Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[WonkierZulu]

Hello everyone,
So my flock has been diagnosed with Marek's disease, over this last spring and summer I have collected some birds for a breeding project I was going to do. But now that I have marek's in my flock that went out the window. I have not decided if I want to breed for resistance yet or not. All I know is I have too many birds (I intended on selling the extra birds that I did not need for the breeding project). So now I need to thin out my flock, I have decided to have them butchered and I will put them in the freezer for eating.

The thing is, I dont know how to go about the butchering process as I have never dont it. I was going to ask my SO, but between his flock not having marek's in his flock and the attitude he gave me when I said I wanted my chickens killed via throat slit and he wanted to wring their necks and I feel like that is just a little brutal and I dont really want to see my chickens manhandled like that and I didn't want the drama of fighting him about that. And again I dont want him to bring it home to his chickens.

So I have made the decision to see if anyone in the Skagit county area that has mareks in their flock already (so there is less of a risk of spreading it to an unaffected flock) will help me and teach me how to do the whole process. I do not mind if we just skin them, the person that is willing to help me with this thinks it would be easy enough to pluck then I dont mind doing that either.

So if there is in Skagit area that is willing to travel to Sedro-Woolley to help me butcher some of my chickens It would be much appreciated. I can share some of the meat with you. Though they are not the biggest birds, I have Easter eggers, polish, a silkie rooster, and some Sebrights to butcher. Some need butchering now, and some need to wait a couple of months to grow a little. I have 6 (maybe 7 cant make up my mind on one) that need to be culled now, and 5 (maybe more if some of the Sebrights end up being mean).

Some restraining cones are probably best bet with a sharp knife. There are plenty of videos on YouTube how to butcher poultry. Also probably some threads on here how to butcher.

 

[ninja333pirate]

Some restraining cones are probably best bet with a sharp knife. There are plenty of videos on YouTube how to butcher poultry. Also probably some threads on here how to butcher.

Thanks for the advice, I just dont want to end up ruining a bird learning, so am trying to see if I can find a person to teach me, if all else fails I will attempt it myself though.

 

[Grandmas Coop]

Thanks for the advice, I just dont want to end up ruining a bird learning, so am trying to see if I can find a person to teach me, if all else fails I will attempt it myself though.

I sent you a message on how my husband does it

 

[Grandmas Coop]

I hear we are in for a big storm
https://www.accuweather.com/en/wint...clone-is-set-to-wallop-the-west-coast/1035069

But Nick says, no big deal - https://www.kiro7.com/weather/

 

[pennyJo1960]

I bought kill cones off Amazon not allot of money but helps

 

[WonkierZulu]

I bought kill cones off Amazon not allot of money but helps

Also you can buy traffic cones at home depot modify them to work that's even a cheaper alternative.

 

[Sequel]

Well the wind just started here a minute or two ago! Will we lose power or won’t we? I’m thinking probably will.

 

[WonkierZulu]

I'm in cowlitz rain is in no heavy winds yet.

 

[Sequel]

I'm in cowlitz rain is in no heavy winds yet.

I’m smack in the middle of Puget Sound. No rain yet although they’ve promised it for days! Lol

 

[pennyJo1960]

We have sprinkles coming down a few good breezes