Genre: Forum

Thank you all for your advice and wisdom! I honestly do feel better about processing my boys after reading your responses, it seems we chicken farmers do think alike... go figure. ;) I'll still probably go with the $2 butcher rather than doing it myself, but I'm feeling a lot less squeamish about the process. After all, I do eat meat, and the only difference between store chicken and my chickens is that I knew them when they had their feathers still on! I think I'll try to think of them less as individual lives I'm responsible for (which is kinda what I was doing) and more as animals who, if I wasn't shutting them in a coop every night, would probably be eaten by something else. Quote: Originally Posted by ChickensRDinos I told my fiance right before my first processing that this was going to either make me a vegetarian or a farmer so be prepared. Farmer it is. The truth is that I eat meat and all of those animal that I eat everyday are no different from the ones I raise. To me, I am far kinder to the ones I kill than to the ones I buy. I would ideally like to get to the point someday where I am not buying much at all. I find a sort of zen and respect in doing it myself and in letting as little as possible go to waste and in a good life and a good death. If you are interested in doing it yourself I have a good video I found that shows a humane process and butchering. The woman who does it has a great philosophy. Let me know if you want it. I totally hear you on the zen and respect part. If I kill a rooster, I will definitely waste as little as possible! I'd love to see the video too, if possible? I think I'm a long way to being comfortable enough to kill them myself, but I'd like to see what the process entails. I'm not going to lie, the first time was hard. I catch spiders on post-its and carry them outside and I was not sure I was going to be able to do it but now I am really glad I did. Doing it yourself gives you a whole new appreciation for everything you eat. It made me think a lot. This is the method I use and my favorite video on the subject. WARNING: a chicken is killed in this video. There are two parts. The first is processing and the second is butchering. I found both very helpful. There are lots of ways to go about it so it's really whatever works for you. Keep in mind if you go this route that you want to cut the jugular not the wind pipe. Feel the chickens throat before you start and you can feel the different parts. Also, the chicken will move after it is dead. This is normal and happens when anything dies. Don't beat yourself up thinking it is suffering for a long time. When it bleeds out it dies very quickly. The way she pulled the head freaked me out a little so I used heavy duty garden shears and cut instead. Maybe get them done the first time and work your way up to it. I euthanized a sick bird before I processed any of mine and it was sort of a stepping stone I guess. I'm glad you found it useful. I am a very visual learner and watched A LOT of videos before I felt comfortable and this one was my favorite by far. I really like her overall attitude and thought she did a great walkthrough. I'm not going to lie, the first time was hard. I catch spiders on post-its and carry them outside and I was not sure I was going to be able to do it but now I am really glad I did. Doing it yourself gives you a whole new appreciation for everything you eat. It made me think a lot. This is the method I use and my favorite video on the subject. WARNING: a chicken is killed in this video. There are two parts. The first is processing and the second is butchering. I found both very helpful. There are lots of ways to go about it so it's really whatever works for you. Keep in mind if you go this route that you want to cut the jugular not the wind pipe. Feel the chickens throat before you start and you can feel the different parts. Also, the chicken will move after it is dead. This is normal and happens when anything dies. Don't beat yourself up thinking it is suffering for a long time. When it bleeds out it dies very quickly. The way she pulled the head freaked me out a little so I used heavy duty garden shears and cut instead. Maybe get them done the first time and work your way up to it. I euthanized a sick bird before I processed any of mine and it was sort of a stepping stone I guess. Thank You Both. I know the lady in the film will never see this but it is still proper. i do not agree with this vid. I freeze my older ones and have raised meat chickens. The easiest and most human way is just grab them by the legs and put there head on an old log. They will stretch there necks over the log. Have a sharp Axe and one swing its all over. Think about it. Would I rather have my throat slit or in one easy motion have my head cut off. I'll take the second. If you have a problem with killing your own chickens then I would have someone do it for you. I been hunting my whole life so it really doesn't bother me. I love my chickens but really try hard not to get to attached to them. Because they are for eggs. And when they are not producing like they should it's time to go. I rotate them every 3 years. Just the way it is. Have you tried Craigslist?? I sell a lot of chickens on there. They don't last an hour when I list them. Might be another option for you. To me, death is a spiritual thing. Everything in life must die. Everything in life, must take life in some form to live. Life begets life. We can't get around it. What we can do is respect that life. Take care of what takes care of us. Treat your food like it will soon become part of you, it will. To me, death is a spiritual thing. Everything in life must die. Everything in life, must take life in some form to live. Life begets life. We can't get around it. What we can do is respect that life. Take care of what takes care of us. Treat your food like it will soon become part of you, it will. Just read the thread, thanks everyone for sharing.  This is my first year with chickens (got my first hens in August).  I did however make a promise to myself before I got them that I would learn how to cull for the stock pot when the time arrives.  I absolutely think that it's a valuable lesson for meat eaters.  Every time I purchase chicken from the grocery store I envision they way the bird lived.  Giving my birds a more than decent life is a priority of mine but managing my chickens for my benefit is a priority.  I appreciate the candid discussion.