Harvesting methods ??? Which is more humane

[Sami]

So my husband and I are trying to agree on the most humane way to kill a chicken for processing. I have read about slitting the throat but he thinks that it would be less traumatic to just use an axe. He doesn't like the idea of the chicken slowly passing away. What are your thoughts and experiences? Will the blood drain out if the axe method is used,

 

[annewandering]

The blood drains. Hang the chicken upside down after using the axe. Your husband might be interested in the way my mom did them. She spun them around to make them dizzy then used the axe. They dont fight that way so it is easier to be accurate with the axe. Was he planning on using a cone? I dont quite see how that works with an axe.
Is he going to be doing it?
I will not be doing ours but my husband seems to favor the axe idea too. It is fast and it is clean.

 

[TOP KNOT]

So my husband and I are trying to agree on the most humane way to kill a chicken for processing. I have read about slitting the throat but he thinks that it would be less traumatic to just use an axe. He doesn't like the idea of the chicken slowly passing away. What are your thoughts and experiences? Will the blood drain out if the axe method is used,

kill cone, bleed them out.

 

[brahmabreeder]

We always slit their throats a bit while they are hanging upside down. Gets almost all the blood out. Usually they don't make much noise until they get to the end part and their body kind of does what it wants( same thing as chicken running around with it's head chopped off except they are tied upside down and not much running will be happening). After that we take the hatchet and chop their head off and do the plucking/gutting. Usually I'm not the one doing the slitting part as I get semi traumatized thinking about whether or not I did right.

 

[Sami]

He says that he will do the first part and I will do all the rest but I have a feeling that I might just do it start to finish so I am leaning towards the slitting with a cone.I think I will be able to do it.. trying to stay " tough". Lol

 

[deserthomestead]

I'm in the same boat. DH is favoring the axe idea, but I'd rather use the cone.

 

[srm220]

the most humane method...



old age

 

[Tuhmu]

I also get to experience this in the near future, while I am somewhat happy to see these Cornish go (horrible smelly things) I'm not so sure that I will be able to do the actual slitting of the throat part.......

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

I use the "debraining" or "pithing" techinique before cutting the throat. My chickens are put into the cone and their feet are held with a noose for added security. I then open their beak and stick a sharp boning knife up through the roof of their mouth into their brain and give it a twist. If done properly, it kills the brain instantly and the chicken goes completely limp. I then slit the throat. The heart is still beating so the bird bleeds out completely as if you hadn't first done the debraining technique, but I have the confort of knowing that as far as the brain is concerned, it is already dead. There is still a moment or two as the last blood is leaving the body that the chicken thrashes which I always find disturbing, but again, I have the comfort of knowing that it is just that wierd thing chickens do, even if their heads are completely removed.

If you decide to use this technique, look for info on it on the web. Find a picture of the chicken's anatomy so you know where the brain is located. You actually have to go up and backward, think between the eyes with the knife so that you get the brain rather than just damage the poor thing's beak without killing the brain. For me, this seemed the best combination of humane killing and least chance of the chicken damaging the meat running around without a head and spraying blood everywhere.

 

[lizanne]

the most humane method...



old age