are you a chopper or a slitter

[mshaffer]

We just butchered a few weeks ago.

It was my idea to get the chickens for butchering, but I just couldn't bring myself to do the killing part (I did everything else though), so my kids did it (ages 12, 14, 14, 15 and 16) - they chose the chop method - used a hatchet.

I was so appreciative that the kids were doing all the killing, since I just couldn't bring myself to do that part, that I felt it necessary to tell them. Did you know the words "I love you all" will bring a dead chicken back to life, causing it to leap 2 feet off the stump, and to chase your daughter across the yard?!?!?

Best chicken I have eaten in my life though! Grilling it on the gas grill is an incredible method of preparation - so moist!

 

[warmfuzzies]

We just buchered today, and I figured I would be a chopper.

We did three, and we had trouble doing a clean chop. I mean we DIDDNT do a clean chop.

We could get the head off in one blow, so it was very messy. I tried slitting one of them, and it was just like they said, a little squack, (A chicken whisper, really!) and he slowely shut his eyes and went to sleep. You could tell when they were dead, then, because they started flapping around suddenly.

I will not ever do it differently I dont think! You do have to have a sharp knife and get in there deep.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

I'm a slitter. I've tried the other methods of yanking, chopping, even pithing, and prefer slitting the best. It's faster for the bird & easier & neater for me. I zip-tie their legs, duct-tape their wings to their sides, hang them over a garbage can and slit with a utility knife blade or a fish filet knife.

I can admire the beauty of my meat birds and care for them without getting attatched. I'll even pick them up & hungrily feel their drumsticks as they grow. It helps to view them as dinner guests right from the start. But I'm still not able to dispatch any of my old layers, or the flock husbands, or any of the ducks.

 

[bcf45]

I lay chicken head on ground put broom stick on neck pull feet head pops off then place chicken in 5 gal. bucket to bleed. sow I guess I am a puller

 

[twentynine]

I am a modified slitter.

Restrain the bird in a onion sack or cone, grab the head, completely remove the head in one swift cut. I not much on the chopping stuff, hard to restrain, hard to contain the mess.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Quote:
*lightbulb flash* I never thought of that, I'll have to give it a try! I don't have a cone & have been using duct tape to wrap around the birds to hold their wings still. It grieves my cheapskate heart to have to throw it away after one use. I'm going to try a mesh onion sack next time, it'll be reusable!

I'll still be a slitter, I think they bleed out better when their spinal cords aren't severed, the heart still continues to pump out the blood.

 

[jaku]

Quote:
*lightbulb flash* I never thought of that, I'll have to give it a try! I don't have a cone & have been using duct tape to wrap around the birds to hold their wings still. It grieves my cheapskate heart to have to throw it away after one use. I'm going to try a mesh onion sack next time, it'll be reusable!

I'll still be a slitter, I think they bleed out better when their spinal cords aren't severed, the heart still continues to pump out the blood.

I agree- I'm a slitter as well. I like the bleed out, and it's less messy than chopping. When I've chopped, for culling purposes, I find myself COVERED with blood.

 

[skeeter03]

Ah the great debate rages on in this house - hubby who has never done chickens before wants the cone and all the fancy things lol
Me - the ole fashioned chopper and hanger.
trying to convince him that all we need for butchering day is some rope, ax , and a big ole stump, and a bucket or two. and a sharp knife.
now do you skin or pluck?

 

[nivtup]

Slitter. Seems easier to me.

 

[mtnhomechick]

Slitter.