I can't cull! What is wrong with me???

[mom4morecritters]

PouletsDeCajun - You sound great up there on your soap box... stay for awhile!

BTW, I agree with you!

Last summer my oldest son continually asked if we could raise chickens. I told him that we would this year. He is mentally impaired and won't be able to live on his own as an adult. Finding something that interests him, that could possibly train him for a field he can work in as an adult, is always something that interests me (his job options will be very limited). So, when Spring came and the chickens showed up at our local fleet store, I read up on the different breeds they had available and my son and I bought four different breeds, two pullets per breed.

A month later I saw the Bantams and went overboard! LOL! Yes, I bought them because they were cute and fuzzy! However, the bottom line is I do consider myself to be a responsible chicken-keeper and I have every intention of doing the "right thing". I'm still trying to figure out HOW to do it!

I've done the butcher-chicken thing when I was a kid and I do NOT have fond memories. If someone else would butcher them for me I would not have a problem feeding our chickens to my family. The problem is I can't bring myself to going through the whole butchering process myself.

JarHead, My hubby is a hunter as well. He also hunts to feed our family. I do understand what you are saying because I was raised pretty much the same way. The difference between growing up and now is that my Dad always took care of the butchering, now it's up to ME! (Geez, I sound like I'm 10!)

PurpleChicken, You are very right, I'm not disagreeing with you at all. I'm at the "suck-it-up" stage and learning how to deal with this for the first time. I'm sure you will be very proud of my "growth" in another year or two!

I'm still a newbie and VERY wet behind the ears! Having you, and the rest of the site, has been incredibly beneficial to me already. (Shoot, that sounds like I'm sucking up...

sorry, that wasn't my intention!)

I'm still learning... I know I have a long way to go but I'm getting there.... slowly but surely!

~Anne

 

[Poulets De Cajun]

Quote:
And that is all you can do! Learning is always responsible!

 

[rebecca10782]

There is nothing wrong with you. You have a heart. Don't ever change that.

 

[nnbreeder]

A rag soaked with starting fluid works very well if you do not plan on eating the meat. On small birds like crippled chicks just place the rag in an airtight container with the chick and walk away for five minutes or so. On a full grown bird just hold it over the nostrils but it will take about fifteen minutes, they go to sleep quickly and just go into an ever deeper sleep till they cease to breath. Still it is not an easy task by any means.

 

[Poulets De Cajun]

Quote:
OK... here I go again.

Lighter fluid has been proven to not be effective. Some birds have been known to flop around in a five gallon bucket with a rag soaked in lighter fluid for 30 minutes or more. Its basically suffocating the bird, and that doesn't happen as quickly as some of the other methods.

Personally if I have to dispatch a bird for injury or illness, I dont want to have to hold the bird any longer than I have to, and certainly not for 15 minutes or more.

 

[rebecca10782]

Quote:
I'm only going to say this one thing, one time, and then I'll get off my soap box.....

People tend to get into this "Wonderful World" of chicken raising because they see cute little Silkies. Or they see a brooder full of cute little chicks scurrying around with all the new fluffy down feathers.

But they never, EVER think about the possibility that they will one day have to cull a bird for any number of reasons (injury, illness, sustinance....)

This part of the poultry world, that ISN'T discussed nearly enough in my opinion, is sometimes a necessary evil. Nobody likes it, because if we would we'd all be freaks of human nature who are incapable of human emotions.

So there isn't anything wrong with you. There are many, MANY more folks out there who are just like you and CANNOT do it.

But, if you're a responsible chicken owner, you will work yourself around the idea and realize one day that you are doing the right thing for the animal.

There.... I'm stepping down now.

I agree in putting an animal down if they are suffering, but to hatch out eggs and then kill the males because you have to many, is just irresponsible and cruel. If you can't have roosters, then you should adopt pullets or be sure to have a home lined up if you end up with roosters.

 

[Poulets De Cajun]

Quote:
I apologize that you do not agree with the reality of the situation. But the fact of the matter is that there aren't that many "homes" willing to accept Roosters.

Having more than one male, usually means that you have to have more than one facility to house them, and for alot of people this is just not feesible.

And not hatching chicks, and only adopting pullets isn't a solution either. Someone somewhere has to hatch out those pullets, and surely they were hatched with equal amounts of males.

If you only want to adopt the pullets, what will they do with the males? Turning them loose isn't an option, and despite everyone's best efforts, there will never be enough homes for every rooster born to this world.

Like I've said in a previous post. Sometimes its a necessary evil.

Again, I apologize if you dont agree.

 

[PurpleChicken]

Quote:
I was a bit harsh when I first responded. Sorry to sound so insensative.
Whenever people talk to me about getting into chickens I try to explain that you will
almost certainly have to cull a bird at some point, especially if you are going to hatch.
IT'S NOT EASY AND THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH YOU. TAKING A LIFE IS HARD.
My first cull was a 3 week old who had it's head ripped open. I was VERY UPSET
after having to do the deed. Even now, after processing many chickens, it still isn't
easy and I find myself having others swing the hatchet while I pluck.

You will get there. I am sure of that. If you have a chick who is suffering you will
do what you need to do and we will all be here for support.

 

[PurpleChicken]

Quote:
Hatcheries basically throw live male chicks into dumpsters because the males have so
little value so every time you order a pullet there is usually a cockeral who died a horrible
death that you don't see. I refuse to order pullets only based on this fact.

I didn't see anywhere in this thread where someone said to cull the male chicks. Many
of us hatch chicks, treat them very well, and at some point cull the roos for food.
They are given a good, albeit short life, humanely culled, feed our families, and reduce
the evils of factory farming.

I'm not saying everyone MUST do this. It's a free country and a personal decision. I know
many people who don't have the stomach for it. I just think many folks don't realize
the big picture nor do they realize how much inner strength they truly have.

 

[Buster]

Quote:
OK... here I go again.

Lighter fluid has been proven to not be effective. Some birds have been known to flop around in a five gallon bucket with a rag soaked in lighter fluid for 30 minutes or more. Its basically suffocating the bird, and that doesn't happen as quickly as some of the other methods.

Personally if I have to dispatch a bird for injury or illness, I dont want to have to hold the bird any longer than I have to, and certainly not for 15 minutes or more.

Personally, I dispatch roosters to eat when I have too many. Nothing wrong with that either. I raise chicks will the full intent of eating the extra roosters.