Homesteading - You will have to kill.
As much as it sucked last night I killed my first chicken.
Not for eating as they are part of the fam but because it was sick.
This chicken was sick a while back and she miraculously came back to life.
Yesterday though when I had locked the chickens up I actually didn't do my normal count.
As I was up near the garage I heart a faint little cluck.
And I turned to see a very unwell chicken gasping for breath.
I grabbed Amy and we both agreed it was about to pass so we would let nature take it's course.
But unfortunately she didn't pass she just sat their struggling for breath.
So we grabbed a towel, Amy went inside as she didn't want to watch and I slit the poor little hens throat whilst looking into her eyes saying it's time to go back to the creator.
It was a tough task for me however a mouse had given me a lesson the day before.
As I was moving a bit of timber I accidently squashed a mouse and it was bleeding from the nose so I had to quickly put it out of its Misery. So that little mouse helped me get prepared for the chicken as I got to witness what it's like watching something in pain then seeing that pain leave.
It was a really interesting feeling knowing that I had done the right thing but still feeling the sadness of the loss.
She will be buried under a tree that we will plant for her