Introduction via a painful learning experience

[OldFarmernan]

I am Nancy from California. For 3 years now I have been selling eggs and raising chickens, ducks, quail and someday hopefully, geese. I have about 100 laying hens, 50ish pullets, 60 coturnix quail, 30ish welsh harlequin, silver Appleyard ducks and a goose.
I was so excited to find a website that was selling a variety of threatened geese I wanted. (Pomeranians) I ended up losing about $400 to Aylabackyard Poultry and learned it was a scam. Being a bit sad and hopefully wiser, I found the BackYard Chicken website and I decided to become a member.
I love my birds and I find it very painful to have to butcher them. I am hoping to get my head and heart around this part of farming/raising birds. I only sell eggs and don't sell the butchered birds. Even though I know the animal feeds my family, I put it off and I just struggle with ending their little feathered lives. Does anyone else feel like this? What do you tell yourself to make yourself comfortable with the cycle of life and death on a farm? I know I can't be such a wimp; death and life go hand and hand on a farm but...
Warmly,
Nancy

 

[GodLovesU]

 

[muddy75]

 

[WingItRanch]

Hi Nancy! Welcome to BYC. I'm sorry to hear you got scammed.

As for butchering, I agree. It is very hard to mentally wrap my mind around it. I've been considering meat birds for a while now but didn't know if I'd have the stomach for it. I decided to do a "trial run" on a very human aggressive cockerel that was also rough on my hens when he mated them. I found it *slightly* easier to butcher him because he was so darn mean. It was a tough day but in the end I was proud of myself for having the courage to do it and we had a delicious meal so he did not go to waste. I even used the bones to make stock. I promised my family that I wouldn't name any of the chickens and am always reminding myself they're livestock here on the ranch.

I've heard it gets easier (both mentally and physically) with time.

I wish you good luck!

 

[007Sean]

Howdy, Nancy and Welcome to Backyard Chickens.

Happy to have you here with us. Enjoy your time here at BYC!

Thanks for joining our community!

 

[janiedoe]

Welcome to BYC, Nancy! My heart goes out to you. I don't fault anyone for raising their birds for food. I don't do so myself because I get too attached to them. I'll leave it to someone else to help you through this.

 

[N F C]

Hi Nancy, I've never butchered any of the birds I've had, but more power to those that do to feed their families. Thanks for joining us.

 

[Debbie292d]

Hiya, Nancy, and welcome to BYC!

Growing up, I helped my parents butcher hundreds of chickens every year. Advance 50 or so years, and after watching a YouTube for how to do it, hubby and I just looked at each other and said, "Nah!" So I don't blame you.

We're glad you're here!

 

[Appalachickens]

We have talked about butchering chickens past their laying years, and I do see them as livestock, but I'm also attached already to my little chicks and have named them. It's a tough one. When I was a kid, I raised pigs, though, and they were named and butchered in time. What I remind myself is that killing your own chickens for food is infinitely more humane than buying factory-farmed chickens to eat. They lead desperately horrible lives, just like cows on CAFOs. As the farmer we buy beef from says about her cows, "They only have one bad day."

 

[sourland]

Hello, Nancy, and welcome to BYC.