First Processing - Knocking out a chicken in cone?

motleybeau

In the Brooder
Jul 2, 2015
11
0
22
I have 5 roosters that have to go. I set my date to stick with it, and it is today and am trying to build up the courage to do the deed. I have done my research and am going with the cone and cut jugular method. I am wondering, is it possible to 'knock out' the chicken while in the cone before cutting the jugular? Or even shoot it with a 22 and then cut?

Sorry - I know there are lots of threads on here already, and i've read through a lot but haven't seen a lot of answers for knocking out a chicken.

Any advice is much appreciated. thanks very much!
 
I have 5 roosters that have to go. I set my date to stick with it, and it is today and am trying to build up the courage to do the deed. I have done my research and am going with the cone and cut jugular method. I am wondering, is it possible to 'knock out' the chicken while in the cone before cutting the jugular? Or even shoot it with a 22 and then cut?

Sorry - I know there are lots of threads on here already, and i've read through a lot but haven't seen a lot of answers for knocking out a chicken.

Any advice is much appreciated. thanks very much!
Have you ever held a chicken upside by its legs, after a little bit of flapping and swearing, the chicken will go limp almost as if it's passed out. Then put him in the cone and cut the jugular.
 
Thanks BBQJOE that eases my mind. I'll just have to keep a couple cold beers ready for after... i'm gonna need them!
 
Adding to what BBQJOE said if you butcher in the evening a few hours after locking them up they are even calmer, You should be able to just pull them off the roost and tuck them in your arm with a few squawks at most then put them right into the cone.

From that point if you are decisive and "firm" by quickly controlling the birds head it will further keep them "stunned" and less tensed up making for a quick humane dispatch given you do the deed right instead of fussing around with complicated measures.
 
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Also to consider, if you keep a very sharp knife, you'll cleanly sever nerve endings when you slice and they don't even react as if you've injured them. They'll just bleed, pass out, evacuate and chicken dance. By the time they're dancing, they're long gone. A lot of people use Havalon(sp?) replaceable scalpel blades and replace the blade every 5 or 6 chickens. Chicken skin and feathers will dull a blade in no time flat. I'm considering investing in a good handle and blades but for now, I'm just using old steak knives and keep a designated knife sharpener in the processing group.

You say you're processing roosters. Have you considered what you're going to do with them? The best way to cook older birds is low and slow. I prefer just to use them for chicken stock and puree the leftover bits for the dogs.
 
I just slaughtered 3 roosters last week. It was the first time for me as well. I tried using the cone method on the first two birds with m cone attached to an oak tree, but it was taking forever for them to bleed out.On the third, after he was positioned in the cone and his head extended through the hole, I just used a very sharp machete to decapitate him. It seems more violent but unlike bleeding out, it is instant and will be the method I use from now on. Because the bird is in the cone it is no more or less messy than cutting the jugular. Just my thoughts.
 
If it's taking a long time to bleed out you haven't cut deep enough I did that a few times. I use a filet knife with a ceramic sharpener nearby so u can run it over the sharpener every few birds if I need to. You need to make the cut deep and in both sides of the neck for the fastest bleed out. I cut right below the head where the feathers are light to non existent, easiest place to cut without sawing through feathers.
 

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