Slaughter For The Uninitiated

Killing a chicken didn't sound that hard to me

I'm not saying it sounded fun or burden free 

but I've looked away while putting a worm on a hook

and still managed to pierce it's body instead

of my own squishy flesh 

then without missing a beat 

cast it out for the fish or for instance 

I don't like setting traps for mice

I apologize to their snapped bodies 

but it's either that or let the cat handle it

and we all know what sadists cats can be

So when the chance came to raise some broilers

(yes that's what chickens raised for meat are called)

(yes named after a cooking technique)

I thought that's something I should have to do

like a duty to my food

maybe even an act of gratitude

six chicks from tractor supply who i did not name

broilers or for that matter anything

came to live in my yard for a Spring

Every day I gave them fresh water and feed

their growth happening at alarming speed 

it was cute at first like a chubby baby

then they got so large they could barley stand

and I looked away while I shook more food from the can

I Googled phrases like

How to humanely kill a chicken?

Fastest way to kill a chicken?

Painless chicken death

Easy at home slaughter

Slaughter for the uninitiated 

Merciful killing

Research led me to choose the pillowcase technique which summarized is this: 

Cut hole in one corner of pillowcase large enough for chicken head to poke through

Put chicken in pillowcase with head sticking out of hole

(supposedly the pillowcase soothes the bird like swaddling does a baby)

(it is very important to me that the bird feel soothed by all this)

Next hang pillowcase/bird upside down

Chicken should be very calm now and immobile

Using a sharp blade swiftly but surely slit throat

The cut should be clean and deep

the blood draining so quickly that the creature is stunned 

Death should be quick

Dare I say, easy?

Google does not describe the seconds 

that live on in eternity

where the life force 

which is 

in 

every

type 

of 

body

clings 

to cruel hope

to hold on

before it

lets go

in the end

I don't know

easily? 

What I learned:

I 

do 

not 

believe

in 

the 

easy

killing

of

anything