Why do I beat myself up about butchering a few cockerels.

[Rahnee]

I had to do the same thing a couple months ago. It wasn't easy and I still feel squicky about it. But it's what had to be done.

We will be doing 4 broilers in another couple weeks. I'm not looking forward to it but my family needs to eat.

 

[RoosterTheHorse]

I don't know if I could cull the Cockerels or even know how, but I will say, we raised a batch of chicks and four out of nine were Cockerels. We let them hatch naturally, and one of my favorite chickens were their mother hen. We thought how cool is this and aren't they adorable and so cute with the mom.

But as they got older, and mind, we already had a couple of roosters, the young Cockerels started jumping on the hens, especially poor mom. And sometimes all three boys at a time, taking turns. They were really hot to trot.

So I am sad to say, keeping those Cockerels around cost me the life of the mother hen and another favorite hen, before I realized what was happening. I was a fairly new chicken owner, and didn't have a clue. Those hens probably, literally had their eggs scrambled inside of them. Then they got infections and died.

 

[bmurphy349]

Ok so we butchered three 5 month old cockerel this morning. I feel bad. I hatched them and raised them. But with the virus I didn’t want to take them to the animal auction because of the risk although it hasn’t been reported in the area yet.. they were over breeding the hens, and fighting a little..


So please no harshness on this. I understand some are for food. I was raised on a farm and raising cattle for butchering is often what we did. I have a hard time with it when I get attached, this happened one year I refused to eat any beef for a long time. A calf had a hard birth and I took to spoil it. I begged dad not to butcher it.. he said suck it up.. lol. I just feel bad that animal trusted me and I go and kill it. Lol. Mind you that I am a hunter and go kill deer every year.
If it’s mine I have these crazy I feel bad feelings. If it’s not mine it doesn’t bother me..

I guess it’s different for me when raised.. its mixed feelings..

I know I am a weird-o

Not a weirdo. My daughter ate some of our birds when we first got them. I tried it but would rather save the girls and buy chicken from the store. Lol.

 

[DobieLover]

Not a weirdo. My daughter ate some of our birds when we first got them. I tried it but would rather save the girls and buy chicken from the store. Lol.

What kind of existence do you think the chickens you bought from the store had before they arrived there all neatly packaged?

 

[madreofchickens]

@anacarov .... As quickly as possible.

I don't

Well this is a rather nasty reply. Is this totally necessary?
Regardless of your personal opinions on the matter of food sources, human beings ARE OMNIVORES. Our bodies were designed to process meat protein.
Every person makes their own choice on what protein source they choose to consume. The OP feels bad about making the correct chicken husbandry choice to HUMANELY process the excess cockerels to feed the family and improve the flock dynamics. YOU don't have to do that. That is YOUR choice.
Incidentally, how do you feel about other animals eating animals?? It happens all the time, everywhere. And when it does, it is not humane. It is painful and ugly.

The only reason you interpret it as nasty is because we are pointing out something that makes you feel uncomfortable. When there is a victim involved, taking a life is NOT a personal choice. You are absolutely right. There are plenty of other protein sources to choose from that do not involve taking an innocent life. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the largest body of nutrition scientists and professionals in the world (and they are NOT vegan) released a peer-reviewed statement in 2016 concluding that a well-planned plant-based diet is adequate for all stages of life.

How do I feel about animals eating other animals? Are you comparing yourself to a lion now? A tiger? A wolverine? Are we not able to make compassionate choices? There are plenty of behaviors that we do not emulate from non-human animals. Why cherry pick? Because it's convenient? Or does your mere desire to consume the flesh of a once living being that primitive?

 

[madreofchickens]

There’s no reason to take the life of an innocent being. None. We don’t need to eat them or wear them or exploit them in any other manner. So if you already killed it then yeah suck it up and get over it you’ve already done it so why care about it now.

Thank you for speaking up for them! ❤

 

[DobieLover]

Or does your mere desire to consume the flesh of a once living being that primitive?

Yes!!
But at least I can take that life swiftly and prevent needless suffering.
Again, no matter your stance on killing and eating animals, that is your personal choice. Nothing you write in this thread is going to sway others to change theirs.

 

[Mvan42]

@anacarov be nice.. God put animals her as a food source for us. That’s life.. if you don’t agree with it then don’t be following this thread or others like it..

 

[Marthamae21]

I am grateful that you acknowledge feeling like this. I don't think we can stay human without an appreciation of the life in other creatures.

 

[madreofchickens]

@anacarov be nice.. God put animals her as a food source for us. That’s life.. if you don’t agree with it then don’t be following this thread or others like it..

This thread has nothing to do with God. It has to do with making moral choices. God put us on this Earth to be the caretakers of His animals. He gave them the ability to suffer and feel joy. He gave us free will, yes, but would He prefer that we inflict suffering on His animals? Or would He prefer that we do not? What do you think? By the way, I'm not going to leave a conversation because someone disagrees with me lol