Since moving to the homestead, I have been learning so much. There are some things that I know, some I have read about, and some I have no idea about. I knew that raising my own animals would take work, and I would have to deal with death. Sometimes it's disease, or a predator, or my own hand. Each time I have had to deal with an animal dying, I have had some sort of emotional response. I always find it a little sad when an animal dies or has to die on my homestead, but Ive come to learn that its just a part of this lifestyle, and its ok to feel that way.
Before moving to Armadillo Creek, I had trapped rodents, killed lizards and bugs but never took a life of any animal larger than a small rat. Even then, those I saw as "pests" and it never registered that I was killing another living being. After moving here, I was gifted quite a few rabbits from @freedompoint and had to learn how to dispatch and process them myself. After learning how it was done, I did some myself the next day with my wife. She is the hunter out of us. She is an accomplished deer hunter, competition trap shooter, and was raised closely with animals. Her father is a Vet, and taught her how to care for animals when she was young. She guided me through it all. But after we go tthrough the first couple of rabbits. I had to stop. My mind was racing, I was getting emotional, and my hands were shaking. It took me a moment to realize what was going on. I was having a strong emotion reaction to taking another life. Once I stopped, I started to cry. For what I felt was no reason. I was so embarrassed to be a big tough bear of a guy sobbing about killing some bunnies for dinner in front of my wife. She was so supportive and caring about what I was going through. She understood the feeling you get when taking a life like this for the first time and just said "It's ok, Love. You're supposed to have a reaction, especially the first time. Its what makes you human, and a big reason I love you." That settled my nerves a bit and helped me calm, and we finished up what we had. It was still hard to do, but I did it, because it is the life I chose to live, and it is something that will always happen for us to provide for ourselves. The next day, talking to the Yeti form @freedompoint he gave me a slice of wisdom about taking life on a homestead: "You will never get fully used to having to take life on your homestead. There will always be an emotional response. If you stop feeling an emotional response when taking a life... I dont know if I would still want to hang out with someone like that... ;) " It was sage advice I needed to hear. Here is the video we did when I first learned how it was done! We were on the homestead for maybe a month when we all got together for this video!
The little golden quail at the top of this post was one of the more spirited of my small flock. She was one of the few that would nip and jump at me when i put my hands in the cage instead of running for cover. She grabbed food from my hands, and if she were in the dust bath when i went for eggs.... WATCH OUT!
Over the last week, she had been acting and walking funny. Not seeming herself, I separated her from the flock to keep a closer eye. It seems that her pelvis or back had been broken, more than likely from a male being too rough. These little birds are so tiny that once they are injured like that, it is very hard for them to recover. Last night, she stopped walking, and just had a sad, tired look to her eye.
It broke my heart, but I knew that she was suffering, and it was time for me to end her pain. I did the deed quickly, and disposed of her properly. Afterwards, my hands, were ever so slightly shaking. I felt a lump in my throat and took a moment to appreciate the lifestyle I chose. Even though I have a much better understanding of the lives in my hands and what must be done, I will always feel a little emotional each time I do. I feel, in a way, I am paying a respect to that animal. I am understanding the living energy that resides in it, also resides in me, and that, is what makes us human.
Its a valuable lesson to learn, and something any new homesteader will have to encounter. To own animal life, will mean, in one way or another, that animals will die under your watch. They are a living, breathing, and feeling animal, and should get the respect and care they deserve when their time comes. It should happen every time, for every animal, no matter how big or small. To me, becoming a homesteader is also becoming a steward of the land and lifeforms around you. Its feeling a deeper connection to everything around you and understanding the lives and energy it takes to live this way.
Thanks for stopping by my corner of the Steemitverse and if you find what I do enjoyable, please upvote and resteem! I would love to hear your stories in the comments, and have a great day !
Its brave of you to admit you cried. You felt the compassion for the animal. It's crazy the last few days I been thinking about this. Even the pests, they all have a life. Most of the bugs we kill don't even know what hit them. It's crazy to think even the smallest of a bug to the largest animals on this earth all are living beings just like us. It's great to know there's still good people in this world with feelings, most people would of felt the same sorrow you felt with the rabbit. I'm going off into a ramble so I'm going to stop here, but thanks for sharing and Steem on!!
I'm so glad that I stumbled upon this post and your blog this morning @armadillocreek. Your words resonated with me deeply; it's exactly how my wife and I feel about animals, from our horses to the spiders I trap and release when I find them in the house rather than killing them.
I too feel tormented when having to kill out of necessity or for the best interests of the animal. It's so supportive to read that others are equally well adjusted. Upvoted, resteemed and following! Looking forward to reading more from you!
Im so happy you found me! It was so relieving for me to find that no one judged me for feeling that way, and actually respected me for it. I love meeting like minded people and i will follow as well!
Thank you kindly @armadillocreek! It's such a difficult line to walk but an understanding of animals and a compassion for life is a very healthy lens to view the world through. Keep up the great work!
Good write up, friend, really! We have only had to cull some hatchlings of the bobwhites thus far, but we hope to do some harvesting here in the coming weeks. This will be our first.
I have had only a couple deaths on the homestead, one has shook me to the point where I am still recovering a year later.
You’re absolutely right, it’s all a learning experience and we must choose to learn and be thankful from it.
Farmstead , you're right about being grateful for the learning experience. It changes our expectations and leaves us less prone to disappointment.
Thank you so much! Good luck on your first harvest. I found it best to just get in and take care of business, and if your emotions get to you, take a break, you are homesteading now, so you have alot more time than you used to. ;)
Thats so cool you have Bobwhites! I have coturnix myself (check out my quail articles if you havent yet! wink wink lol ) I was thinking of raising them as well, but I think I may go for Jumbo Browns or A&M due ot their growth rate. How long does it take to get full size and how many do you have? I would love to read up on them if you have some articles!
If you ever want to trade some quail for a few rabbits, I'd be interested.
Id love to chat about it! Rabbits are another animal we wanted to raise. What breeds do you have?
This is something we will be experiencing for the first time in a few months. Neither of us have farm or hunting experience and I am very nervous about it!
I didnt have any real expierence, and my wife had some before coming here, and it will take some courage to do it the first time but dont be afraid! Get a local person or neighbor to come by to help you out. Thats what we did when @freedompoint offered to do the video with us, and it helped greatly!
Thankfully we have a friend who has butchered pretty much anything we can think of who will be helping us out!
Community and kindness are the best currency on any homestead!
That is a great write up of your experience! We should all be aware of our food and where it comes from and what it takes to get it. If someone eats meat they should definately experience the last breath...I am too emotional for it these days....wheres my salad haha🙃
Thank you so much! The more I have been writing, the easier it becomes to express how I feel. By the time the year is out, I want to be 100% raising/trading/processing my own meat. I totally agree that you should be willing to feel its last breath. "The man who passes the sentence, is the man to swing the sword" - Ned Stark - Game of Thrones ;)
Yes! Ned Stark for the win!
Taking an animals life is always hard. Weather its your dog of 14 years or an animal you have raised for slaughter. If you felt nothing emotional when taking the life of an animal you would be a sociopath.
What great experiences you are going through. I must agree it would be hard to do this for first time. Even though I'd find it very hard I see this as a great independent skill that I would love to have. Thanks for the video, great tips.
Even though it was hard, Im very glad that i did it. I have a whole new respect for my food.
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Animals raised on a loving homestead only have one bad day in their life. I really love the support from your wife and friend, wise words. I will have to soon face this with a goat buck I cannot keep nor find a home for so I appreciate this post. The beautiful quail in the first photo is sooo cute! Thankyou for sharing this, resteeming & following!
Ahh very good post. It is so true, what @freedompoint said. I remember the first time I killed a chicken, it was injured and suffering. It felt very different when I killed chickens the second time, which was when we had too many roosters.
I did it the wrong way. I held their heads on a chopping block and used a hatchet. really not a good way to do it...
Then later we learned about the "cone" and that made it a little smoother. Being able to deliver a swift & quick end to the animal is ideal.
Every time we take an animal to nourish our bodies we know it is also nourishing our soul too.
Quick and swift indeed. The second rabbit i took moved at the last second when i brought the club down, and it took two more hits to get the job done. I felt horrible. I looked around and i think i may do the cervical dislocation and since the bone is snapped just take the whole head with a filet knife. We have quail and goats to get up and going first, but i do want more rabbits in my future. :)
I had a very similar experience. The only animal I've ever dispatched was a rooster with gibbled feet but doing it with a hatchet was definitely not a good way I agree.