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Barnyard Buddies:  How do you handle "Butchering Day?"  |
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gateway girl
True Blue Farmgirl
135 Posts
Shari
Missouri
USA
135 Posts |
 Posted - Jun 18 2007 : 5:04:32 PM
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My DH and I were talking about what animals we would like to raise when we finally get our farm. Then came the question about having the nerve to actually go about killing something we have raised. So tell me how do you handle that? Is there a special trick or tip to keep you from breaking your heart at this time?
Gateway Girl
Guardian Angels surround me and keep all enemies from me! |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Jun 18 2007 : 5:15:08 PM
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It is hard. We only raise chickens to eat. (we HAVE raised ducks and turkeys but now just chickens) It is never my favorite day. I guess my best advice is to keep the animals that will be eaten separate and don't make friends with them. That is easy with meat chickens..they aren't sweet and cute like my laying hens..they are big, ugly and prehistoric looking to me. I don't like to do the killing but can do all the plucking or skinning and dressing out so I do that part and find someone else to be the executioner. This year my friend Kate's husband (katiedid here) is doing that and we are doing the rest together. He will be the ax man for both of us and we will help each other. It will make a yucky job alot easier to have someone to talk to. I always sell my lambs and calves since I don't have alot of space (to raise a calf for beef) we buy beef from a local butcher who raises a few of his own each year. None of us like the taste of lamb and my sheep are wool type anyhow and have small lambs...so I sell them. It was hard to butcher ducks..no way around it..ducks are dang cute. I don't think I could do rabbits either. I have raised pigs to butcher with my grandpa years ago..that was pretty awful...I just stayed away on the day the butcher came out. They were cute as babies but boy..by the time we were done they were big and ugly and I was ready I guess.
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 |
Edited by - Aunt Jenny on Jun 18 2007 5:16:25 PM |
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sunshine78
True Blue Farmgirl
106 Posts
Cynthia
Western
Nebraska
106 Posts |
Posted - Jun 18 2007 : 5:32:15 PM
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| Don't name them. |
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Leezard
True Blue Farmgirl
950 Posts
Elizabeth
Novi
MI
USA
950 Posts |
Posted - Jun 18 2007 : 7:53:36 PM
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On my parent's farm they raise angus beef and chickens that they send out to a butcher and they also raise turkeys that they butcher themselves...I think it works well for them because they don't look at them as pets, as Cynthia suggested-don't name them. And as Jenny said, many animals start out cute and fun but grow up to be less attractive and sometimes a little mean so they're a little easier to let go of. I think for our family as a whole we're not big pet people, my parents have a dog and we had one on and off growing up but I don't think any of us were ever very attatched to them. Seems kind of strange to people sometimes but that's just how we are...lol
http://ruby--slippers.blogspot.com/
www.leezard.etsy.com |
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Love-in-a-Mist
True Blue Farmgirl
367 Posts
Shannon
Independence
Oregon
USA
367 Posts |
Posted - Jun 18 2007 : 8:52:15 PM
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I have a strong husband that does the killing and really hard parts. I know there have been a few that bothered him, but he tries not to let on. He has to uphold his image, lol. After a few it's gotten alot easier for me.
I think the hardest part for me is actually eating them. I really have to work at not thinking about it or my stomach gets sick. lol. Again deer and elk are my favorite, because I don't "know" them.
We still have 2, two yr old steers that I bottle fed from a couple hours old. They are going to be done this Fall, I think I will probably cry over my "cowboys". It's a good thing I love beef, or that would be alot of wasted meat. lol
http://love-in-a-mist-shannon.blogspot.com/ |
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Sarah Blue
True Blue Farmgirl
172 Posts
Sierra Mountains
California
USA
172 Posts |
Posted - Jun 18 2007 : 9:27:44 PM
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Once again, a topic that has been bouncing around in my head, appears magically on the forum. I don't have a problem with having a cow slaughtered now and then. Ours are out on the range most of the time and I adore them, but I don't name them or get too sentimental about them since I know what they're for.
But, I do want chickens for laying and eating. Aunt Jenny, it sounds like you keep meat birds and laying hens separately. Does that mean you have two coops? I don't know if two coops is feasible for us and we can't leave them out at night because of coyotes and bobcats. Can I ask if you scald and pluck or skin and filet? Skinning and fileting and removing the legs and wings sounds a lot easier than scalding, plucking, and removing the insides although I hate to waste a carcass when it's so good for stock...these are things that have been going through my mind. Here are the websites with the info that looks most doable to me. I guess some people might find it kind of graphic. So be warned: http://www.gatewaytovermont.com/thefarm/slaughter.htm and http://www.gatewaytovermont.com/thefarm/processing.htm
I come from a family of turkey ranchers. I would love to raise some turkeys to eat too. Those are big birds though and I can't imagine what a big deal it would be to scald and pluck them! What was that like for you?
Thanks,
Sarah
"i believe in god, only i spell it nature." - frank lloyd wright
http://www.myspace.com/svgrrrl |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Jun 18 2007 : 10:09:52 PM
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I have one rather normal coop and one that is a different, smaller one that shares a back wall with my laying hen's coop...it is the sort of affair used for a few laying hens to hatch eggs until the chicks are old enought to join the flock, or for the meat chickens, who arn't around long. I do a brooder in my cellar and when they are about 3 weeks old put them outside and they have a small house inside the pen that they can go into if they want to..I have a light on 24/7 right now..but it goes off soon...They don't need alot of "inside" space as the pen has a "lid" of corrugated fiberglass.
Doing turkeys was hard, mostly because of their size. I had pneumonia one year a few years ago and my chickens were butchered later than usual and they were like doing small turkeys too..hard to handle..mostly for the size. I had a pet turkey named Earl for years and that sort of ended me raising them to eat. Besides, since we moved here there are turkey farms all over the county.
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 |
Edited by - Aunt Jenny on Jun 18 2007 10:11:01 PM |
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Ca-Reds
True Blue Farmgirl
124 Posts
kristy
Clearlake
Ca
USA
124 Posts |
Posted - Jun 18 2007 : 10:31:10 PM
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I name all my mom's, but any we are going to eat get the name "Frezzer" 1,2,3, and so on... Makes light of the situation. |
Edited by - Ca-Reds on Jun 18 2007 10:32:30 PM |
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Daisy
True Blue Farmgirl
107 Posts
Daisy
Thistle Sprig Farm
NW Indiana
USA
107 Posts |
Posted - Jun 19 2007 : 5:27:23 PM
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We name our animals as well. Our last steer that went to market we named "Slim", as in Slim Jim. We have had various names like "Hamburger", "Pork Chop", "Rib Eye"..... you get the idea! It's nice to have pets you can love on and you kind of just don't get too friendly with the rest. However the day they leave or the day you butcher you still get a sad feeling in your gut. That day is going to come soon for our little goats and it's going to be a hard day. SOmehow I got attatched to the little runt and the last thing we need is another stinky smelly male goat around here! Maybe then I'll be ready to send him off! But for now he's just too sweet to resist!
Daisy
Thistle Sprig Farm |
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Mag
True Blue Farmgirl
144 Posts
Margaret
Mount Vernon
OH
USA
144 Posts |
Posted - Jun 19 2007 : 5:45:31 PM
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I am entirely too soft hearted for all of the less than fun jobs around here. Lucky for me my hubby is ok with those duties, although he has gotten attached to some and those made him sad. We take our broilers to a local guy and he will butcher a chicken for $2 a piece. I do the same as Aunt Jenny, the broilers are destined for the stew pot so I don't feel as bad, but everytime one of my layer girls is taken by a predator I feel bad and sometimes cry a bit. The layers seem to have more of a personality than the broilers, some just follow me around the yard and will just about jump into my lap. In all other aspects I am tough as nails, but not when it comes to my girls. What a softy!
cheers,
mag |
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Tracey
True Blue Farmgirl
766 Posts
Tracey
State of Confusion
USA
766 Posts |
Posted - Jun 19 2007 : 6:57:06 PM
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All of ours are named. Darling called the batch of sheep pepperoni "Walter-oni"!
We don't do it ourselves; there are two butchers to choose from here and it's more than worth the $65 it costs to have someone else butcher the sheep. They'll save the fat for me and have the skins ready for tanning, too. Yep, it'd be cheaper to do it ourselves, but if I can raise one for me and sell the other, then I'm not out any money.
Please Vote For Me!
http://www.blogforayear.com/profiles/desperate-horsewife
http://carpentercreek.wordpress.com |
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Horseyrider
True Blue Farmgirl
1045 Posts
Mary Ann
Illinois
1045 Posts |
Posted - Jun 20 2007 : 04:39:24 AM
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We did a lot of the chickens, but we also sent them out if there were very many. And for the larger stuff, pigs, veal calves, and such, we had a guy from a Class B slaughter house come out with a gun and shoot them here. It's not pleasant, but they don't have the fear of riding on the truck (or the adrenaline in the meat).
We had a couple of pet hens, but mostly the coons took care of those. *sniff* But we always named our animals. Our first bull calf arrived and my daughter came out to see him. She asked me what we should call him, and I said "Dinner." It stuck. There isn't much in the world as pretty or as pugnacious as a dairy bull calf, so we vealed him at sixteen weeks.
We also raised feeder pigs off the excess milk. We never had more than two or three at a time, and we took a page out of my hubby's grandparent's book. They always named their dairy cows after neighbors, so we named out pigs after people at my hubby's office. Again, not fun to send them off, but it was nice to enjoy the little white frozen packages that came back. I figured that unless I was going to be a vegetarian, I should learn to eat the meat I raised, because I knew for certain it was superior to that which I could get in the supermarket. |
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goneriding
True Blue Farmgirl
1599 Posts
Winona
Central Oregon
USA
1599 Posts |
Posted - Jun 21 2007 : 6:03:55 PM
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Can't kill a thing. I want to see my beef under plastic in the supermarket. I don't 'do' butchering and will leave that to others. If I look into those baby browns, welp, I'm gone and it's going to either be sold or die of old age on my property.
Pretty sad, huh?
Winona ;-)
Don't sweat the small stuff...
http://goneridingagain.bravehost.com
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mikesgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
3659 Posts
Sherri
Elma
WA
USA
3659 Posts |
Posted - Jun 21 2007 : 6:16:57 PM
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| I handle it by going to town. I have heard of some people who had close neighbors, trading their meat with their neighbors, so they weren't eating their own animals. You'd have to really know your neighbor's farming practices, though to do that. And trust them. |
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dena91
True Blue Farmgirl
181 Posts
Dena
Pennsylvania
USA
181 Posts |
Posted - Nov 30 2014 : 12:37:52 PM
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| Dear Ladies, We just butchered our 5 older laying hens yesterday and I miss them something awful! I know it was the right thing to do (they were 4 1/2 years old and not laying anymore), but I miss my daily routine of caring for and visiting with them. I'm guessing that some of you farmgirl sisters have experienced this same kind of grief, even when you knew this day was coming. I will hopefully get new 'girls' in the spring, but for now I'm feeling kind of low. Anyone out there relate? |
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kysheeplady
True Blue Farmgirl
1291 Posts
Teri
KY
USA
1291 Posts |
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cajungal
True Blue Farmgirl
2349 Posts
Catherine Farmgirl Sister #76
Houston Area
Texas
2349 Posts |
Posted - Dec 01 2014 : 07:04:51 AM
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Hi Dena. I see you have 2 posts to your credit so, WELCOME!!!
I understand you're feelings of missing your 'girls'. You might need to get some baby chicks to bring some distraction and smiles on your face.
My hubby can't stand anything about butchering so, I do all of it. I butcher rabbits, meat chickens, turkeys, pigs, and meat goats.
The ones I have the hardest time with are our laying hens because I have them for so long and get to know them. The dairy goats, when they get old, I can't do at all. I develop such a relationship with them. When they get old and can't breed or give milk anymore, I either just let them become pets and die naturally or bring them to auction.
To keep from being emotional, I don't name the ones that I know are certainly going to be butchered. On butchering day, I get my mind into work mode and focus only on the job. But, it's never just easy to do.
One of the best compliments from one of my daughters: "Moma, you smell good...like dirt." |
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Calicogirl
True Blue Farmgirl
5216 Posts
Sharon
Bruce Crossing
Michigan
USA
5216 Posts |
Posted - Dec 02 2014 : 01:32:07 AM
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We personally don't butcher, we use a local processor. So far we have only sent 1 hog to the butcher. She made it easy by turning mean.
When we did sell some of the weaned piglets I had hard time, especially with one particular gilt we had. She was so sweet. You just need to constantly remind yourself of what their future will be. I wish I could suggest something to stop the hurt.
Farmgirl Sister #5392
By His Grace, For His Glory
~Sharon
http://amerryheartjournal.blogspot.com/
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dena91
True Blue Farmgirl
181 Posts
Dena
Pennsylvania
USA
181 Posts |
Posted - Dec 04 2014 : 7:33:05 PM
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| Thanks for the welcome and thoughts! The funny thing is, we have learned not to name them, but when they are all different breeds/varieties you start saying things like 'the partridge did this' or 'the wyandotte did that'. At this point you've basically named them! I think this only works if your flock is all one breed and variety! Too funny! Feeling better now that it's been a week and we have some nice meat in the freezer for stock. When I've gone in the freezer for other things, I've noticed that 'oh that one must have been the Sussex (she ate ALL the time :) ) or that little one must have been the skinny Australorp' and I smile remembering their funny antidotes. Sometimes time does heal all wounds...even with chickens! Thanks! |
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Lindsay C
True Blue Farmgirl
117 Posts
Lindsay
Rogersville
AL
USA
117 Posts |
Posted - Dec 11 2014 : 3:06:09 PM
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I'm a wimp when it comes to butchering. I have participated in butchering day for our chickens, but anything larger than that and I can't do it. When we have slaughtered a goat or pig, honestly, I just leave and go run errands for a few hours. I'm totally fine helping to process the meat after the fact, but I can't participate otherwise. We also kind of have an unspoken rule that any bottle babies that we end up raising tend to be off-limits.
Lindsay
Farmgirl Sister #1452
http://crowsonshire.blogspot.com |
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Barnyard Buddies: How do you handle "Butchering Day?" |
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How do you handle "Butchering Day?"
