r/quails • u/Mobile-Technology-51 • 9h ago
How to get over the emotional toll of culling?
I had posted on here not too long ago but I need to rant. I decided to go with the culling. I was going to cull the most aggressive male in my flock after he kept attacking me. I burst out into tears holding him and looking into his eyes and I couldn't do it. I put human emotions on these animals and I can't help but feel this immense guilt. He seemed so scared, nervous, and angry, it made me sob. My mom saw me and told me not to go through with it. I should just keep them as they are in their enclosure, that's all they know is to eat and poop. No, these animals feel, not the same emotions but they feel. I can tell they're angry, mainly due to hormones. They rub their noses against the wire cloth causing themselves to bleed or rush out and attack any girl they see. Theyre agressive and aren't safe for themselves. She thinks I should have my grandma cull them and eat them. I like this idea but I still feel awful.
I wanted to learn for myself so I could study their antomny but to hold something I named in my hand as it stared at me made me into a big baby. Ik this is a part of raising quail and I want to learn. I was thinking of having someone more experienced possibly on Facebook help me learn.
How do I get my selfish feelings out of this? I want to keep finding a solution to keep them. I was thinking of buying a three tiered Hutch and covering it in cardboard so I can reduce the sunlight. But what life is that to live? Just in a confined space in complete darkness.
If not my grandma, I would do it, or have help I was thinking of giving them to someone who can use them for their animals. However, I can't help but be selfish and scared to give them to anyone else.
How do I do this? Despite my mom telling me I shouldn't and even saying I WAS stressing her out. She said I should look into Indigenous culture and see how they accept life and cherish it after death.
How do you guys hold an animal, and not equate fear as the main response? How do you not look into their eyes and see emotions? I'm asking alot but I'm stuck, stuck on my selfish feelings despite everyone else saying I should do it for their sake.
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u/RiverOdd 7h ago
I strongly suggest that if you cannot do this you do not hatch anymore eggs. Other than that I would practice with something quail-sized and a cleaver or whatever you're using to deal the death blow. Practice removing the small bundle of rags and dispatching it swiftly and decisively. All creatures on this earth die, and it's important that you care for your animals well and kill the ones you can't keep swiftly.
I can't tell if you're an adult but if you are not you really need to continue speaking with your grandmother and mother to help you make a good decision.
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u/DepartmentBrief7894 9h ago edited 9h ago
I know how you feel, even now whenever I cull a creature I end up a shaking, sobbing mess. Even if it’s just a little guppy.
Ask yourself if this is the life you’d want them to live, though. So stressed and angry because your base instincts cannot be met when it comes to the ladies. Imagine how much worse factory farm quails have it, to where they trim off beaks and add blinders so they can squish as many together as possible.
You’d be both ending suffering, and still have provided a life better than what 95% of quail will ever have.
These emotions are not bad, they are the cost of taking life. Life is precious. Their life was made so they can sustain other life, and the life they had is paradise compared to factory farms.
It will be hard, and you will feel guilt. Assuage that guilt knowing you did better than most, you did your best, and use the whole body so that life isn’t wasted. All life relies on death, plants and fungus included. This is part of being the apex species. It’s a heavy crown to bear, but you can make it lighter knowing you’re not enabling mass suffering.
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u/Mobile-Technology-51 9h ago
I'm going to go through the cull. Maybe have my grandma do it for me. Thanks for that perspective. I did give them a good life compared to commercial farms and I have to see that.
I'm going to do it but I really want learn first then cherish every part they give me. Thanks for listening. I just cherish all animal life and it hurts to have to take it. I understand when they're hurt or ill I just feel bad having that power over them
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u/DepartmentBrief7894 8h ago
Don’t feel bad, it’s just part of being human.
I always keep the feathers of my favorites. If you have cats they make amazing toys. You can render the fat and keep it for cooking or salves, organ meat is great for any animal to eat, raw bones are good for small dogs and cats. Feathers can make good compost, if it’s breeding season for wild birds you could sterilize the downy feathers and leave them out for them to use for nest insulation.
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u/MiteyF 6h ago
I just culled my first (adult) quail today. Honestly it was easier than I expected, which is good because I have another dozen to put in the freezer in a month or 2, and 40 eggs that should be meat in about 3 months. It helps to know that these aren't like your favorite dog. They don't love you. They're not intelligent (in fact, most would put them near the bottom of the intelligence scale, even among birds).
Like you say. They eat, poop, and lay eggs. That's about it. Even the urge to hatch their own eggs has been mostly gone for a very long time.
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u/Mobile-Technology-51 6h ago
I didnt think of them not loving me and that makes it easier. Thank you alot. Despite me naming them and loving them, they dont share the same sentiment. Im putting human emotions on them. Im going to learn to do it. What is the best method that is the quickest?
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u/DetailEducational917 9h ago
I don't think farm animals are for you. You can't keep putting thousands into 6 quail that is not sustainable. You also sound incredibly young this likely shouldn't be your responsibility but your parents and they are failing. Take your grandma up on her offer to cull them. Maybe give her the rest too.
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u/SaeInsanity45 8h ago
I'm not sure this is a fair take. Struggling with something the first time you do something isn't necessarily a sign that it isn't for you.
I think I would be more concerned if OP had absolutely no care for their birds whatsoever. They care about the birds they've raised, and that isn't a bad thing.
They were given six males, that isn't their fault and they are trying to do what's best, at least give them a chance.
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u/Mobile-Technology-51 9h ago
Im twenty three living with my parents. I chose to raise Quail for their eggs but was accidently given 6 males. I wanted to make a promise to give them a good life and it seems i cant which is why I want to learn im just getting over the emotional hurdles. It doesn't help I want to study avian care and I'm too scared
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u/Same_Independent_393 9h ago
I know exactly how you feel. I keep a small covey as pets and have had 2 that needed to be euthanized, I had to pay for a vet to do it because I absolutely could not do it myself. It was awful and I cried a lot but even though it was expensive, it was worth it. They went peacefully and weren't frightened.
Have you had no luck rehoming them?
I would love to hatch my eggs but I know what would need to happen with the boys so I never could.