Thinking about butchering for the first time.

[Klutch]

My ethnic customers prefer a bird with at least a one inch spur, for flavor for their dishes. I am a bit of a hunter, so I just have my Gamo pellet gun ready when I want butcher one for dinner. It's fun no stress just one to the noggin and the slit of the jugular.

 

[ManedWolf]

My ethnic customers prefer a bird with at least a one inch spur, for flavor for their dishes. I am a bit of a hunter, so I just have my Gamo pellet gun ready when I want butcher one for dinner. It's fun no stress just one to the noggin and the slit of the jugular.

Why do you slit their throat after dispatching them with the pellet gun? Honestly using a pellet gun would be more comfortable for me, but does it not work well enough to avoid slitting their throat?

 

[BarnyardChaos]

Why do you slit their throat after dispatching them with the pellet gun? Honestly using a pellet gun would be more comfortable for me, but does it not work well enough to avoid slitting their throat?

The blood has to drain out of the body somehow.

 

[ManedWolf]

The blood has to drain out of the body somehow.

Oooh yeah I didn't think about that. Makes sense, thank you! (My inexperience is showing lol)

 

[ManedWolf]

The good thing about shooting them in the head is that you can turn around and walk away while they flop around on the ground. Hang them up by the legs afterward to let them finish bleeding out.

I am more comfortable with guns than knives, so I think I can use that method! I believe it's probably pretty humane as well, since it seems like a quick dispatch. I will have no problem using a knife to bleed them out, since they'll already be dead.

 

[DAO6603]

I've also heard of the broomstick method, which I hear is pretty fool-proof.

Thank you for the insight, it helped clear some things up. I'm still not looking forward to it, but since I plan on hatching chicks this spring I know I'll end up with males (which are nearly impossible to rehome, I got lucky with 2 of mine).

I used the broomstick method my first time. I pulled to hard to fast and popped the head off. It was not a pleasant experience.

 

[Hopulence]

I used the broomstick method my first time. I pulled to hard to fast and popped the head off. It was not a pleasant experience.

I did the same. Flopping bird with blood flying everywhere. First and last time I did it that way.

Cone safe extremely sharp knife is the way to go.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

I did the same. Flopping bird with blood flying everywhere. First and last time I did it that way.

Cone safe extremely sharp knife is the way to go.

Safer is a set of PVC cutters, instead of a knife. Can't slip and cut yourself that way.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

I used the broomstick method my first time. I pulled to hard to fast and popped the head off. It was not a pleasant experience.

I did the same. Flopping bird with blood flying everywhere. First and last time I did it that way.

Simple answer is not to pull so hard, so fast. It's a definite *pop* when the neck lets go - you can't mistake it - and the neck will stretch some. Then don't panic and don't let go of the bird's legs. It will flop no matter which method you use, but if you do the broomstick method properly, you won't pull the head completely off and there is no visible blood, no splatter. Just hold the feet each in one hand, neck under the broomstick, feet firmly on the stick, and straighten up. *pop* *stretch* *dead* *flop*. That's all.

With the cone and knife or cutters, there's still flopping unless you hold the bird in the cone, and there's still blood splatter. It's foolproof, fast, painless, and error-free, though. I used the cone and cutters for years, until someone here convinced me to try the broomstick. I did. I'll never do the cutters or knife and cone again. But Each person has to find the method they're most comfortable with.

 

[FunClucks]

I used the broomstick method my first time. I pulled to hard to fast and popped the head off. It was not a pleasant experience.

I'm sorry that happened to you! Sounds pretty awful!

If you're strong enough to do cervical dislocation by hand, that technique can be easier than the broomstick method to feel what's going on, moderate your strength, and therefore avoid removing the head. I wrap the bird in a towel, hold the bird under my left arm (while seated but you can stand if you want), slowly pull to extend the neck as far as I can, then quickly extend and snap at an angle with my right hand. If you get the angle, speed, and length right, it's quick and relatively painless for the bird. Once you reach the end of their neck extension, you have ~2 inches to work with (dislocated birds have ~2" space between end of neck and head once you do it right, this is where the blood will pool after dislocation).

But the cone and knife method works fine to. I use a modified cone/knife method once the chickens are old enough that I'm not strong enough to do the cervical dislocation by hand. I don't like them flopping about, so I just hold them in a towel and sit over a 5 gallon bucket. Only takes a few minutes till after the flopping, then I hang them up to finish draining.