Any suggestions on a good cleaver to buy?

[jennifer0224]

Hi, my first round of (15) Cornish X are just about ready to butcher. They will be 8 weeks old this week, and though they still don't look as big (or tall?) as my full grown Brahma / Deleware hens (should they?) I want to get them processed before the holiday rush.

We tried a few different slaughter methods with some old hens over the Summer, and though I understand the cone method is most popular, my husband prefers the hatchet method. I have trouble sharpening a hatchet however, and would prefer a good cleaver so I can run it through my knife sharpener every couple of birds.

Does anyone use the cleaver method? What's the best type of cleaver to buy? And... how do you hold the bird still?? I had put two nails into a horizontal post at an angle like I've seen online but maybe I didn't use long enough nails because the last rooster we did kept slipping out.

Thanks!!!

 

[Rye]

A cleaver should not have a fine edge on it. It's going to chip, dull, and maybe break when chopping.

A hatchet shouldn't need to be sharpened much at all (once a year maybe) and is a much better tool for the job. Some sand paper or an angle grinder and your husband can learn to sharpen his hatchet in no time.

Growth rate of the birds varies by strain, daylight, feed etc. They will be heavy and plump for sure though.

Adjust the nails through trial and error. You'll find what works best for you with practice.

 

[jennifer0224]

Thanks Rye, especially for answering all of my questions. The chickens, while not so tall / big, are certainly very WIDE..

A neighbor lent us his hatchet for the last one we did, and he said he sharpened it right beforehand, but honestly I thought it was too dull (it made a mess and though it was swung hard and straight, left some here and there, attached). So I just kind of assumed it was difficult to get it sharp enough. If that isn't the case, then I'll look at hatchets online.

 

[Rye]

Most likely there was a curve to the edge of the hatchet. Most are rounded so there may have been a little gap left in a spot because of that.

Look for a good quality hatchet with a straighter edge. I can't think of any off the top of my head other than Gransfors Bruks or Husqvarna. SOG or COld Steel might make a tomahawk with a straight edge.

 

[RUNuts]

The block might have been too hard too. What was under the chicken? Soft wood or an end block maybe better than a 2x4 or plank.

 

[jennifer0224]

Thanks Rye, I don't know anything about hatchets, so I will look for one with a straight edge, and youtube how to keep it sharp. So if I buy a brand new hatchet, it should be sharp enough on (without sharpening in between) for 15 chops you think?

RUNuts, I used a 4x4, so douglas fir I suppose, which is a pretty soft wood. Do you think I should use something different?

 

[Ridgerunner]

It sounds like the problem is not with the hatchet but with the wood. If you hack across the grain of the wood the blade will not sink in. You still should get a clean kill as the bone should be chopped through but you probably won't cut through all the skin. The head will stay on. If you use a stump or section of a log and use the flat end of that (stand it up) you will be cutting into the grain and should have a much cleaner result. If you use sawed lumber it doesn't work as well. If you cut across the length of the log it doesn't work as well.

I use two fairly long nails driven in at an angle to form a Vee. Not all chickens have the same size of head and neck so the Vee gives you some adjustment. The two nails probably have about 3/4" separation at the base and maybe a 2" separation at the top, though I'm eyeballing this, I do not measure. It sounds like the nails may have been too close together or too far apart. I don't pull very hard either, it doesn't take much to keep the head and neck still.

Check u-tube for how to sharpen a hatchet or ax, the visual can be very helpful. The way I do it is to use leather gloves that protect my wrists, put the hatchet in a vise to hold it steady, and use a file to actually sharpen it.

 

[jennifer0224]

Thanks Ridgerunner, I had no idea the grain of the wood made a difference. Yes, we chopped against the grain. I will buy a hatchet then, and figure out a different "stump" method. I'd rather not buy any lumber if I don't have to. I do have a section of douglas fir 2x12, maybe I can cut a 12x12 from that and screw it onto something, that way we can chop into the grain.

I did not use long enough nails, I think that is the problem. I have several 3 1/2" screws, maybe I can just screw them in at an angle instead of using nails.

Thank you!!

 

[jennifer0224]

Thanks all. The hatchet (and file) I ordered from Amazon should be here today.

 

[Rye]

Thanks all. The hatchet (and file) I ordered from Amazon should be here today.

Which hatchet did you go with?