Warm boot recommendations please

[Aunty e]

I feel horrible, horrible, horrible. I just dispatched the first of our dinners, and I tried to be as prepared as possible for it, but I still feel awful. I couldn't get anyone to show me how, so I used the broomstick method, as it seemed to be the most reliable and easiest (for me and him), and I think I got it right, but it still took a while for him to be still and quiet and I felt like such a murdering cow. We had a bit of a cuddle first, and I fed him a bit of sweetcorn. I hope it gets easier, because I've been snivelling for an hour, and I haven't even gotten to the dressing part yet. I know it will never be easy, but I feel so guilty.

[Couperman]

Try not to feel bad. People don't think about the unpleasantness of killing the food they eat unless they have to do it themselves.

 

You can beat yourself up about it all you like but if you like to eat meat (as I do) then you must accept that it once had a pulse.

 

Killing animals for food isn't evil, killing them for fun is.

 

At least you know he had a happy little life before his time came. You can't say that about a chicken you might buy oven ready from a shop can you?

 

Kev.

[Sheilaz]

I've made you a cuppa Aunty e. From what I've heard, it def. does get easier, mainly because you gain confidence. I don't suppose anyone would find it easy the first time.

If you have chosen to raise dinners, given them a good, comfortable life with compassion, and shown kindness & care with a swift end, then you've done a great job. (There is some involuntary movement after death).

 

I think I'll pop this in the chickens section if that's OK?

 

A browse in the River Cottage forum may make you feel more comfortable with this, and there's plenty of experience and understanding there which may make you feel less upset, but I'm sure it's a natural reaction.

 

Well done for seeing it through. xx

[BeckyBoo]

Aunty E, a hug for you, that must have been very hard, I don't know if I could have done it. But maybe it's something more people should have to try if they are meat eaters, maybe it will make them think about where their food really comes from. My children still eat chicken although it is now dawning on them that sunday lunch was once a living breathing bird, just like Rainbow and Duck and Lulu.

I hope once tomorrow comes you can also feel a little proud that you managed to do what a lot of people would never be brave enough to do. Good for you.

 

Mrs B

[moochoo]

Well done Aunty E. It's never easy to dispatch any animals. I help a farmer friend of mine with his Christmas dispatching. I know all of his animals are treated so well during their lives, plus they have a much longer life than regular supermarket 'meat'.

You're doing the right thing by being in control of your food. That bird will be treated with so much respect when you eat him because of your time with him.

It will get better, but it should never be a job done without emotion.

[Christian]

Don't feel bad Aunty E, you did a good thing! You should feel proud about what you have done. I had to kill a baby sparrow the other day. It had fallen out of the nest and had a deformed leg and wing. It was really hard to do, but for the best.

 

I would be more upset if you had no emotion. Emotion makes you human. Big hugs.

 

C x

[Aunty e]

Thanks for being so nice about it. I've been chucking corn at the rest of the chooks for the last half an hour to make up for it. I know he had a lovely (and much longer) life than a lot of boy chooks, and I think I'll feel much more confident the next time as I could tell when it was 'right' this time. My main worry was that I would mess it up and he would suffer unnecessarily, but I don't think he did. I'm going to pop onto rivercottage and have a look. (thanks for moving the post, wasn't really paying attention last night )

[bronze]

This may sound harsh but use every single bit of him that you can and enjoy it otherwise it will make you feel worse.

I'm contemplating my white wyandottes fate at the moment.

Remind me if I'm going to use any for food to make sure I have more than one suitable otherwise it becomes harder.

[fairy&cake]

this is why i cant eat meat.

 

I think its great that you did that! Well done!

 

ive been a Vegetarian since the Age of 4 Yrs old.

 

I dont like the thought of killing them , so i dont eat them,.

 

Well done to you though!

 

Do you think you'll actually be able to eat him??? ross wants to breed chooks to eat but i simply couldnt do it. Hes Bear grills type though and could do it easy.

 

I would cry for hours if i saw anything like that, but thats just me.

 

WELL DONE though!!! At first i was like OMG she killed him, but he was lucky to be a happy chook Well dont though

 

i just dont think i could do it!

 

Love L xxx

[Aunty e]

I'm going to take little cutey dutch to the city farm after work. He's too tiny and sweet, and I think he'll have a nice life there with my nankin cockerel from last year. They don't mind as long as they're little, and he's about the size of a pigeon but BOY is he noisy. So much noisier than the big boys, who aren't really crowing yet.

I did say to myself that I eat meat, and I shouldn't try and divorce myself from the reality of where it comes from. And I think it was a quick and stress free death, he was mostly still asleep thankfully. I shall make sure to do all of them at night so they're calm and the girls are tucked up in bed.

[fairy&cake]

thats a bit nicer if hes asleep and the girls as not looking.

 

i cant help it, the veggie in me feels sad for him. But i know males have a sad fate. ;(

[Olly]

I think you are very brave to do this. I wouldn't want to do it, but I eat meat (provided it's had a happy life) and it's a logical part of the process.

 

I'm not sure I could do the plucking and drawing bit though

 

Most of our grandparents grew up seeing animals killed for food and taking part in the process or the preparation of the animal (read Alison Uttley's 'A Country Child' for a brilliantly detailed description of pig-killing!).

 

Food production has become almost entirely separated from the food we buy, and that is what is contributing to a lot of the environmental problems we have.

 

I applaud you, Aunty E. - and I hope that you have a very tasty dinner.

[Snowy]

Just want to echo what has already been said AuntyE - well done. I think it will make you appreciate the meal far more and be more conscious of any waste. I would like to be able to do this as, no matter how hard I try, the meat I eat is divorced from where it came and we waste too much without a thought. Enjoy!

[The Dogmother]

Well done Aunty e, it can't have been easy for you, and your post has provoked some good, thought-provoking posts here from the other guys. I particularly like moochoo's

It will get better, but it should never be a job done without emotion

 

Speak to Lesley and Carl - I think I remember that they feed them bread soaked in brandy or something like that so they go happy. They then 'do' them away from the other chooks.

 

It will be the best chicken you've ever tasted... don't forget to make some soup!

[WitchHazel]

<> Thank you for sharing this. I think you're amazing, and I wish I had your courage and strength.

 

I'm a meat eater, I buy free range meat because I believe that at least the animal had a reasonable life. I am not strong enough to raise my own animals for meat, and I know this is a bit hypocritical. I really admire that you were able to do this.

 

I would also like to echo what others have said: your boy had a happy life with you, so he was very lucky.

 

I hope that it's easier for you next time.

 

All the best

[Krysia]

Well done.

 

We ate our cockerel earlier in the year and did him at dusk when they were all tucked up in bed and gently took him through the egg port and into the shed away from the girls.

 

Although I didn't do it I watched Paul do it because I decided if I wasn't able to witness it I shouldn't eat meat.

As everyone else said they have a far better life than most.

 

The only thing I would say is how old was he and have you ate him yet?

 

Kenwood (Thats another thing don't name anything you are thinking of eating it made it a lot worse!) was 9 months and was too old I think as he was very tough! have you ate yours?what was it like and how old was he?

 

We currently have eggs in an incubator, and tell you know we will be eating the Males knowing that they will haver had a happy life before hand.

[Guest]

I just want to re-iterate all the positive comments on here aunty 3 - well done you.

[CockADoodleDoo]

Next time you have to dispach one if you need to think about what a great life hes had compared to other chickens, hes had your treats and attention since he was born and hes lived a pleasureful life

[Jools]

Well done Aunty E - you are so much braver than me. I get all the pleasure of raising chicks and hubby gets the job of killing the boys. Even a huntin', shootin', fishin' man finds killing cockerals difficult to do

 

I'd recommend you put him in the freezer for a while before thinking of eating him. Hubby brought the first one in fresh to go in the oven and I spent the whole evening feeling physically sick ... and I wasn't even eating him! Several months in the freezer helps to disassociate the live bird with the carcase - honestly!

[Aunty e]

He was quite little boy, only four months or so old, but he was waking the neighbours, and being in a box in the shed under a blanky didn't seem to dissuade him from crowing incredibly loudly. He's surprisingly heavy dressed, much bigger than I thought, although much smaller than most store bought chooks would be.

 

I really really hated the plucking and 'drawing' bit. I was completely rubbish at it and it took nearly two hours. He's resting in the fridge and then I think it's straight into the freezer as the thought of eating him right now is making me feel really sick. Am praying that little dutch boy isn't noisy tomorrow, although there's no question of him meeting the broom handle, it will just mean an early morning trip to the farm, which I could live without, having been woken at six by my guilty conscience this morning.

[Charlottechicken]

I would also like to say well done to you as well Aunty E. I can see from your posts that it wasn't easy, and I am not sure I could ever do it. My mother can though, and she was my grandads assistant for the dispatching of sunday lunch when we stayed at my grandparents. I think the worst thing I remember was all the feathers and bits that flew out of the shed doorway when they emerged after plucking, sometimes it was like a snowstorm!

[The Dogmother]

Reminds me of the snowstorm in Lesley's polytunnel when they'd been plucking!

[Lovemychooks]

AuntyE, i've got the same problem, well done for doing it.

 

We've got 4 cockerels and need to dispatch 2 (our neighbour is having one of them and so are we) and i've asked my neighbour to do it but he keeps saying he won't do it unless I help him. I'm not looking forward to it but I know it has to be done.

 

At least you know your cockerel had a good life.

[beach chick]

exactly what the others have said - I think you were very brave, and of course you were sad, but it was the right thing to do.

 

we are considering raising some dinners at the moment, but I am not sure I would have the courage to do the deed - hypocritical of me. if I knew someone locally who could show me how I might be prepared to do it.

 

well done you, and I hope he tastes great!

[Guest]

Hi everyone...

 

Unfortunately one of my pekin bantam chicks has started crowing!!!

 

I will try to keep him as long as I can but if I get any complaints off the neighbours he'll have to go! (I doubt I will because I already have 1 cockerel but now they are in competition with each other and if anyone has to go it's the bantam)

 

Could Aunty e/someone else who has been through the process please give me some step by step advice on what you did from how to "do the deed" correctly to plucking and removing all unwanted internal body parts and preparing a bird for the freezer?

 

P.S. As he is a bantam bird he will obviously be quite small (not too small I hope as it would be a shame to waste him)

 

P.P.S I would still like to know the full process anyway for the future...