Never slaughtered before, a couple questions...

[katelk]

This may sound dumb, but I am nearly wussing out of slaughtering. I think once I get over the first bird hump, I will be fine. I have been a hunter since I was a child. I was raised killing animals for meat. However, I have never raised animals on my own and then killed one before.
I may be having a bit of "momma" syndrome lol
Anyone else ever have this issue?

I am also finding mixed messages about the proper cut of the jugular. Do I have to cut on one or both sides? How deep is it? Where specifically is it really, side or front and under jawbone or ear?

Also, does anyone have a sure-fire way to ensure the meat will be tender/juicy regardless of the recipe I will use it for? I have read a lot about how free-range or old birds are tough.

ADD: when feeding scraps (gizzard, heart, etc. ) to my dogs, is it necessary to cook them first if they are fresh?

 

[iwiw60]

Go to YouTube and search for chicken butchering...there are a TON of videos on the very subject. And yes, getting over the first one will be the biggest hurdle...wishing you all the best!

 

[katelk]

Go to YouTube and search for chicken butchering...there are a TON of videos on the very subject. And yes, getting over the first one will be the biggest hurdle...wishing you all the best!

I have watched a ton of videos lol. I am still nervous about cutting them incorrectly. I suppose I will just have to sort it out through experience. Thanks for the encouragement!

 

[iwiw60]

I have watched a ton of videos lol. I am still nervous about cutting them incorrectly. I suppose I will just have to sort it out through experience. Thanks for the encouragement!

I never used the cone method with the cutting of the neck. I always used an old whole piece of firewood (about 16-18" in diameter) and put two 16-penny nails on the one side about an inch apart (whatever works)....grabbed a bird by the legs, put it's neck/head in between the nails and took my hatched (very sharp!) and whack....it's done. That's the way I've always done it, kinda old-fashioned but does the trick and it's quick.

 

[petrel]

I feel what you are going through. I haven't needed to slaughter my own, but I have slaughtered a few from my neighbor. My wife volunteered me...big hunter, fisherman, etc. Ha! The first batch of ducks I got from my neighbor I got attached to before I could get them home! They talked me out of it on the way! I rehomed them because I could not do the deed. The second go around it was ducks and roosters/cockerels. I had to kill them there instead of bringing them home and running the risk of loosing my nerve! Still could not slit their throats, instead I just plowed through them like the grim reaper, snapping every neck in sight! It was quick, without struggle, and bloodless. The meat was beautiful! I'm not sure how bleeding them would have made them better.

Yes, I would cook any chicken parts I was going to feed to my dog.

A white wine/garlic/onion/oil marinade for the chicken with a quick sear over hot coals followed by a painfully slow finishing over low coals. If you find your birds turn out chewy, shred the meat in the mixer and make salad out of it. Send the next batch to the crock pot or look up a good chicken pot roast recipe. Best of luck!

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

Your dogs will be better off if you feed them the scraps raw. Dogs digestive systems are designed to process raw meat . It's what their ancestors ate. They actually get considerable benefit from raw meat. Keep in mind that if all you are feeding them from the chicken is organ meat, it should be a suplement to their regular diet rather than a complete replacement, because some of the organ meat, while having essential vitamins and nutrients are not a balanced diet by themselves. Also, while you have heard never to give your dog chicken bones, that only applies to cooked bones, which become brittle and can break into sharp pieces. Raw bones are safe for dogs, since they are soft and not brittle.

Oh, keep the chicken feet for your dogs too. I made the mistake of throwing away the feet of my first batch, but then I learned from a dog trainer/breeder friend that they are excellent alternatives to the store-bought rawhide chews. Your chicken feet will be untreated with formaldehyde (all rawhide from China) or other dangerous chemicals. I freeze mine on butchering day and dole out frozen feet to my dogs a few times a week as a special treat.

In case you are still worried about feeding raw, go search for articles on the internet. My most trusted dog owner friends feed completely raw diets to their dogs (I have not yet been willing to do the extra work, but am making steps in that direction).

 

[cmchickens]

The best video I have found as far as where and how to cut. Shows it perfectly, and has worked every time for me.

 

[Ibicella]

This may sound dumb, but I am nearly wussing out of slaughtering. I think once I get over the first bird hump, I will be fine. I have been a hunter since I was a child. I was raised killing animals for meat. However, I have never raised animals on my own and then killed one before.
I may be having a bit of "momma" syndrome lol
Anyone else ever have this issue?

I am also finding mixed messages about the proper cut of the jugular. Do I have to cut on one or both sides? How deep is it? Where specifically is it really, side or front and under jawbone or ear?

Also, does anyone have a sure-fire way to ensure the meat will be tender/juicy regardless of the recipe I will use it for? I have read a lot about how free-range or old birds are tough.

ADD: when feeding scraps (gizzard, heart, etc. ) to my dogs, is it necessary to cook them first if they are fresh?

You don't sound dumb at all. You sound like a normal, compassionate person with normal emotions. None of us here enjoy doing the deed and most of us started to sweat the first time. We do it for the sake of bettering our world and feeding our families.

Cut both sides; the blood will drain quicker. Cut right below the earlobes under the jaw bone deep enough that they will start to bleed. Then leave nature to take it's course. Once the bird stops moving entirely (usually within 5 minutes) you can continue with processing. Don't panic about the spasming...it's very dramatic looking and you might wonder if you didn't do it right, but it's normal. The animal is dead, it just takes time for the nerves to unwind.

And hey, if you do botch it because you're new at this, please don't beat yourself up for it. We all had to go through it, we've all botched it, and that's how we learned. A lot of it is just getting in there and doing it and you figure it out as you go. The fact you care about the wellbeing of your animals through it all shows you do not need to justify how good your heart is.

A sure fire way of cooking is low and slow like a crock pot or rotisserie. I love me an old tough hen or rooster, aged past their prime, cooked in the crock on low allll day for about 10 - 12 hours. Best stock you can imagine, and the meat shredded up is ready to pop into chicken noodles, soup, or pot pies! Very flavorful and slightly chewy, but I love it.

Also be sure to either process and cook immediately before rigor mortis sets in or let the meat age at least 3 days in the refrigerator...you can brine it or marinate it for further help if you wish.

If they are fresh and the chickens are healthy you can feed the organs to the dogs as-is, provided your dogs are used to eating organ meats. They are quite rich and can upset a dog's stomach if fed too much when they are not used to it. If they are new to it, cut them up and freeze them into small chunks and feed them as treats regularly for a bit, slowly increasing how much your dog gets.

You can also eat the organs yourself or grind them up and mix them into ground beef for an extra nutrition boost to your hamburger!

 

[katelk]

You don't sound dumb at all. You sound like a normal, compassionate person with normal emotions. None of us here enjoy doing the deed and most of us started to sweat the first time. We do it for the sake of bettering our world and feeding our families. 


Cut both sides; the blood will drain quicker. Cut right below the earlobes under the jaw bone deep enough that they will start to bleed. Then leave nature to take it's course. Once the bird stops moving entirely (usually within 5 minutes) you can continue with processing. Don't panic about the spasming...it's very dramatic looking and you might wonder if you didn't do it right, but it's normal. The animal is dead, it just takes time for the nerves to unwind. 


And hey, if you do botch it because you're new at this, please don't beat yourself up for it. We all had to go through it, we've all botched it, and that's how we learned. A lot of it is just getting in there and doing it and you figure it out as you go. The fact you care about the wellbeing of your animals through it all shows you do not need to justify how good your heart is. 


A sure fire way of cooking is low and slow like a crock pot or rotisserie. I love me an old tough hen or rooster, aged past their prime, cooked in the crock on low allll day for about 10 - 12 hours. Best stock you can imagine, and the meat shredded up is ready to pop into chicken noodles, soup, or pot pies! Very flavorful and slightly chewy, but I love it. 


Also be sure to either process and cook immediately before rigor mortis sets in or let the meat age at least 3 days in the refrigerator...you can brine it or marinate it for further help if you wish. 


If they are fresh and the chickens are healthy you can feed the organs to the dogs as-is, provided your dogs are used to eating organ meats. They are quite rich and can upset a dog's stomach if fed too much when they are not used to it. If they are new to it, cut them up and freeze them into small chunks and feed them as treats regularly for a bit, slowly increasing how much your dog gets. 


You can also eat the organs yourself or grind them up and mix them into ground beef for an extra nutrition boost to your hamburger! 

Thank you so much for your post! You definitely made me feel better and were very informative. Thank you again!

 

[Ibicella]

Thank you so much for your post! You definitely made me feel better and were very informative. Thank you again!

You're very welcome! Happy to help.