for whatthat it is worth) I decided to try it. If I could, then great I can go forward with my plan, if I can’t then I need a different plan. As for getting attached..well, I am and that sucks, but I get attached to everything. Another point to make about Enchilada and his life is this; when my dad had cancer we learned about something called quality of life. We had to watch my dad battle to be alive with chemo until the doctors decided to tell us that we were at a point when duration of life was now passing the quality of life. I had to sit next to my dad and administer medication that would ease his pain until his disease killed him. I am telling you that was a life lesson that was hard to learn. Now I know this is just a chicken and not my dad, but watching Enchilada not have a quality life just because I can’t do what needs to be done for him doesn’t sit well in my heart. So tomorrow....I will, as gently as I can, process him. Or at least that is the plan. Again, I thank everyone on here for their support, their kindness, and for being here with me as I go through this. It means more than I can say.

 

[RodNTN]

I know that this is hard to read, and I know that it is hard to fathom why some people do certain things in certain ways. I am not upset by the ones on here begging for me to spare his life, I understand, because I want to so badly. This morning went I went out to give them their goodmorning and look them all over to make sure everyone was in good health and spirits not only was Enchilada having a hard time walking but when I turned him over to check his belly and feet I noticed that he is wheezing and breathing so heavy. Of course I broke down like a baby. As for why I decided to raise a bird was because I am moving to two acres of land to live off grid and I thought that I might want to raise meat birds and eggers to help sustain me. I have never taken a life on purpose, I have never really done anything that wasn’t modern consumerism. I don’t want to spend a bunch of money on animals that I don’t know for sure I will be able to keep healthy and cull for food or if something bad happens. I am envious of anyone who, just knows, they can do it; I don’t. So from the emotional safety of my urban environment (for whatthat it is worth) I decided to try it. If I could, then great I can go forward with my plan, if I can’t then I need a different plan. As for getting attached..well, I am and that sucks, but I get attached to everything. Another point to make about Enchilada and his life is this; when my dad had cancer we learned about something called quality of life. We had to watch my dad battle to be alive with chemo until the doctors decided to tell us that we were at a point when duration of life was now passing the quality of life. I had to sit next to my dad and administer medication that would ease his pain until his disease killed him. I am telling you that was a life lesson that was hard to learn. Now I know this is just a chicken and not my dad, but watching Enchilada not have a quality life just because I can’t do what needs to be done for him doesn’t sit well in my heart. So tomorrow....I will, as gently as I can, process him. Or at least that is the plan. Again, I thank everyone on here for their support, their kindness, and for being here with me as I go through this. It means more than I can say.

In my opinion, I think without a doubt that you are doing what is best

 

[Aerliss]

I just want to add to the sea of people wishing you the strength and courage to not only follow through with your plan, but to give Enchilada an easy end.

We all have to go one day. Everything dies. The greatest we can hope for is to go without knowing we are going. You can do that for Enchilada. We know you can.

Good luck, and remember that somewhere in the world, someone is most likely thinking of you at that moment.

 

[Zinjifrah]

I know that this is hard to read, and I know that it is hard to fathom why some people do certain things in certain ways. I am not upset by the ones on here begging for me to spare his life, I understand, because I want to so badly. This morning went I went out to give them their goodmorning and look them all over to make sure everyone was in good health and spirits not only was Enchilada having a hard time walking but when I turned him over to check his belly and feet I noticed that he is wheezing and breathing so heavy. Of course I broke down like a baby. As for why I decided to raise a bird was because I am moving to two acres of land to live off grid and I thought that I might want to raise meat birds and eggers to help sustain me. I have never taken a life on purpose, I have never really done anything that wasn’t modern consumerism. I don’t want to spend a bunch of money on animals that I don’t know for sure I will be able to keep healthy and cull for food or if something bad happens. I am envious of anyone who, just knows, they can do it; I don’t. So from the emotional safety of my urban environment (for whatthat it is worth) I decided to try it. If I could, then great I can go forward with my plan, if I can’t then I need a different plan. As for getting attached..well, I am and that sucks, but I get attached to everything. Another point to make about Enchilada and his life is this; when my dad had cancer we learned about something called quality of life. We had to watch my dad battle to be alive with chemo until the doctors decided to tell us that we were at a point when duration of life was now passing the quality of life. I had to sit next to my dad and administer medication that would ease his pain until his disease killed him. I am telling you that was a life lesson that was hard to learn. Now I know this is just a chicken and not my dad, but watching Enchilada not have a quality life just because I can’t do what needs to be done for him doesn’t sit well in my heart. So tomorrow....I will, as gently as I can, process him. Or at least that is the plan. Again, I thank everyone on here for their support, their kindness, and for being here with me as I go through this. It means more than I can say.

Well said. And thank you, for having the mercy and willpower to do what is best for the bird. It doesn't matter if it's a bird or a person - nothing should have to suffer just so that others don't have to deal with losing them. I've always thought that anyone who didn't consider a death, regardless of whether it's a person or a chicken, to be a serious matter, must have something very wrong with them. Even if the end goal is meat - I come from family that wouldn't have had anything on the table, a few times, if they didn't hunt (I get a bit infuriated by people who drop a deer, and leave the meat, only taking the antlers). Kudos to you.

 

[BantyChooks]

Well said. And thank you, for having the mercy and willpower to do what is best for the bird. It doesn't matter if it's a bird or a person - nothing should have to suffer just so that others don't have to deal with losing them. I've always thought that anyone who didn't consider a death, regardless of whether it's a person or a chicken, to be a serious matter, must have something very wrong with them. Even if the end goal is meat - I come from family that wouldn't have had anything on the table, a few times, if they didn't hunt (I get a bit infuriated by people who drop a deer, and leave the meat, only taking the antlers). Kudos to you.

x2. We're here for you.