Butchering single chicken without cone, needing advice

[humblehillsfarm]

Emotionally, I make sure my knife is really sharp, and remind myself that every animal I eat has to die, and most don't live as well or go as easily as even my imperfect attempts. They're all individual sparks just like my favourite rowdy cockerels and they live and die and suffer, people get sick in meat packing plants or are underpaid/abused farm labour, and there's very few things I consume that don't have knock on effects of suffering and environmental damage, even if I don't ever know the detail, but meat I raise and slaughter myself, that's the smallest amount of suffering I can put out into the world, even if sometimes I make a mistake and there is some.

I’m pretty sure I’ll cry. I didn’t with my Cornish cross but it’s different with any bird from the laying flock. I am still more detached from this bird because I had a feeling it would come to this. Detaching myself from the corporate meat world is exactly why I went down the road I am on.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

I really appreciate BYC so much. Especially for situations such as this, the support is priceless.

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

I’m pretty sure I’ll cry. I didn’t with my Cornish cross but it’s different with any bird from the laying flock. I am still more detached from this bird because I had a feeling it would come to this. Detaching myself from the corporate meat world is exactly why I went down the road I am on.

There is no guarantee with the "corporate meat world" that the birds will be treated with as much care and decency. Only you can do that. I know its hard but you know that you have done all you can to give those birds a good life but with their purpose in mind

 

[AntiqueB]

[/QUOTE]

Emotionally, I make sure my knife is really sharp, and remind myself that every animal I eat has to die, and most don't live as well or go as easily as even my imperfect attempts. They're all individual sparks just like my favourite rowdy cockerels and they live and die and suffer, people get sick in meat packing plants or are underpaid/abused farm labour, and there's very few things I consume that don't have knock on effects of suffering and environmental damage, even if I don't ever know the detail, but meat I raise and slaughter myself, that's the smallest amount of suffering I can put out into the world, even if sometimes I make a mistake and there is some.

That is so well-spoken. Truer words were never said.

 

[AntiqueB]

Ignore those first 2! I have no idea how they got there!

 

[NatJ]

Ignore those first 2! I have no idea how they got there!

You can probably edit your post to remove them.

 

[AntiqueB]

Got it!

 

[Torinik]

All you need, for the way you want to do it, is a couple of ropes and a place to hang the chicken by its feet. Could be a tree or whatever. A ladder, for instance, over a door or better a garage-door opening, would work perfectly, if you have one. It keeps the chicken clear for when it flaps its wings at the end, and gives you the space to work. I cut only one vein/artery, I described how I do it in my first post, here.

If you lack rope and/or ladder and such, you could also hold the chicken under one arm (wrapped up in a towel if you prefer) and take its head firmly in your strong hand. Pull straight and away from the chicken, dislocating the head from the neck and breaking the veins you would otherwise cut. The blood accumulates under the skin. When you cut the skin, the blood runs out. This is probably the least fussy way all-round and the way to go if one lacks set-up or tools, or just has to butcher in their kitchen for lack of better.
This method does take a bit of practice, though. If you pull too hard, the head comes off and you have a mess where you maybe didn't want it. Not pulling hard enough, is obviously not going to do the deed but might still hurt the bird and put you in a state where you have to finish the job feeling badly.

If you have a spot where you can hang the bird by its feet, do it by cutting the veins as you intended. When it has bled out (you're holding the head anyway, only in your weak hand if you decide to follow my description and you can switch to your strong hand if you prefer), you can practice the head-pull while it's hanging there. You will know you've done it right when the head comes straight off when you cut it, without having to cut or break through a boney bit.
It does take a bit of force, so practicing on a dead bird the first time gives you an idea of just how much, without having to go all out just to be sure.

 

[cassie]

I tied the feet together with baling twine, hung them at a convenient height, and then used a box cutter or utility knife with a new blade to cut the throat.

 

[SweetLittleChicks]

I butchered some Cornish X in Oct, but our neighbor volunteered the equipment and actually cut their throats. I did everything else, and watched the first few have their throats cut, so emotionally I believe I am okay.

I have an extra roosters Hormones hit and he's just too much for my girls, so the time has come. The issue is, I don't have a cone or anything to hang him by his feet. I'll also (unfortunately) be doing it alone. Has anyone ever wrapped them in a towel and held them in their laps to cut the throat? Or is there any other advice? I don't want to use an ax because I can barely hit an nail on the head and I feel far more comfortable in two quick cuts with a knife.

rooster are misunderstood creatures there the one most forgotten and killed ones there the ones who fight to protect there flock they even die while doing it egg farms usually kill gas and grind male chicks they suffocate them in trash bags its not his fault he was born a male and cannot lay eggs its not his fault his hormones hits its god decisions the next time you look to a male you will undertsand the leader the one who is in charge of the flock the most killed unwanted fighters that do what they can to protect if a rooster fights you its okay hes is doing it out of self love for his flock if a rooster harms a hen he dose not have a complex brain enough to logically think hes just doing what first though is he dose not control it nor is it his fault you wanna kill a rooster why everyone wants to right? your not a bad person and im not telling you what to do im just saying it for me you could separate him usually rooster will get along great if there is no hens you can live him to someone that sees what rooster is there are also lots of sanctuary in the country area and suburban next time you sit down to a rooster think of all thiese things and most roosters hardly make life because everyone wants one rooster and they others die sierosly sorry my grammars bad