How to build a killing cone.

I decided that my first post should be informative. Here are instructions for building your own killing cones for broiler sized (4-8 lbs.) chickens. The final dimensions are 9" top opening, 4" bottom opening and a length corresponding to the width of flashing you use.


TOOLS:
Drill
Hand Riveter
Clamps
1/8" drill bit
Magic Marker or Grease Pencil
Framing Square

MATERIALS:
14"-16" wide roll of aluminum flashing or a 16"x30" rectangle of galvanized sheet metal.
Three 1/8"x1/4" aluminum rivets per cone

Step 1. Cut a piece of 14"-16" wide aluminum flashing to a length of just over 30".
Step 2. Find the center of both long sides and make a mark connecting them using a square.
Step 3. On 1 of the long sides measure 15" from the center mark each way.
Step 4. On the other long side measure 7" from the center mark each way.
Step 5. Connect the end of of one 15" mark to the corresponding 7" mark. Repeat for the other side.
You'll end up with a trapezoid that looks like this.

Step 6. Score the diagonal lines with a utility knife and fold gently away from the cut to tear the waste pieces off.
Here's what you'll end up with.

Step 7. Mark a line parallel to one cut edge 1 1/2" in.
It will look like this.

Step 8. Roll the metal up so that the marked side is overlapped to the line and clamp it. Drill a hole in the overlapping portion near the top, middle and bottom of the cone. Put a rivet in the hole from the INSIDE. The head of the rivet will be on the inside and is smooth. This way there is nothing for the bird to get snagged or cut on inside the cone.

Step 9. Drill one or two holes near the top of the cone to hang it by.

There you have it. One killing cone that can be cut out and assembled in less than 5 minutes.

very good detail...have been trying to get DH to make one...should be really easy for him now...you took all the guesswork out of it...thnx much

Very nice. I use an old traffic cone that I cut the top off, mounted to a post. It works well and is weather proof.
If I didn't have a cone laying around your instructions are great.

Great details!! I was going to build one but ran out of time before butchering and ended up buying a couple of medium sized traffic cones at Lowes and cut the tips off. They worked great and there was no danger of the kids getting their hands cut.

Welcome to BYC

great instruction! we decided to go with the old stand-by......drive until you see the first signs of road construction....

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Thanks. I love this site. SO much information for anyone willing to search the archives.
Actually if you use aluminum flashing there are no sharp edges exposed. I used to fabricate patterns out of flashing for things I needed around the farm and have never been cut on it. Now galvanized steel on the other hand is razor sharp especially if you use tin snips to cut it. I cut the back of two fingers to the bone not long ago right as I was finishing my last cut on a piece for a rabbit feeder. I now cut steel with shears like you use to trim vinyl siding. It leaves a slightly rounded edge that is not nearly as sharp and is almost impossible to get cut on. You can also roll the edges of steel for added safety. A ball peen hammer and a piece of round steel bar work perfectly.

Have you ever made a cone for Turkey's? I use the traffic cone for my chickens but it is WAY too small for turkeys.

In the last picture, what is the tool between the handles of the pop-riveter?

Judging by your measurments and cone size or appearence so to speak keep in mind that really large birds Persay CxR then they wont really fit in the cone and you will have to keep adjusting it which has to be miserable for a bird. Only saying this from experience using a pattern simular to this one measurments were roughly the same also. Notice in pic how I had to do a last minute mutilation to the cone to adjust for size of my CxR So when building it for larger birds be sure to make it really wide at the top and not so long. Hope this saves someones bird from having to suffer by constantly being tossed into a cone till you can reach its short stubby neck.

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It's a sheet metal punch. I got it when I used to do a lot of HVAC work. It was used then but has punched thousands of holes for me. It's the greatest tool for sheet metal fabrication. The punching die is getting dull and I have trouble punching holes in anything thicker than 28 gauge steel. It used to punch holes in 22 gauge steel. I'm going to order a new one from Harbor Freight but will probably keep this one for making mock ups out of flashing.