Chook Butchering Sunday

The chooks began to lose popularity at the Northside Linguist Homestead when they were revealed to be mostly roosters. The three roosters were designated "dinner" and R called us up to help out. As a non-meateater, my role was to document the event, as well as to read aloud each step from the library book about chook butchering. R & Justin did the actual killing, which was not taken lightly by either of them.

One of the books said that the most humane way to kill a chicken is to take a long, slim, sharp knife in through the mouth and pierce the brain directly. Turns out to be much easier imagined than actually done.

Without going into more graphic details (and yes, there are more pictures that I chose not to include below), let me just say that the deed was accomplished (three times). Then the chooks were plucked, cleaned (a very nice sounding word for the fairly disgusting act of pulling and cutting out all the innards and inedible bits), and set to chill in an ice bath for several hours.

I do not feel that people shouldn't eat animals at all, but I will say that it would be a good thing if everyone who ate animals were also willing to kill, clean and cook them, at least occasionally. I think it makes you appreciate the reality of life being sacrificed for other life. It also makes you appreciate the people who regularly do the killing and cleaning and cooking so you don't have to.

I was glad to have witnessed and been part of the process. If the need ever arose for me to kill and eat a bird, I have the steps firmly in my mind.

The dinner that accompanied the chicken was very good and lasted well into the night, but I did not feel at all tempted to try the chicken.