DIY HUMANE way to Kill Slaughter Chicken (Stun-kill, Gas)

[galanie]

Thanks very much for your comments Sunny Side Up!   It's the "almost" in "almost before they feel the pain" that disturbes me.   Maybe I should invest in a shotgun, as you can't get much more instant than that.  I've spent another 5 hours researching the euthanasia of chickens today, and find that even the most civilised countries (e.g. US, UK, NZ) disagree on the best way to do it, and are still looking into it!   

Carbon dioxide (CO2) gassing is definitely not acceptable to me, but carbon monoxide (CO) seems a good possibility, as CO is tasteless and odourless, and induces coma before death without any noticeable trauma or asphyxiation panic.  There are of course anaesthetic gasses that will do this too, but they can contaminate the flesh, whereas, carbon monoxide does not.

 . . .to be continued I expect !

Please don't do either one. With crushing the head, I forsee mistakes, resulting in a gory mess. In fact, either way it's a gory mess. With the gas, well, let me just say, if it takes that much before you'll kill one, don't.

 

[Beekissed]

I've got a new method to place on the table...death by truck tailgate.

I've found the cable that holds up a truck tailgate has such a great angle that a head fits neatly in the crevice while a quick yank down on the feet will produce dislocation with minimal reflexive activity afterwards. Then it also holds one leg well by the elbow joint for the bleed out....just open one vein and they bleed out quickly and well without any movement.

I think I like it even better than using the cones and the cut....very much less struggling in death throws. Dislocation and a quick bleed out...no violent wringing, no slicing the neck of a bird that is fighting death.

A redneck killing station, right on the back end of my truck...who knew?

 

[galanie]

LOL. Ok got that out of the way. Now I'm trying to envision this. When open, the cable is taut, and when closed it's hidden. I'm supposing you mean the open tailgate position. Guess now we all have to go open our tailgates and look. Too early, maybe later.

 

[npbamboo]

Dear Sunny Side Up,

Thanks again. I found those videos really useful.

In the first video, I didn't like the slaughtering being done in such close proximity to the live birds, and he waited far to long to decapitate, but after that the video was a great guide to the further preparation of the bird for the kitchen.

In the second video the man (Steve) was extremely calm and efficient, but maybe a bit too slow. I could also hear live birds crowing nearby. But I did respect his gentle and calm technique.

I've seen the third video before. Those "good old boys" seem to be having too much fun and not taking the process seriusly enough for my liking, but they did seem to know what they were doing and I think experience counts towards a quick job, whereas a beginner may be too nervous to do it as quickly !

I didn't think the birds were treated with enough respect in the last video, and much prefer Steve's attitude in Vid2 !

The videos were all very informative though, and will help me to do the act with more confidence in my humaneness when it comes to it.

You seem to have your own technique well sorted out and practiced Sunny Side Up, and I'm sure that your own birds do not suffer needlessly. Your help has been invaluable, and maybe other readers would agree.

Kind regards, Neal.

 

[npbamboo]

Dear Galanie,

I don't understand what you have against gassing. Carbon monoxide poisoning is described as Invidious, because one dies from it after becoming unconsciuos and without realising that one is slowly dying! Why do you think a slow death is worse than a quick one if the slow is painless and the quick painfful ?

With respect, Neal.

 

[SmokinChick]

Neal, It seems to me that you are looking for reasons not to kill chickens. There is no "Easy" button on this task. You will need to get dirty somewhere along the line. I can safely say that no one enjoys the deed and we all wish there were an easier quicker manner of doing this. But, just do it. Chicken should really be bled out. I don't see that happening with gas. And I want things quick and easy. Not prolonged with setup and wrapping in towels. It is a chicken and its life is in my hands. Speed and effeciency of motion is where it is at. Cut the neck arteries and let them bleed.
And this lead slug to drop inside a pipe, really? Just step on their head and crush it. Done.
Or is that the personel involvment you do not want to deal with. Or pay for processing. By doing that you are not encouraging inhumane treatment. You are getting meat. Nothing more, nothing less.
Best wishes

 

[Beekissed]

I agree...there just isn't any good way to make something that is alive into something dead.

As for killing in proximity of other birds? I have no idea why that would be considered a bad thing...my chickens are quite curious about the whole process and will drink the blood of their fallen flock mates with much enjoyment. The last time I processed, one of the other CX was so blood covered from her eagerness to get some of this wholesome nutrition that I started calling her Bloody Bess.

No, they show no outward signs of distress over the death of their flock mates and await eagerly for the scraps and blood that come along with the process. That is natural and the way of the animal world, particularly with chickens.

I agree that it seems like you want to kill your chickens but want to have no involvement with the process and if that is the case, just don't have any involvement with the process. It's the easiest and less stressful route...it really is.

 

[Henicillin]

LOL. Ok got that out of the way. Now I'm trying to envision this. When open, the cable is taut, and when closed it's hidden. I'm supposing you mean the open tailgate position. Guess now we all have to go open our tailgates and look. Too early, maybe later.

I was actually going to go out and look, but then I remembered that the truck is down in back and not out in the driveway, and it's raining. I'll look tomorrow, though.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Quote:

There are so many more YouTube videos on this topic, so many more than I remember seeing the last time I searched the subject. Some are really helpful, others really ridiculous. I linked those because they showed The Slice, and you could see how quickly the birds expired once they were cut. Some folks handle their birds more tenderly than others, it's a personal choice.

Some folks have issues with butchering in proximity to their live chickens, which again is a personal choice. But in my experience, like the others said, the chickens don't seem to be bothered by it, and often will show eagerness to join the action. The way I handle each Candidate, the other chickens don't realize their flockmates are getting killed, there's no squawking or fussing, no alarm signals being sent. But you can plan your set-up however you wish, with the processing happening far away from the other chickens.

For many of us, the biggest issue in butchering is coming to terms with deliberately ending the life of an animal we aren't being threatened or offended by, one we've known & cared for, for the purpose of consuming it. Especially if we've never encountered situations like this, never had childhood experiences with it, nor done any hunting or even fishing. Most folks agree that it's not their favorite part of the job, but it must be done. And it's best to learn to do it well, quickly & efficiently, for your birds' sakes as well as yours.

Perhaps there is someone, a BYC member or someone else, who lives near you and processes chickens. Sometimes it helps to work with someone experienced for your first time.

 

[M3g4d37h]

it seems to me that instead of reinventing the wheel time and time again, the most efficient method is to condition ones' self to compartmentalize these feelings, choose the conventional method that sounds most appealing, and become masterful by practicing your craft.

often times the the real issue isn't methodology, but the way we reconcile what we are doing, and how we are doing it.

i've spent too much time in third-world markets.