Poultry realities

[Stonehead]

This may be a bit grim for some, so I'll put it in as a link to the relevant post on my blog. But it is a reality of poultry keeping, so it's something poultry keepers should be prepared for.

http://stonehead.wordpress.com/2008/05/ ... y-keeping/

[eztiger]

sad but needed. It was the best for Biddy. I am sentimental but also realise that the humane killing of sick animals is nessecary, but still not going to be easy to do

[Jandra]

I've never had livestock, just pets. Like Le Petit Prince was told: You become responsible forever for what you have tamed.

I've never had any trouble letting go any of my pets. None of them died 'naturally', because it was in my power to have them 'humanely euthanized' as they call it in the USA.

I don't believe in letting 'nature' do it's thing. Keeping pets or livestock isn't 'natural' at all and even then... nature is not kind when it comes to dying. Rarely do animals pass away in their sleep without suffering. It's my responsibility to make sure of my pets' comfort. I'd feel the same about livestock.

Most animals have an instinct to never want to appear weak. So they hide pain quite well and when they show distress you can be sure it's really bad.

I've killed the odd bird that the cats brought in injured, but that's not the same as a chicken whose company and eggs you have enjoyed. Nevertheless I'm confident I would not let an animal suffer unnecessarily.

Right, as you can see I could never be a vet. I'd scold too many customers for not coming to see me sooner

Jandra

[tim&fatima]

Very good blog. sad, but down to earth. It does just remind you of the harsh realities of keeping livestock.

[Meredith]

It is sad but these things have to be done. When ours have needed this treatment my OH has done the deed, I haven't managed to bring myself to do it. I suppose I would have to brace myself and get on with it if I had to.

[Thurston Garden]

Sure, it is the realities of keeping livestock. Livestock inevitable ends up deadstock whether you take to the abattoir and someone else does it, the fox does it or you have to do it.

I have had to dispatch 3 hens this year so far. All older birds who struggled to make it through the winter. The hardest part is seeing them every day and deciding the point of no return. Will she get better? What can you to to help her? When do you decide it's time to kill her? Watching Spider Pig (of Pig in the Porch fame) suffocate in front of me was most unpleasant.

Birds like ISA's are not really bred to last past 75 weeks on a commercial scale. They are certainly good layers. Too good in fact and therein lies their weakness. They burn themselves out. ISA's are one of my hens of choice for eggs but we have had too many prolapse when laying that one egg too many. That in itself is not a pleasant sight.

It's not all doom and gloom though, but people do need to be aware!