Who could stand to butcher their chickens

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RoostersCrow said:
Thank you GaryDean26 , for bringing up the fact that Show Quality heritage breeds are better for meat then the light weight hatchery versions. I don't think that a whole lot of new chicken owners realize that there's a difference.
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Yes...most owners (and some of the so called breeders too) don't realize that there is a difference when they get their first chickens, but after they start keeping them and learning about them they often learn the difference and look for better quality the 2nd time around. It is just too sad that some don't learn the difference and instead of getting something better the 2nd time they simple say they tried and give up without ever seeing good examples of the breed.

For those who want to know what the difference is between show quality and hatchery chickens here is one breeders experience with hatchery New Hampshires vs. German New Hampshires breed to the breed standards. I thought this was very enlightening.
 
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We have 60-ish chickens (I'm afraid to count). The main flock consists of about 12 Brahma hens and a couple of Jersey Giants between 6 and 8 years old, and yes, they are pets. They all have names and I would as soon eat my dog as them! Interestingly, they are all still laying, each giving me probably 3-4 eggs weekly. As there are only the two of us, that gives us plenty of eggs. Yes, I'm losing money feeding them, but that's okay. We have an old roo who had a stroke a couple of months ago and is now in a coop by himself, taking up space as well as feed, but he was the first chicken I ever hatched and will live out his life with us. He's around 7 years old, too. My oldest girl (a mixed breed bantam) is nearly 8 years old and faithfully lays every day when she's not broody. She is a good mom and raises anything I put under her, so she earns her keep.

The rest of the flock comes and goes, as I am addicted to hatching, but mostly we grow them up and take them to chicken swaps, only adding one or two every now and then to the main flock. We give away our extra cockerels, knowing that they will probably end up on the somebody's dinner plate, which is okay, too.

We tried raising some for food a couple of times, but those Cornish crosses are dirty, smelly birds, and we decided we would much rather go to the local grocery store for our chicken!
 
I could never kill any of my or other chickens. They're just so sweet and never wish you any harm. When you look into their beautiful little eyes, you just decide you love them. I don't understand how anyone can kill them but they do. I guess some people don't get attached to them as easily, or they are just better farmers. I could never kill any animal. Not a cow pig chicken nothing. So I always feel kinda sad when I hear stories on here about someone killing their chickens. My chickens aren't livestock or pets. They are family. I would never kill one.
 
I feel the same. My chickens are basically pets.

But. My family eats chicken that we buy at the grocery store, and these chickens are raised in awful circumstances. I can't justify this to myself and have been buying less and less chicken meat. I don't think there are any easy answers. We each have to examine our own motives and actions and be comfortable with our own decisions.
 
normanack said:
I feel the same. My chickens are basically pets.

But. My family eats chicken that we buy at the grocery store, and these chickens are raised in awful circumstances. I can't justify this to myself and have been buying less and less chicken meat. I don't think there are any easy answers. We each have to examine our own motives and actions and be comfortable with our own decisions.
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Well said! Our chickens are livestock, but are well cared for and killed humanely. It's over before they know it. I would rather eat my own chickens and know where the meat comes from and what goes into it (er, at least kind of - they free range so I don't know everything that they eat...). In my opinion, home-grown chicken tastes so much better and has much better texture than what you buy in the grocery store. If you raise chickens and want them processed, but don't have the heart to do it yourself, you can see if there is a processing place where they can do it for you. Just load them up, haul them in, come get them later.
 
Mrs. K said:
Too each their own....

Some people like having pets, they tend to keep them til they die, and feel bad when they lose them.

Some people like having flocks. To have a viable flock, new members are added, and old members removed. These people tend to keep chickens for years and even decades, but not the same chickens.

Mrs K
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Well said x2 !
 
We've had a non-laying hen (called Amelia) for more than a year and a half. I think she's laid a total of four eggs in her life, but since we have a rooster and she's one of only five hens, we've kept her around. It's likely we'll buy a few new chicks in the spring, and when the pullets start laying, I'll dispatch Amelia for the stew pot. I ran across an interesting article about hobby chicken farmers, their reluctance to butcher them, and the unforeseen consequences — http://www.timescall.com/opinion/ci_24689206/backyard-chickens-require-plan?source=most_viewed
 
This weekend we processed 14 of our CX. We set up an assembly type line. My hubby did the deed for almost all of them and then I felt I had gone this far I really should make an attempt at every aspect of the process. I was already doing each of the other tasks...just not the killing part. So hubby set it up and I did it. I just went for it, didn't wanna think about it, I was a lil sad, but each one gets a lil bit easier. I held each bird before hand keeping them calm and thanked them.
I think being very prepareed equipment wise and reading Soooooo much and watching Soooooo many videos AND asking others who Have done it for any obscure advice the books leave out helped immensely!

Hubby says he'll still do the deed in the future but he was proud to know I CAN if I had to.

The birds had a great life with one bad day and are providing quality, homegrown meat for my family and friends. I am very pleased with the results.
 

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