upsetting event when butchering today warning involves talk of slaugh

[KristyHall]

things went badly this time. Iw as going to process four birds. two got away from me, and two.... I cut their veins and they didn't die. they justs tared at me for almost five minutes. in desperation i tried breaking their necks and they still wouldn't die. i finally just cut their heads off because i couldn't stand them suffering.
Then one of them had strange growths on it's intestines, like little cysts, one was a weird yellow color and looked a bit like a skin tab does, and the organs filled up the entire cavity... they were just packed in there like they were swollen, so i am disposing of that bird. I feel bad, i feel like i'm waisting the meat but since i am taking care of my immune compromised mother I am afraid. Please tell me, did I do the right thing? now can I do better next time? I'm so upset I never want to do this again, and this is not my first time to process birds!

*is so guilt ridden*

 

[ginormous chicken]

It'll be OK. I really haven't processed any of my birds yet.

Next time will be better!

 

[KristyHall]

it's enough to make me want to go vegetarian.
Maybe i'm not cut out for processing my own birds.

 

[mississippifarmboy]

Sorry it turned out like that. Sometimes thing just happen though, don't beat yourself up over it because it's obvious it wasn't intentional.
I've been doing it all my life and missed one last week, had to go back and re-stick it. It just happens.

In my opinion, it's when it DOESN'T bother us that somethings really wrong.

 

[KristyHall]

Thanks. I feel a little better. Still hate disposing of that one bird but with the intestines looking odd like that,w ell I just didn't know if it was sick or not.

 

[Luvroos]

I must admit that going vegetarian involves eating from mostly mother earth, much more healthy for us. I enjoy it myself and would never cull a bird! This were just a bad experience for you and maybe next time will be better, if there is a next time

.

 

[Fred's Hens]

When I was a young boy, my dad annually gave me 250 birds to grow out, care for, and clean up after. When time came for butchering, My dad gave me lessons that included a sharp, heavy hatchet and a broad stump. I had cut off the heads of hundreds and hundreds of chickens before my 12th birthday. It remains my preferred method of dispatching the birds.

There was no "running around like a chicken with it's head cut off" either. Those birds were firmly held, with wings held firmly with their feet. No flapping, no running, and no bruising of the meat. Once they'd settled down a bit, and nervous reactions quieted, they were put into a tapered sleeve, tilted to allow full bleed out. The old timers were fussy about their meat cleaning. That would've been Grandma and nobody messed with Grandma's birds.

 

[they'reHISchickens]

AS much can go wrong internally in chickens as in any other species-- including humans! Just think of how many people we know who *suddenly* have something seriously wrong and they looked perfectly healthy.
It's unreasonable to think that every chicken processed is going to be perfect inside. The good news is that you have the option of deciding whether you want to keep the meat. Big Business doesn't decide it for you. If you are uncomfortable with its health condition, chuck the carcass and sleep well.

And as for the oops in cutting the vein... sharpen your knife... and then resharpen it.

 

[bantyhen'sfriend]

Fred's Hens :

When I was a young boy, my dad annually gave me 250 birds to grow out, care for, and clean up after. When time came for butchering, My dad gave me lessons that included a sharp, heavy hatchet and a broad stump. I had cut off the heads of hundreds and hundreds of chickens before my 12th birthday. It remains my preferred method of dispatching the birds.

There was no "running around like a chicken with it's head cut off" either. Those birds were firmly held, with wings held firmly with their feet. No flapping, no running, and no bruising of the meat. Once they'd settled down a bit, and nervous reactions quieted, they were put into a tapered sleeve, tilted to allow full bleed out. The old timers were fussy about their meat cleaning. That would've been Grandma and nobody messed with Grandma's birds.

I agree with Fred's Hens. We use an old hollow stump like a killing cone. The heads are chopped off and roll into the hole, and the body immediately follows. The birds bleed out, are not bruised, and dress out great.

It's always tough the first couple of times. I always remove the head, or at least break the neck, when I butcher or cull. If you only cut the veis, the birds bleed out slowly rather than dying instantly. This also involves more flopping as well. It does get easier as you go on.

We have had to throw away meat before, too. One of our cornish x had breast meat that looked fine, but when we cut into it to remove the meat from the body, it was green! Talk about :gross ! I did not want to eat any of that bird!

Edit for spelling.​

 

[KristyHall]

Thank you, I feel better. I grew up in a house hold where you use everything you can or your disrespecting the life that died to support you, and even though I buried the carcase i still felt like i was dishonoring the bird. I think next time I'm just going to use a sharp cleaver and remove the head. I buries it near my muscadine orchard so hopefully he'll feed the vines.
It's gonna be a while before I kill another bird though, I think I need time to recuperate.