Sheet metal will make you a nice sturdy cone that will last for a long time. But so far my plastic ones are holding up well and will be easy to replace when they break. I cut the bottom off a black plastic nursery plant pot, cut up one side & twisted it into a cone, and fastened it with duct tape & zip ties "sewed" through holes punched in the plastic.
You can also hold the bird's wings still by wrapping a few lengths of duct tape around his body before dispatching.
Let us know how the wire coat hanger hook does for you. I've tried using rope tied in a slip knot, but my knot skills are poor and the bird yanked his feet out of the loop. I usually use a big plastic zip-tie, it holds tight and I can hang the tied legs over a hook to pluck. I hold them by the feet to scald.
The knife-in-the-mouth technique is called pithing, and its pros & cons have been discussed elsewhere here on this forum. I've tried just about every technique except using firearms and prefer the slit-throat method. It's also known as a Kosher Kill, and I've heard Joel Salatin, a professional chicken farmer (among other things) recommend the method, saying the birds "flat-line" with that first loss of blood and all the movement afterwards is purely reflex.
Butchering chickens will never be my favorite chore around here (my #1 favorite being made to lie in the hammock & read a new library book) but it really isn't too bad, it's calm & peaceful & quiet, not too awfully icky. I have a good friend who always asks to be invited over for every session, it's a great time for us to get together and talk while our hands are occupied, plus the kids aren't so eager to come over to the table & interrupt.
You can also hold the bird's wings still by wrapping a few lengths of duct tape around his body before dispatching.
Let us know how the wire coat hanger hook does for you. I've tried using rope tied in a slip knot, but my knot skills are poor and the bird yanked his feet out of the loop. I usually use a big plastic zip-tie, it holds tight and I can hang the tied legs over a hook to pluck. I hold them by the feet to scald.
The knife-in-the-mouth technique is called pithing, and its pros & cons have been discussed elsewhere here on this forum. I've tried just about every technique except using firearms and prefer the slit-throat method. It's also known as a Kosher Kill, and I've heard Joel Salatin, a professional chicken farmer (among other things) recommend the method, saying the birds "flat-line" with that first loss of blood and all the movement afterwards is purely reflex.
Butchering chickens will never be my favorite chore around here (my #1 favorite being made to lie in the hammock & read a new library book) but it really isn't too bad, it's calm & peaceful & quiet, not too awfully icky. I have a good friend who always asks to be invited over for every session, it's a great time for us to get together and talk while our hands are occupied, plus the kids aren't so eager to come over to the table & interrupt.