[kimT]

For all those who have or are interested in having your own table birds here are some pictures which I took yesterday of ours as today is the day they will be culled.
This is the very first time I have ever been involved with something like this and I'm not quite sure how I'm feeling about it all.

I am sad but I do know that these chooks have had a good life being free range and well cared for. Wish me luck for tonight.

[Poolfield2]

You're braver than me, I will have to just keep on with the egg diet and not the chicken diet!

Good luck, tell us how you cope when they are on the table :cry:

[Porffor]

Good luck! I do admire you, part of me thinks i'd like to do this, but not sure how the girls would cope either.

I'll bet they are tasty Especially as you know the lives they had and the respect shown in the culling.

[melc1962]

I couldn't do it and I thought I was quite callous with regard to pet rats but the big birds are different ...However, part of me feels that if we want to eat it we should be prepared to kill it. After a couple of months of a vegetarian diet you never know what you'd be prepared to do though, do you?
melc

[Tessh]

Its not as bad as it sounds or feels just seperate out the jobs by going for walks. Once they're all lined up for plucking they all look the same,  don't try to work out which is which, just do the jobs that need doing.
Good luck.

[richyrich7]

Good luck Kim  

[Foxy]

Good luck Kim, think of the life they've had!

[agapanthus]

Good for you Kim!.....I personally could'nt do.....Munty does ours and we are lucky that we can keep our meat birds in next door's old coop....that way I don't have get bonded too much to them......I'm a coward :oops: ...but they do taste soooooooo good!!!!

[poultrygeist]

Good luck KimT. We had one of GrannieAnnie's today and it was fantastic. I don't know how I would be but then I'm too cowardly to find out.
Well done for putting your money where your mouth is. Respect.

Rob  

[agapanthus]

Good luck KimT. We had one of GrannieAnnie's today and it was fantastic. I don't know how I would be but then I'm too cowardly to find out.
Well done for putting your money where your mouth is. Respect.

Rob  

Yeah....loads of respect!!!!

[SnooziSuzi]

Good luck Kim...I'm hoping to raise some for meat too.  Right now I'm all "yeah I could do that" and have even envisaged myself doing the deed but when it actually comes to it I think I might need a stiff cup of tea first!

Have you read Muntys helpguide on how to do it?  http://www.chat.allotment-garden.org/viewtopic.php?t=8581

it's graphic and not for the feint hearted but very informative

[Kate and her Ducks]

part of me feels that if we want to eat it we should be prepared to kill it. After a couple of months of a vegetarian diet you never know what you'd be prepared to do though, do you?
melc

I agree. Always said that my drake was going to be for the pot once he had done his duckling duties. Found the physical side easier than expected but the emotional a little difficult. Once done had a stiff G and T and put him in the freezer. Separating the deed and the eating helped and (coz he was a bit old and tough) made a stew for Sunday lunch that fed 8. Amazing how much more careful you are with food when you feel that you have a responsibility to it, if that makes any sense.

[GrannieAnnie]

I've helped Brian pluck ours a couple of times and I always feel weird pulling their feathers out when I've brought them up since day old.  But I know they had a good life with plenty of good food and water, and rain and sunshine.  So I just switch off and we listen to he radio as we work.  We've got to do some more tomorrow, and I must get their shed cleaned out soon and discinfected as the Babcocks are moving over there to let the little Amberlinks go into the big henhouse.

And as Rob said, they do taste GOOD!  The biggest ones we had are 11lbs, the smallest 6lb.

[kimT]

Ok folks...................job done.

I was a bit upset I couldn't help it but they were bought for a purpose and that was for the table.

I have 5 big chickens in my fridge now the smallest being 5lb 10oz the biggest 9lb!

All twenty five birds were a good weight and I think the smallest was 5lb 7oz
Not bad for our first attempt.

Thank you all for you good wishes and go and have a go never say you couldn't do it……………..yes, you can, I did.

[poultrygeist]

Well done you !  

Doesn't matter how upset you get, it's carrying it through that matters. All the more impressive.

Rob