Dealing with emotions of a botched kill

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

This. Exactly.

And this too.

This is a good idea.

If one of your birds should die from injury/sickness, save the carcass to practice on so you can learn how hard you will need to squeeze. No worries about the bird suffering, it can be just "a learning experience."

Thank you!!! And that's a really good idea. God forbid I have a hen die like that, but at least I could use her as a learning experience to prevent something like this from happening again.

 

[FunClucks]

I have small hands and am not physically very strong. I use the kill cone and a sharp knife, and remove the heads with a knife after they're dead. Based on how hard that is for me, and hearing others' experiences, I think pipe cutters or a lopper while using a kill cone can both work, just squeeze quickly as fast as possible, and don't buy the ratcheting kind. Think guillotine. I could do it, and I'm not super strong. Just be firm and decisive and as quick as possible.

If you're unsure of your method, or if it's new, having a backup method on-hand is not a bad idea. I did the English method (bird in one arm where you pull and break the neck with the opposite hand), but once the CX got big enough that didn't work, and I found that out when I tried and it didn't work. I quickly grabbed my sharp knife and finished the job so the bird wouldn't suffer. Felt horrible for that bird, but I learned from the experience. Now I know my strength limitations.

Super kudos to you. Butchering is not easy. Ditto to practically everything everyone else said in these posts. There's a lot of emotions, but it's an important skill to have.

 

[abpatchy]

Thank you all. This is all good advice. It seems I'm not the only one who has done this. It doesn't make the emotions any easier, but it is comforting to know I'm not alone.

I need to get better for the next time and maybe find a method that better suits my skills and comfort levels. I was thinking, and I may look into the kill cone with PVC cutters method. Beheading does make me feel the most comfortable because I know it's over for the chicken, so maybe this is a way I can do it without having to worry about my swing accuracy - especially with broomstick method likely being out of the question since my husband seems really against it. I do wonder how hard you have to squeeze the cutters though. Maybe I'll buy a pair and practice on some sticks and pieces of PVC.

After my horrible experience butchering for the first time I knew I had to learn. I found someone to show me how to kill and take care of the feathers etc in a more efficient way. I also got a cone. I am just using a sharp knife... they bleed out so fast and it's so gentle. It really is my method to butcher now.

 

[Robinator]

Today we processed our Rainbow Rangers. Typically my husband chops the heads off with an axe and we both process. He does it because he's stronger and also has accuracy from splitting wood since he was a kid. However, I mentioned to him that I feel I should also participate in the kill part so I have that skill. I wasn't confident in my accuracy or strength with an axe so I brought up the broomstick method and was even discussing it on BYC this week. I watched videos and mentally prepared myself.

When it came down to it, I went to get a shovel for the broomstick method, and my husband said he thought that was really inhumane. He said he thought I could do the axe just fine because I am strong and exercise. I'm a pushover and agreed, and I took a couple light practice swings before getting the bird. Then, when the bird was down, I took a hard swing and... it was too low on the neck! I screamed. I never scream. I quickly took another swing and most of the head came off. I had to take a third until it was fully beheaded. I got the chicken into the bucket as quickly as I could. I was absolutely mortified and breathing heavy after the experience. My heart's beating quicker just typing this.

I feel absolutely horrible. The whole reason I raise my own chickens is because of how inhumane the slaughterhouses and large scale chicken farms can be, yet I botched a kill and possibly made the chicken suffer! I guess it's hard to know for sure if he suffered because I think the first swing did break his neck (I saw it while eviscerating) and he didn't react in any way I could tell, but I really have no way of knowing. I feel awful if he suffered.

Have any of you ever botched a kill like this? Were you able to forgive yourself? What can I do next time to better prepare myself to participate in this part of the harvesting process?

I just axed my first rooster half an hour ago and had to come on here to see how I could do this better. We live in the country in Oregon and our internet sucks. I could not see any of the photos, but I'll catch up with your post next month when our connection is better. I had to put down my favorite rooster several months ago because he became paralyzed. I used the bar across the neck and pulled up. It was horrible. I couldn't tell if his neck had broken, I kept pulling but he was just still flapping. He finally became still and I sat down and cried for a good ten minutes.
The rest of the 13 chickens are 7 hens and 6 roos. One roo is the father and 11 of the others are the incubated eggs of his mate. That resulted in 6 hens and 5 roosters. They just hit 5-6 months and are causing a ruckus all day, every day. My hens are a mess trying to stay hidden from 3 of the 5 roos. I finally had it this afternoon and told Al that I was ready. We've talked about this for weeks but I just couldn't imagine killing one of the chicks I incubated and held for 2 months. We cornered one of the offenders and I carried it over. Al ended being the one who swung the axe while I held him still. It wasn't great. The axe wasn't sharp enough and it was hard to decapitate him through the feathers. I did the hot water and cold water and plucking and then skinned him (we buy boneless/skinless, so it made sense.) I got on here right after I got done plucking and skinning, just to see if there was something else I can do to make it easier and I found your letter, which is just exactly my feelings. I am now a chicken farmer and I need to be able to do this for the good of the farm and for our food. I am going to try several different methods of culling and get better at skinning. These chickens have been hand reared, hand fed, have a great life and I have done nothing more for the last 6 months than to cater to them. They are now full blown chickens and roosters and I am going to remember that this is just the beginning of my life as a full blown farmer. Thank you for your letter and starting this amazing thread. The letters in response have been so full of support and information. My first culled rooster is bagged in the fridge. It's not so pretty, but it will make a great soup. My best to you and all the responders to your letter, what a great support group.

 

[FunClucks]

There are some game processing knives with replaceable/disposable razor blade cutters. They are shaped like a knife but you know you have a razor blade edge. A bit pricey but I'm eyeing those for Christmas. The regular game processing knife set I got from the sporting goods store just doesn't sharpen as well as I need it to using the enclosed sharpener. Maybe it's just me, but I think they should cut like butter, like my ceramic kitchen knives.

https://www.outdooredge.com/products/razor-pro

 

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

After my horrible experience butchering for the first time I knew I had to learn. I found someone to show me how to kill and take care of the feathers etc in a more efficient way. I also got a cone. I am just using a sharp knife... they bleed out so fast and it's so gentle. It really is my method to butcher now.

So you feel they don't suffer much with that method?

I have always avoided the cone and knife method because it seems so slow and like they would suffer. But one time someone on BYC made the point of how when you are losing blood quickly, you pass out pretty quick. Also, if you cut that area, you are likely cutting the nerves that would cause major pain. I would know because I had a huge, deep laceration to my neck/face/ear once in a bit of a freak accident - less than an inch from my jugular. It was so deep they had to stitch me on the inside as well, but tbh it didn't hurt much at all. It cut the nerve. It was more difficult dealing with trying not to black out, and the aftermath of losing so much blood. I didn't have feeling in that area for years and still don't totally. So, it makes me wonder about the cone and sharp knife...

 

[abpatchy]

In my case they don't suffer. In Germany we are required to knock the birds out before culling. If you are just doing a few birds for yourself you can get away with taking a club and hitting them over the head. It is a law here. They say even if you cut off the head the birds still have a sense of pain. I don't know for sure really.
I also think if your knife is really sharp there is less pain. I use a scalpel and exchange the blade regularly.

 

[NatJ]

I did the hot water and cold water and plucking and then skinned him (we buy boneless/skinless, so it made sense.)

If you are going to skin it, you can skip the hot water, the cold water, and the plucking. That usually saves a lot of time and effort.

 

[killmak]

I just axed my first rooster half an hour ago and had to come on here to see how I could do this better. We live in the country in Oregon and our internet sucks. I could not see any of the photos, but I'll catch up with your post next month when our connection is better. I had to put down my favorite rooster several months ago because he became paralyzed. I used the bar across the neck and pulled up. It was horrible. I couldn't tell if his neck had broken, I kept pulling but he was just still flapping. He finally became still and I sat down and cried for a good ten minutes.
The rest of the 13 chickens are 7 hens and 6 roos. One roo is the father and 11 of the others are the incubated eggs of his mate. That resulted in 6 hens and 5 roosters. They just hit 5-6 months and are causing a ruckus all day, every day. My hens are a mess trying to stay hidden from 3 of the 5 roos. I finally had it this afternoon and told Al that I was ready. We've talked about this for weeks but I just couldn't imagine killing one of the chicks I incubated and held for 2 months. We cornered one of the offenders and I carried it over. Al ended being the one who swung the axe while I held him still. It wasn't great. The axe wasn't sharp enough and it was hard to decapitate him through the feathers. I did the hot water and cold water and plucking and then skinned him (we buy boneless/skinless, so it made sense.) I got on here right after I got done plucking and skinning, just to see if there was something else I can do to make it easier and I found your letter, which is just exactly my feelings. I am now a chicken farmer and I need to be able to do this for the good of the farm and for our food. I am going to try several different methods of culling and get better at skinning. These chickens have been hand reared, hand fed, have a great life and I have done nothing more for the last 6 months than to cater to them. They are now full blown chickens and roosters and I am going to remember that this is just the beginning of my life as a full blown farmer. Thank you for your letter and starting this amazing thread. The letters in response have been so full of support and information. My first culled rooster is bagged in the fridge. It's not so pretty, but it will make a great soup. My best to you and all the responders to your letter, what a great support group.

As NatJ said you don't need to pluck if you are going to skin them. I skin them and part them out most of the time. It really isn't easy processing your babies. I would be a little worried about myself if I found it easy. But in the end they have such a great life compared to the ones from the store. They actually get to live and be chickens. If you decide to use the hatchet method again definitely sharpen it. I have a grinder so I sharpen mine right before I process them as I too had to hit multiple times once and it made it more traumatic. Good for you though! It sucks but I feel like it is well worth it knowing you raised them and gave them the best possible life before eating them.

 

[Coffetym]

I remember as a child the method used by my grandmother & another elderly woman that was a distant cousin was to catch the chicken, put a loop of cord around the feet & suspend said bird on the clothes line. At this point al that was needed was a tug downwards on the head & a sharp knife quickly removed the head. It was a very quick & effortless method & I believe less likely for failure than the broom method.