Butchering Day

[curly_kate]

Well, today is d-day for the chicken nuggets. We've done it before, and it goes fine, but man do I dread it! I still think it's good that we raise meat birds, but this has to be my LEAST favorite farm chore. It's dirty, smelly, hot work (especially on a day like today!), and I always feel a little bad about it. Not bad enough to stop eating chicken, tho! Anyway, just wanted to vent before it gets underway. Thanks for listening!

 

[lesa]

Hope all goes well for you..If you didn't feel a little bad about it- it wouldn't be right. I think we are so lucky to have ultimate control of what we eat, and how our animals live and die. The average person shopping in the grocery is really cheated. My SIL didn't want my nephews to know that we butchered our chickens. Yet, she feeds them chicken nuggets a few times a week. Just don't understand it... Hoping for a few cool breezes blowing your way!

 

[desertlady]

I had to go through this when I was younger I hated it ! I couldnt do it any more as I got older ! But thats life ! someones got to do it !

 

[Ridgerunner]

Reminds me of a high school/college girl from church that used to chicken set for us when we went on vacation. She went home one time after feeding our chickens and said "Mama, I think they EAT their chickens!!!" She was teacher of the year in the school she now teaches at.

I never enjoy the killing part, but I keep chickens for the meat more than the eggs. It's a necessary part for me or else I would not have them at all. They would never live to chase a grasshopper or enjoy any other pleasures of their short but high-quality life. I've got 23 eggs in the incubator due Wednesday, and yes, this is a meat hatch.

 

[ninnymary]

curly-kate, I wish I could share the experience. I think it would make me a stronger person. I am just so squimish. I totally support people who do this. I don't think I would mind the dirty, smelly, hot part. It's just the "other" part. But I do want to try to get over it and see it being done.

Can you do it like at 5am so it won't be so hot?

Mary

 

[Stubbornhillfarm]

Hope it all went well for you! We have about 5 weeks to go until ours are ready and then we will be doing the same thing.

 

[so lucky]

Last fall I observed "chicken processing day" at the farm where I get milk. The main thing that bothered me was that the chickens that were "waiting for service" could see the killing of the others. The killing seemed humane and not even painful, but it bothered me that the chickens could see what would be their fate.

 

[curly_kate]

Well, we're all done, cleaned up, and have 10 lovely birds in the freezer. The one thing about raising Cornish crosses instead of regular layers is that they really ARE better looking in the fridge! We kept ours in the barn, out of view of the butchering area, which both of us prefer. I want to stress them out as little as possible. I think the hardest part is killing the first bird. After that, you get into a routine and you get kind of used to it. And I feel better that I know that these birds were not mistreated in any way or stuffed with food until they broke a leg or keeled over from a heart attack.

And thanks for your words of support! It's always nice knowing that there are people who understand why I do what I do.

 

[ninnymary]

Kate, how long did it take to do 10 birds?

so lucky, now you really make me want to see it done.

Mary

 

[swampducks]

We did the Cornish x's a few times and finally decided this year to switch to regular breeds. I got some dark cornish and am planning on keeping one of those roos and seeing what I come up with using some dual purpose hens. (buckeyes, wyandottes, etc) I know I'm not going to get anything like the CX's but I got tired of coddling them and watching them blow through 100s of pounds of feed.

I also got some golden buffs and those roos are a pretty nice size, no where near as big as the CXs but definitely bigger than the average roo. I'm keeping those hens for the Dark cornish as well.

I let DH do the actually killing and most of the plucking but I get the fun of gutting and pin feathers. When we got the Cornish x's we usually took them over to the Amish, at least when we did multiple birds. Whichever birds we have though, they're all pretty darned tasty!