Chronicles of Raising Meat Birds - Modern Broilers, Heritage and Hybrids

[FortCluck]

Yeah I know but I thought the cone was mostly just to prevent flapping?? Was thinking I could kill them another way and then put them in a bucket for the flapping hah

It's not just for the flapping it's because it secures the bird so that you can make a nice cut and then it bleeds out. It also makes it so the bird is not stressed out.

It's like swaddling a baby, it comforts them

 

[ShrekDawg]

It's not just for the flapping it's because it secures the bird so that you can make a nice cut and then it bleeds out. It also makes it so the bird is not stressed out.

It's like swaddling a baby, it comforts them

Ahh okay that makes sense thanks!! I kind of liked the broom thing but maybe the cone would be best?

 

[FortCluck]

Ahh okay that makes sense thanks!! I kind of liked the broom thing but maybe the cone would be best?

I think that the cone is probably the best way especially if you are doing them for me because that is how most people do it. Some people do make two nooses and then hang their feet from it.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I think that the cone is probably the best way especially if you are doing them for me because that is how most people do it. Some people do make two nooses and then hang their feet from it.

Thanks!! That makes sense. Guess I will have to buy or make one then.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I thought this seemed like a really good deal but idk.

https://www.meyerhatchery.com/productinfo.a5w?prodID=FPBM

 

[Morrigan]

We do the hatchet and stump, and then immediately drop the decapitated bird into a cone to bleed out.

My husband has gotten extremely good at it. He holds the bird for awhile under his arm like a football with one hand holding the legs together and waits until the bird is calm, and then in one motion lays the bird's neck on the stump and takes the head off, and then immediately drops the bird into the cone.

I had to do this part one butchering session when my husband had an injured hand, and realized its a little harder then he made it look. For the first one, I wasn't prepared for the death throes and nearly dropped the rooster. I managed to get it into the cone eventually but not before blood from the stump had pretty much sprayed everywhere, including myself. I also wasn't prepared for the sensation of holding a living bird that you are trying to calm, to a dead bird in the matter of a second. I needed a few minutes after that first one to stop shaking and calm down enough to continue.

The absolute key is that you have a heavy, high-quality, sharp axe. Swing it like you mean it.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I use the hatchet and stump method. One of the secrets to that is that you need to cut into the grain of the wood, not across the grain. That's why a stump works so well. The hatchet head sinks into the wood so you get a cleaner cut. If you get a heavy board and try it the hatchet head will bounce back, you don't get as clean a cut. You can use a tree trunk and cut against the wood grain if the wood is fairy soft, the hatchet head will sink in enough. If it is really hard you might get a bounce.

I drive in two long nails to form a Vee maybe 3/4" apart at the base and maybe 1-1/2" wide at the top. After calming the bird I put it's neck in that Vee and gently stretch it, holding onto the legs. Gently, the bird should remain calm. That holds the neck in place so the target isn't moving.

 

[ShrekDawg]

We do the hatchet and stump, and then immediately drop the decapitated bird into a cone to bleed out.

My husband has gotten extremely good at it. He holds the bird for awhile under his arm like a football with one hand holding the legs together and waits until the bird is calm, and then in one motion lays the bird's neck on the stump and takes the head off, and then immediately drops the bird into the cone.

I had to do this part one butchering session when my husband had an injured hand, and realized its a little harder then he made it look. For the first one, I wasn't prepared for the death throes and nearly dropped the rooster. I managed to get it into the cone eventually but not before blood from the stump had pretty much sprayed everywhere, including myself. I also wasn't prepared for the sensation of holding a living bird that you are trying to calm, to a dead bird in the matter of a second. I needed a few minutes after that first one to stop shaking and calm down enough to continue.

The absolute key is that you have a heavy, high-quality, sharp axe. Swing it like you mean it.

I use the hatchet and stump method. One of the secrets to that is that you need to cut into the grain of the wood, not across the grain. That's why a stump works so well. The hatchet head sinks into the wood so you get a cleaner cut. If you get a heavy board and try it the hatchet head will bounce back, you don't get as clean a cut. You can use a tree trunk and cut against the wood grain if the wood is fairy soft, the hatchet head will sink in enough. If it is really hard you might get a bounce.

I drive in two long nails to form a Vee maybe 3/4" apart at the base and maybe 1-1/2" wide at the top. After calming the bird I put it's neck in that Vee and gently stretch it, holding onto the legs. Gently, the bird should remain calm. That holds the neck in place so the target isn't moving.

Thank you both! This was really helpful. Thinking I might try this hatchet thing.

 

[jolenesdad]

I use the hatchet and stump method. One of the secrets to that is that you need to cut into the grain of the wood, not across the grain. That's why a stump works so well. The hatchet head sinks into the wood so you get a cleaner cut. If you get a heavy board and try it the hatchet head will bounce back, you don't get as clean a cut. You can use a tree trunk and cut against the wood grain if the wood is fairy soft, the hatchet head will sink in enough. If it is really hard you might get a bounce.

I drive in two long nails to form a Vee maybe 3/4" apart at the base and maybe 1-1/2" wide at the top. After calming the bird I put it's neck in that Vee and gently stretch it, holding onto the legs. Gently, the bird should remain calm. That holds the neck in place so the target isn't moving.

Do the birds still bleed out the same way without a head versus cutting the jugular?

I personally don’t feel comfortable with the jugular method, it’s not quick enough for me and something that has stuck with me for far too long looking back than any other kill method.

 

[Molpet]

I use a PVC pipe cutter on chickens in a kitty litter jug cone. I have metal cones but most of my birds are too big. I move the dead bird to the metal cone to finish bleeding out, so the next bird can use the homemade one.
I have 2 sizes of metal chicken cones, never used the medium size.
Heritage Turkeys I use Sharp loppers in a BBB cone. The BBB didn't fit in that cone either.
ETA I put electrical tape around the ankles so they don't escape