Processing Day Support Group ~ HELP us through the Emotions PLEASE!

[Kassaundra]

I use a simple knife sharpener too, just the little Rada one, less then $10 from rada. less the $5 from amazon or ebay.

Easy peasy draw your blade through the 2 wheels a couple of times, small for easy storage about the size of a credit card, maybe a tad longer.


jajean, if you are going to get a "little gun" and are meaning a handgun style pellet gun instead of a rifle type, just be aware of "fps" that is the velocity. To have a good clean kill it needs to be around 1000, and any handgun (pellet) that is affordable won't have a high enough velocity.

 

[Beekissed]

Kassaundra, I used one just like it for years of processing and like it very well! I love Rada products! My brother got us this current one from Smith's and I find it more ergonomic to use and only slightly more efficient than my little Rada sharpener...and less chance of someone as clumsy as myself to slip off and slice a digit.

But Rada is tops with me...a hard working product line I've used for many a long years and my mother before me.

 

[jajeanpierre]

jajean, if you are going to get a "little gun" and are meaning a handgun style pellet gun instead of a rifle type, just be aware of "fps" that is the velocity. To have a good clean kill it needs to be around 1000, and any handgun (pellet) that is affordable won't have a high enough velocity.

Can you explain the numbers and "fps" you are talking about? I'm not a gun person in the slightest. Why is high velocity necessary? Where did you learn what was needed? I want to hopefully kill, or at the least, render immediately unconscious, with some sort of bullet to the head. I will follow immediately with a standard bleeding out. I watched a video where they knocked the chickens unconscious with some sort of stick/heavy board. The purpose was to stun them. They followed with cutting the carotid artery, but instead of on a sentient chicken, it was rendered unconscious. I don't think there is any way I could deliver a blow to the head the way they did and I can't think of anything worse than doing that sort of thing half way.

I really like the idea of the animal instantly loosing consciousness. It really bothered me to have that last Silkie hanging upside down with blood running across his beak and his big brown eyes looking at me. I know, don't look, but I did and I have to work really hard not to let that vision haunt me.

When the game warden came and killed the deer that was severely injured from being tangled up in my fence, she used a .22. The bullet went in but didn't come out and just rattled around in the skull, destroying the brain tissue. A more high powered gun is not (so I've read) as effective.

 

[Kassaundra]

I am not a gun person either, this was my first one ever. I did a lot of research on several sites since at first I didn't get any useful info here, just a lot of negativity about using a pellet or any gun to kill the chickens. Since then I have had a lot less negativity here. (not talking about this thread just several threads in general on byc)

fps is feet per second, or the speed the bullet travels, high speed equals higher penetration, move cavitation (damage to surrounding areas of the projectile) and more sure death.

The game warden shot the deer w/ a real gun, much more powerful then a pellet gun. The bullet she used was the same size, but much higher power behind it.

I got the 1000 fps number from several gun and hunting sites, don't remember exactly where I did the research some time ago. Then when I was starting w/ the shooting to kill I observed the difference myself. My gun has 2 barrels one a .22 and one a .17 size bullet. The larger .22 is shot slightly slower and the smaller .17 slightly faster, and I found when I shot w/ the .22 there was not always an instant death, but there has been w/ the .17. Now to be fair that was when I first started and my location/aim may not have been as good as it is now.

I have never had to follow up w/ a cut for bleed out. I have them upside down for a couple of minutes prior to shooting for them to settle and get relaxed, during this time they are having a blood rush to the head, then when shot there is plenty of bleed out from the shot. I just walk away, still don't like to be there for the death throes.

 

[DaveMorey]

Do you shoot from point blank range? It doesn't bother me to wield the knife but my kids asked about shooting the last birds we processed. I never gave it much thought since the knife wasn't an issue for me. My first thought about using any kind of gun was just how small the target is.

 

[Kassaundra]

Do you shoot from point blank range? It doesn't bother me to wield the knife but my kids asked about shooting the last birds we processed. I never gave it much thought since the knife wasn't an issue for me. My first thought about using any kind of gun was just how small the target is.

Yes point blank while in a killing cone type set up.

 

[DaveMorey]

Interesting idea. I never really gave it a thought. If it works though, I say go for it.

 

[Kassaundra]

Interesting idea. I never really gave it a thought. If it works though, I say go for it.

Works for me, better then any other way I have tried.

 

[Elke Beck]

Could be. The biggest problem I saw at the processing demonstration for newbies was they didn't cut decisively enough. Surprisingly enough, the smallest and most timid girl did the best cut...darn near cut the whole head off! It takes a deep and intentional cut at a good angle to make a good, clean cut...quick and deep. Chicken skin is just not that thick, especially in the area that needs to be cut.

A sharper blade in timid hands can become a dangerous thing for the one holding it, as mistakes are made when the skill level is low. Be careful with these super knives you all are buying..if it will lop off a chicken's head with that much ease it would have no problem taking off a finger or thumb.

I have done a couple of processing classes, and I have the newbies wear a cut-resistant kitchen glove on their non-dominant, chickin' grippin' hand. It takes a lot of the timidness away when they don't have to worry about cutting their hand. They can really concentrate on getting the cut right. The brand I have is BladeX5 that are about 3 years old, and they look like new. The blood and other stains wash right out of them, too.

I use the Havalon Piranta knife. It has disposable surgical steel blades that make a good, clean cut. I always get a fast bleed out. http://www.amazon.com/Havalon-Piran...9738824&sr=8-3&keywords=havalon+piranta+knife

 

[BirdbyGavin1103]

Yep! There is no denying that some knives are just better all the way around, due to craftsmanship and quality of steel, but even an expensive knife is only as good as the one sharpening it for use. Some require more sharpening, some less, some won't hold onto an edge for any amount of sharpening, but the difference is all in the number of times you are willing to stop and sharpen the blade.

With the right sharpener, this can be done quite quickly and with a minimum of skill.

Not only for the killing cut, but also for the rest of the processing as well (sorry, if I'm repeating). You're far more likely to cut yourself, due to slippage or having to apply too much pressure, with a dull knife than a sharp one. I found that out the hard way yesterday...

How do you sharpen your knives? Thanks for all your input--it is so helpful for us novices.

I use wet stones, my sister has a table top clamp one that my parents bought from Cabela's for her when she started Baking and Pastry arts school a few years ago. No clue how well hers works since she hasn't used it yet...

Yes point blank while in a killing cone type set up.

Works for me, better then any other way I have tried.

While mine hang instead of a killing cone, I agree 100% with both statements. I just did two more boys who decided to draw first blood (mine and my son's) yesterday. For me, personally, it's easier since I've hunted for YEARS. It allows me to disconnect more than a knife, especially since it always seems to be the ones I name that need to be done...