# Is this the start ?



## Sculkrusha (Feb 10, 2013)

Well yeah, Im a new guy. I have spent the evening reading posts and I must say what a great place this is. People here seem open and honest and that is very refreshing.
Is this the start of getting old ?.....4 mths ago I started doing what I do every year, i started dropping trees and cutting them up to be packed in the wood shed for next winter. Easy, drop the tree, clean it up, cut the trunk into 2ft lengths and then split that with a sledge hammer and wedge. Well, I did that for two days just going easy and I had about 6 cords packed in the shed with about another 6 to go. Went to get out of bed the next morning.....couldnt move.
That was 4mths ago and I am just starting to be able to walk properly again.
I have always been a very big strong man, for the last few mths My wife has been helping me dress. Its quite depressing eh.
Anywhooo....I am going to have a crack at doing some work tomorrow, gonna harvest 12 chickens and 12 rabbits. My wife will do all the bending, I still cant pick up things from the ground.

Cheers and stay healthy.


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## Micheal (Jan 28, 2009)

First off, Welcome, not only to this section but to HT itself....... :cowboy:

You'll find down in this area we're not as all fired up or maybe as righteous as in some of the other sections of HT - guess age has something to do with it - but then maybe not.
As to your health, setbacks happen regardless of age. Most of us here have found that age and/or the pasting of time has only slowed us down and allowed us to get use to the aches and pains before carrying on with the joys of life. 

Anyway, (way to much soapbox philosophy this early in the AM) welcome.......


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

12 chickens and 12 rabbits, Ah, sounds like a lot of work. My back doesn't hurt today but would after that. That is too much, all at 1 time for me. It isn't the years....it is the mileage and how rough the ride was....James


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## Ramblin Wreck (Jun 10, 2005)

Kinda' what James said. Pace yourself! What's the rush? When splitting wood, I first give it a go with a maul, but if it doesn't split easily, it goes into pile for the hydraulic splitter. I'm just about finished with next Winter's firewood (got a few little dead wood stashes in the pasture that need to be gathered and stacked), and I've maybe used a half gallon of fuel in the splitter for the tougher wood. It saves me time, but more importantly it saves my joints and muscles!!! Unless I buy some new ones (joints anyway), these are the only ones I've got to use for a lifetime.


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## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

bend at the knees for picking up stuff . dont for gods sake put it out again by doing too much all at once. that's the kind of stuff i do and i'll never learn. i've had a pulled muscle this week. nothing that took me under though. you must have had something else to keep you out that long. did you do PT? accupuncture etc. i had excercises to do. you could have disk problems. . i dont like to stay in the bed and put down roots. not good for us. not saying you did that. welcome to the board! ~Georgia.


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## tarbe (Apr 7, 2007)

It is not the start (it started long ago), but it is the manifestation!

My favorite saying is "The older I get, the better I was".

Be careful out there. Whatever you do, don't go at it like killing rats. You'll last longer!


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## TnAndy (Sep 15, 2005)

If you hand cut,split and stacked 6 cords in two days, there's a good reason you hurt....ahahahaaaaaa....

Actually, your back can hurt regardless of age. I had a "spell" about 25 years ago, and finally found a good chiropractor ( lot of them, like MD's, are quacks ) that straightened me up over about a month. Since then, I've been fairly pain free, except for falling thru a roof last summer....that hurt for a few weeks.....


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

I have found if I take care of myself today, myself can take care of tomorrow. I am only 56, 57 end of March, it isn't the age, it is the hard miles and some has been over rough roads. I used to be a hit it hard type, Git er done. Now I live for today, tomorrow will come and I need/want to meet it....James


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## Guest (Feb 12, 2013)

Whenever I can't get up, I justify it by saying "It is difficult to stand under the weight of my knowledge" and just lay there. Til I got to go to the bathroom, then somehow, magically I can get up.


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## Sculkrusha (Feb 10, 2013)

Thank you all for your replies.
Well we got it all done....plus. Its pretty easy really, we have a good killing area, well setup with big long stainless steel trough, s/s tables etc.
We also have a chicken plucker that does 3 birds in 20 seconds.
I dont remember ever timing our slaughters but I figure about 2min a bird probably the same for bunnies.
Mrs catches them and passes them to me, I kill them and hang them to bleed, we do 3 at a time. I skin them, gut them, and hand em on to Mrs who cleans em up and packs em in an ice slurry. When we are finished we pack them into a fridge for a day or two and then into the freezer.
So I am really just standing at the bench.

Cheers and take care.


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## pattycake (May 16, 2010)

Wow Sculkrusha! Could you post pics of your operation! I am impressed!


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## homemaid (Apr 26, 2011)

Welcome from Michigan! And great job done !!


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## Big Dave (Feb 5, 2006)

Welcome Sculkrusha. What a name you have picked out. I have started on killing out my roos. I have eight. I did one a few weeks ago. Seven left. I am pacing myself. 61 and three years after the 5 vessel by pass I have had to slow down alot. I got up a seven this morning and cut fire wood. 1/4 of a rick and my lower back is letting me know it is fully attached. I try wet heat,shower or hot tub. It make my back fell a little better. I too would like to see your chicken killing set up if you can post pictures. Good to have you aboard.


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## Sculkrusha (Feb 10, 2013)

Thank you for the replies, yes, I would love to share some pics, BUT, when I went to "add image" I got a box pop up asking for the image URL.......whatever that is.
I will have to wait till one off the "Youngins" come over to explain and show how/what to do.

Cheers...........


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