YOU EAT REAL CHICKENS? ARE YOU INSANE??

[Allysha1990]

I am going to try tomorrow. We have 7 more that need to be butchered. Ugh, a bit nervous, but I just feel like I need to do it in order to fully appreciate it. It also makes me feel like a hypocrite if I don't do it and then rant about how great homesteading is lol!
I shall keep you informed of my progress, which might be interesting considering I almost passed out cleaning a bleeding bumble on my rooster's foot :S

 

[BCMaraniac]

I am going to try tomorrow. We have 7 more that need to be butchered. Ugh, a bit nervous, but I just feel like I need to do it in order to fully appreciate it. It also makes me feel like a hypocrite if I don't do it and then rant about how great homesteading is lol!
I shall keep you informed of my progress, which might be interesting considering I almost passed out cleaning a bleeding bumble on my rooster's foot :S

You will be fine. I don't know how you plan to butcher, but I would have a problem using an axe or hatchet. We use a cone, and I use the knife. Yesterday, I had my hubby do it so that he would know just where to cut.

I think the important thing is to feel comfortable enough doing it so that you can if you ever have to do it by yourself.

 

[fosterson]

I killed the first two roosters from my flock yesterday and the reactions from people upon hearing this have been amazing! First they snarl and wrinkle their noses, then they say "really?!" ...as if they can't believe that I would eat a real chicken, one that had been alive!!!

I don't eat fake vegetables. Why would I eat fake meat?

Seriously, though, I feel your pain. I had to cull one of my first birds because she was getting cannibalistic - and I had a friend from back in the big city calling no kill shelters to try and get a 'good home' for her. Nastiest hen I ever met!

She was delicious.

 

[Elke Beck]

I don't eat fake vegetables. Why would I eat fake meat?

Seriously, though, I feel your pain. I had to cull one of my first birds because she was getting cannibalistic - and I had a friend from back in the big city calling no kill shelters to try and get a 'good home' for her. Nastiest hen I ever met!

She was delicious.

 

[Allysha1990]

You will be fine. I don't know how you plan to butcher, but I would have a problem using an axe or hatchet. We use a cone, and I use the knife. Yesterday, I had my hubby do it so that he would know just where to cut.

I think the important thing is to feel comfortable enough doing it so that you can if you ever have to do it by yourself.

We do the same thing but without a kill cone. I thought there would be a lot more thrashing around and squawking and what not, but it was actually quite and calm.
I am defiantly not looking forward to butchering the rest of the roosters in -18 (feels like -29'C) weather tomorrow :S

Annd as for a no kill shelter for a hen... LOL!

 

[offgridhermit]

I have a dumb question.

When butchering, why can't you put the bird in the cone and just LOP OFF the head completely, instead of slitting the throat and bleeding them out while still alive? Shouldn't they still bleed out without the head? I haven't butchered yet put plan to give it a try next year.

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

I have a dumb question.  When butchering, why can't you put the bird in the cone and just LOP OFF the head completely, instead of slitting the throat and bleeding them out while still alive? Shouldn't they still bleed out without the head? I haven't butchered yet put plan to give it a try next year.

You want the heart to help bleed the bird out by continuing to pump. Slitting through the veins with a super sharp knife is smooth and efficient. Cutting the head clear off could stop the heart.

 

[Allysha1990]

You want the heart to help bleed the bird out by continuing to pump. Slitting through the veins with a super sharp knife is smooth and efficient. Cutting the head clear off could stop the heart.

I agree. I thought that slitting the throat would be awful, but the birds didn't make any noise or even try to flop around, they just stayed still until just before they died when the nerves started convulsing. Also, cutting the head off it NOT as easy as it looks lol!

 

[offgridhermit]

You want the heart to help bleed the bird out by continuing to pump. Slitting through the veins with a super sharp knife is smooth and efficient. Cutting the head clear off could stop the heart.

Thanks, that explains a lot and makes sense; but then makes me wonder why some people use a hatchet, and others just wring the neck and kill them first.

 

[BCMaraniac]

I have a dumb question.

When butchering, why can't you put the bird in the cone and just LOP OFF the head completely, instead of slitting the throat and bleeding them out while still alive? Shouldn't they still bleed out without the head? I haven't butchered yet put plan to give it a try next year.

Actually, my husband told me a couple of days ago that one of the guys he works with actually does that.