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

[JacinLarkwell]

How do you guys actually do the killing? I have 2 Cornish bantam male's I have to do in a few weeks. I don't want to do the broom method.

 

[FortCluck]

How do you guys actually do the killing? I have 2 Cornish bantam male's I have to do in a few weeks. I don't want to do the broom method.

I use a hatchet. Works great. I sharpen it every time before I use it.

 

[RUNuts]

How do you guys actually do the killing? I have 2 Cornish bantam male's I have to do in a few weeks. I don't want to do the broom method.

Kill cone made from a gallon plastic jug and a sharp knife to the throat. Hanging them by the feet gave me dislocated wings.
Best wishes with your harvest.

 

[nicalandia]

How do you guys actually do the killing? I have 2 Cornish bantam male's I have to do in a few weeks. I don't want to do the broom method.

Can you post the pics before and after of the carcass? Thanks

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Yeah, sure! I'll add live and cleaned weights too

 

[Compost King]

If it isn't a Cornish-X, a nice 2-3 pound cockerel is just right. At small sizes, the Cornish Game hen is very bland.

Unless its bacon I want my meat bland. I actually do not like meat I just eat it because of its nutritional value. Everyone has their own preference. Although Cornish X are bland when full sized too.

 

[Compost King]

How do you guys actually do the killing? I have 2 Cornish bantam male's I have to do in a few weeks. I don't want to do the broom method.

My method, which is not for everyone, is to hang it upside down with a bale of straw (most people use buckets) under it. I get my mind focused on the task without thinking about it being a living being I cared for for a few weeks then I grab the head with left hand in a way that exposes the flesh of the neck and swiftly come in with a knife and as the knife makes contact I pull on the head to separate vertebrae as the knife comes through cleanly (90% of the time) there are few times I get hung up and I make sure to hit that artery first so it bleeds out fast. The straw is to catch the blood in something I can compost with the offal, and I always bury it at the bottom of a fresh or hot Compost pile.

 

[Parront]

Unless its bacon I want my meat bland. I actually do not like meat I just eat it because of its nutritional value. Everyone has their own preference. Although Cornish X are bland when full sized too.

The Cornish in game hen size of about 20 oz dressed is perfect for you! My kids always liked the small birds, as long as I cut them up and fried them! That is what you're supposed to do with the hens, as soon as you can tell the sexes apart the old timers would eat the hens, they are not as feed-efficient. But if you like the breast meat best, larger birds have better breast size.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

My method, which is not for everyone, is to hang it upside down with a bale of straw (most people use buckets) under it. I get my mind focused on the task without thinking about it being a living being I cared for for a few weeks then I grab the head with left hand in a way that exposes the flesh of the neck and swiftly come in with a knife and as the knife makes contact I pull on the head to separate vertebrae as the knife comes through cleanly (90% of the time) there are few times I get hung up and I make sure to hit that artery first so it bleeds out fast. The straw is to catch the blood in something I can compost with the offal, and I always bury it at the bottom of a fresh or hot Compost pile.

Okay thanks for the advice. Is the artery hard to find? I don't want to hit the wrong thing and hurt the bird more than I need to

 

[Parront]

How do you guys actually do the killing? I have 2 Cornish bantam male's I have to do in a few weeks. I don't want to do the broom method.

I hang by the feet, and weight the neck by hooking a bucket into the opening at the back of the beak. Weight in the bucket depending on the birds, small bird gets a small bucket with a little kibble in it for dogs who love their kibble with left-over chicken blood. Now that I do not have dogs I guess I would weight the bucket with water or dirt to put on the rose bushes. The weight stretches out the bird's neck and makes it easier to cut the artery and keeps the blood in the bucket. They do flap, never been for long or been a problem. Best wishes for your initial processing of annoying excess males!