Butchering single chicken without cone, needing advice

[Ninjasquirrel]

I can hold a chicken by the feet & wingtips with one hand, leaving the other hand free for the ax (machete, cleaver, whatever cutting tool.)

But if you need one hand for the knife and another to stabilise the head, then it might not work for you.

I've read of people wrapping a chicken in a towel, and then wrapping a bandage around that to hold the towel in place. It's commonly recommended when the bird is injured and the person needs both hands to treat it, but would probably work fine for killing as well.

A towel is very helpful because it pins the wings into the body and keeps the bird calm. It also stops the death throw flapping. But you need to hold onto them the whole time until the heart stops. Its a really peaceful way for them to go.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

I used to tie a line (slip knot) around both feet and hang them from a sawhorse before I bought cones. .... Young cornishx need a cone or they will literally break their wings because their connective tissues are so weak.

My second thoughts, next to using the towel, was hanging them by their feet but I wasn't sure about how to do that without "proper" equipment. Yep. We had quite a few have enormous hematomas and open fractures from flapping.

You can use a towel and do it in your lap. This lady uses an apron but same idea.

I've seen reference to this method and this was exactly what I was looking for! This will likely be what I do... minus ripping the chickens head off with my bare hands. I said some dirty words of shock when I saw that! Good grief haha. I was going to cut both sides of the neck though. Admittedly, the additional move of breaking the neck does finish the job quicker than bleeding out. This was excellent, thank you!

My brother-in-law does the old school method, he had two nails in a stump, and then uses and ax. The two nails fit along side each side of the neck.

Yes, but I'm not comfortable with an ax. Even if I was, I'm not comfortable enough in my ability to stabalize the bird without chopping my own hand off

Use the broomstick method. I haven't tried it personally, but I've seen a couple videos, and it looks fairly simple. You only need the chicken and a pole of some sort to do it. Lay the chicken down, belly to the ground. Put the pole over their necks, right under the head, standing on either end. Then quickly pull the feet up. It breaks the neck, and sometimes even pops the head right off. Then let it bleed out, and gut it.

Generally speaking, for better quality meat it is best to bleed out first. I also don't think I'm comfortable trying this.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

A towel is very helpful because it pins the wings into the body and keeps the bird calm. It also stops the death throw flapping. But you need to hold onto them the whole time until the heart stops. Its a really peaceful way for them to go.

Peaceful is what I am hoping for. Poor roo, he's a well behaved and attractive rooster. I just don't need him, and being a mutt, no one else wants him either. It's the heartbreaking and necessary aspect of chicken keeping. I'll be trying the towel for sure. I think it'll be the easiest for me since it's my first time solo.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I screwed a hook into a convenient overhang, put a thick elastic band around the feet, hang, and slice the head off with a SHARP Chef's knife. Asked about cones very early on, decided they weren't for me and my flock for a host of reasons - mostly impractical due to the range of bird sizes I have and cost ineffectiveness due to infrequency of cullings.

My hook is crude, but honestly, my set up could be duplicated by bolting two blocks of wood to the side of a tree (I'm attached to a 4x4), then screwing the hook into the bottom of one of them. At some point, I'll put something less crude together, but its not a priority.

The important things for me were that it was close to clean running water and a heat source for dipping the bird before defeathering. Oh, and that I could put a bucket underneath to catch much of the blood and bits.

/edit to add - I've done a couple ducks so far, and Cornish up to 13.8# live weight.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

I screwed a hook into a convenient overhang, put a thick elastic band around the feet, hang, and slice the head off with a SHARP Chef's knife. Asked about cones very early on, decided they weren't for me and my flock for a host of reasons - mostly impractical due to the range of bird sizes I have and cost ineffectiveness due to infrequency of cullings.

My hook is crude, but honestly, my set up could be duplicated by bolting two blocks of wood to the side of a tree (I'm attached to a 4x4), then screwing the hook into the bottom of one of them. At some point, I'll put something less crude together, but its not a priority.

The important things for me were that it was close to clean running water and a heat source for dipping the bird before defeathering. Oh, and that I could put a bucket underneath to catch much of the blood and bits.

I really do need a more permanent set-up but at least for the next six months I shouldn't need to put down any other birds...... unless my handsome blue copper maran keeps flogging me. Trying to keep him around for babies, but he's the biggest jerk rooster I've ever seen.

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

Peaceful is what I am hoping for. Poor roo, he's a well behaved and attractive rooster. I just don't need him, and being a mutt, no one else wants him either. It's the heartbreaking and necessary aspect of chicken keeping. I'll be trying the towel for sure. I think it'll be the easiest for me since it's my first time solo.

I ran into this same problem with one of mine. He was supposed to be a barred rock but it turned out he was a black sex link. He was so beautiful and well behaved but I couldnt keep him and have him as a breeder. I reached out feelers to everyone I could but no one wanted him. I just ended up burying him in the backyard because I didnt even want to eat him.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

I ran into this same problem with one of mine. He was supposed to be a barred rock but it turned out he was a black sex link. He was so beautiful and well behaved but I couldnt keep him and have him as a breeder. I reached out feelers to everyone I could but no one wanted him. I just ended up burying him in the backyard because I didnt even want to eat him.

Aw I don't blame you for burying him. I've buried my egg layers, but their deaths have all been sudden and/or traumatic so I wasn't sure I *should* eat them. This rooster will be the Sunday roast....

 

[ackie]

I snipped the corner off a feed bag (plastic one not paper), head through the opening, body in the bag, as a cone.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

I snipped the corner off a feed bag (plastic one not paper), head through the opening, body in the bag, as a cone.

Now there is an idea! I have tons of feed bags that I haven't tossed. Thank you!

 

[ackie]

Now there is an idea! I have tons of feed backs that I haven't tossed. Thank you!

happy to help!