| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Love-in-a-Mist |
Posted - Jun 30 2007 : 10:48:43 AM
I went out to feed my chickens and noticed 2 of the hens were fighting like roosters. The bully was my little ugly frizzle that has lost almost all of her feathers. They have not grown back for a long time and her poop is really large and almost smells like dog poop. I have been worried that she was sick for a while now. She bloodied the other hens face and everyone was starting to peck the blood.
The hurt hen was tired and easy to catch so I seperated her. But then I went back and looked at the other hen. I knew something had to be done with her, but my husband is swathing and would get annoyed if I asked him to "take care of her".
So I remembered how he rung the roosters necks by grabbing their necks and swinging them around. It was over in a few seconds, no problem.
Well, I asked my son to hold the door while I got the icky hen. I grabbed her and she really put up a fight. My stomach got sick and I wanted to cry. I pinned her on the ground and grabbed her neck. I swung as hard as I could. When I thought that it was over I put her down. SHE WAS STILL ALIVE!!! I started crying and caught her again. Then I swung until I knew for sure it was over. HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE!!!! I hugged my 5 year old son and he wondered what was wrong with me? You gotta love farm kids. I will never, ever try to kill anything with my bare hands AGAIN!!! 
http://diaryofafarmerswife.blogspot.com/ |
| 9 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Love-in-a-Mist |
Posted - Jul 01 2007 : 07:30:23 AM
Thank you girls for the love. I knew farm girls would understand.
http://diaryofafarmerswife.blogspot.com/ |
| junkjunkie |
Posted - Jun 30 2007 : 4:55:47 PM
Shannon, I'll bet that was hard! If I lived on a farm, that's one thing I would struggle to do...I don't know if I could do it. It just shows how much inner strength you have (you may not realize it) and you did what you had to do. Try not to let it bother you (easy for me to say), you had to protect the other hens. |
| FarmGirl~K |
Posted - Jun 30 2007 : 4:10:27 PM
Alee it was hard & I did feel bad for them, but I did love being out there. Putting the blinders on them really helped with the problem. I think he had enough too after that though. He tried several other methods of keeping birds there & I dont think he has the pheasant anymore unless he gets them from someone else. Most just come out to hunt geese now, & those come on their own. I don't know what causes the birds to do that?? All of that was new to me. I hope when I have my someday farm I don't have to encounter ever having to decide what Shannon has. It would be hard, but you have to protect the others, we wouldnt treat another predator any differently. One of my friends recently had 2 of her peacocks killed by a bob cat. Her birds were worth quite a bit. I am sure she will have to deal with that bobcat if it returns.
"Work as if you were to live a hundred years, pray as if you were to die tomorrow." ~Benjamin Franklin~
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| Alee |
Posted - Jun 30 2007 : 2:01:29 PM
Kelly-
I am not sure I would have been able to help out on a farm like that! I would have felt so bad for the poor birds :(
Alee
The amazing one handed typist! One hand for tying, one hand to hold Nora! |
| Runbikegrrl |
Posted - Jun 30 2007 : 1:01:53 PM
Shannon try not to think about it too much, I know that is hard...but you did what you needed to do! AND I am sure you are a hero in the tiny mind of that hen that had her face peck till it was bloody!
Hugs
MaryAnn
"So many interests so little time!"
http://lovelifelivegrrl.blogspot.com/ |
| FarmGirl~K |
Posted - Jun 30 2007 : 1:00:16 PM
I feel for you Shannon. My uncle owns a kennel & game farm & he used to raise pheasant for hunters. Well those birds became like cannibals pecking each other to death. One summer when I was about 14 or 15, I helped him put blinders on all of those birds. I remember one being close to death & he just picked it up & swung it around. I was so sickened. At the time, I thought he was being so mean, but now I understand it was so that it didnt suffer. I just love animals so much that it disgusted me! You are strong, you had to do what needed to be done. Hopefully you'll never have to do something like that again!
"Work as if you were to live a hundred years, pray as if you were to die tomorrow." ~Benjamin Franklin~
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| Aunt Jenny |
Posted - Jun 30 2007 : 12:45:13 PM
Oh Shannon..I have been there..it is so hard. Alee is right..when it is a critter raised for meat it is a different thing (I still get someone else to do the killing when I can) but when it wasn't raised for that...
I had to kill a pet turkey one time that a neighbor's dog had torn up really bad and it was so hard. (emotionally AND literally)
I hope your day gets much better. And you have to know you did the right thing..even though it stinks!
Jenny in Utah
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
| Cindy Lee |
Posted - Jun 30 2007 : 12:30:13 PM
Shannon, You poor thing! It is a awful way to start the day! Well, I am proud of you for doing what you had to do. I just hope you never have to do it again, but you did learn something about yourself. Those lessons never stop, and now you know more about that makes you tick!
I had to kill a chinchilla one time and it still haunts me to this day. I was going to tell you the story but I just deleted it because it still makes me sick.
At any rate, I feel VERY sorry for you sweetie. Have a better day! Cindy |
| Alee |
Posted - Jun 30 2007 : 12:17:11 PM
Oh Shannon! *hugs* You are very strong to have been able to do it. I know what you mean! It is one thing to raise the animal and know it will have to die for meat- and another to kill something that wasn't raised for meat and with your own hands. Good for you to be able to do it! And I hope you won't have to do it again!
Alee
The amazing one handed typist! One hand for tying, one hand to hold Nora! |
