Chickens for 10-20 years or more? Pull up a rockin' chair and lay some wisdom on us!

[Beekissed]

When prosing a bird for meat is it easier on the bird? Decapitate or cut the throat.

I'm with Fred on this one...never had a chicken live through it and tell me which is easier for him.

I just do what is easiest for me and it ultimately works out well for the quick passing of the bird. My mama taught me the hatchet method and grandma tied them to the clothes line and cut their throats. I've tried both of those, wringing the neck, pithing(BIG mistake) and finally decided to make a bleach jug or two into a killing cone and try that containment method while slitting the throat.

I liked it...and I think the bird liked it too, though he never really said. Sort of just figured he did by the look on his....er..um...throat.

One thing I never did...try to isolate vessels in the neck and slit only those in order to miss the trachea. Complete waste of time and has no effect on the process...just slice from left to right, deeply, and let the blood fly. Done and done.​

 

[donna8424]

Thank you all very much. I think the hatchet would be best for me.

 

[galanie]

Best answer to the "which is the best way to kill" question I ever saw!

 

[turtlynne]

What an AWESOME thread! Laughs, 'lies' and love!

 

[southerndesert]

We also hold the birds legs and wingtips and have two nails in a stump of wood to hold the head (in a V shape) as it makes stretching the neck easier, very sharp cleaver and one chop. One holds the bird the other does the beheading fast and I guess also humane....

 

[Remo]

Great thread! I have only had chickens for less than 2 yrs so I am always willing to take advice from folks. I currently have 41 chickens that are mostly mixed breeds. I do have some RIRs, Rocks, and Wyandottes but I really lean towards the mixed breeds because I just like the different color mixes you get from cross breeding. My question is what do the Oldtimers like or recommend and the reasons behind their thoughts on Purebreeds or mixed breeds. I do think that if I was trying to sell chicks that the purebred chickens would be the way to go.Thanks for any and all responses.

 

[Fred's Hens]

An Old Timer isn't likely to ever take a chicken to a vet and spend $150. That chicken would be culled and if the Old Timer had an extra $150, he/she would just get 25 chicks and have enough money to feed them out to replace the one sick bird, and still have enough to buy their spouse a pizza and a beer. Easy chicken math that.

 

[mississippifarmboy]

Quote:
It would depend on your goals. I'll take mixed breeds (red stars, golden commets, hubbards, etc) any day for layers if my only goal was eggs. For fast meat you can't beat the fast growing cornish crosses.

On our farm I prefer heritage breeds simply because a good dual purpose bird fits MY needs. Fair egg laying ability and a nice size bird for eatting with the culls. We seldom freeze ours, just process as needed and the dual purpose breeds fill the bill. I also raise purebred birds to sell and as a hobby.

Final answer? Depends on your needs.

 

[mississippifarmboy]

Fred's Hens :

An Old Timer isn't likely to ever take a chicken to a vet and spend $150. That chicken would be culled and if the Old Timer had an extra $150, he/she would just get 25 chicks and have enough money to feed them out to replace the one sick bird, and still have enough to buy their spouse a pizza and a beer. Easy chicken math that.

X2

Even if it's one of my favorites I could never justify a $150 vet bill for a $15 chicken.​

 

[southerndesert]

Quote:
This is something I for one have never worried over.... I keep both pure breeds we get from breeders from time to time and we hatch out our own mutts as well. Heck until just a few years ago I had no clue how many breeds are available because we always stayed with the tried and true RIR, BR, and Leghorn. Never even used a computer until 1994 and not being a hobbyist never really looked at publications either I am embarrassed to say. This site has really opened my eyes, but we did know about EE, BA, and other more popular breeds, but were not sure they would produce so never tried anything "odd" other than EE which we love.

What others do breeding wise never worries me and I to sure like looking at the many variations on the web.


edit cause OTs can't spell so good....