"Cleanest" butcher for taxidermy?

[cottontail farm]

Ok, I really was not sure where to post this but have always found open minded, practical people in the Meat Birds section so here goes.
I collect curiosities and over the years have cleaned skulls from some of the birds I've raised with great results (from goose down to quail). Now I'm going into fall with too many Millie Fluer bantam roosters. I'd love to try to taxidermy one. Usually use the broomstick method on poultry but I'd like to keep the head on and skin intact as much as possible.
What's the best HUMANE way to kill a bantam so the carcass isn't damaged? I'm not sure I'm strong enough to dislocate the neck cleanly.
Thank you!

 

[The Phantom]

@The Phantom, can we see some of your taxidermy work?

Yes, PLEASE share! How long have you been doing this?

I have been working with taxidermy probably 4 years now

 

[dbtcowgirl]

I know someone who recommended strangling (don't agree with it, plus it's rather scary sounding with a male)

Choke the chicken huh? This is a serious thread but I have the giggles.

 

[dbtcowgirl]

Passes out again LOL

I'm sorry for your distress but my weird brain laughed WAY too hard at you fainting twice. I wish there was an emoji for smelling salts

 

[cottontail farm]

Sure would be interested to see the finished product. Is this a particularly magnificent bird, or just something to practice on? Picture of the bird now would be nice too, actually.

This is our special guest. He's beautiful, I just have 2 mille fleur roosters. The other has muffs and a beard and a decent personality so I'm keeping 1. So pratice I guess.

 

[The Phantom]

Ok, I really was not sure where to post this but have always found open minded, practical people in the Meat Birds section so here goes.
I collect curiosities and over the years have cleaned skulls from some of the birds I've raised with great results (from goose down to quail). Now I'm going into fall with too many Millie Fluer bantam roosters. I'd love to try to taxidermy one. Usually use the broomstick method on poultry but I'd like to keep the head on and skin intact as much as possible.
What's the best HUMANE way to kill a bantam so the carcass isn't damaged? I'm not sure I'm strong enough to dislocate the neck cleanly.
Thank you!

Thank you. This is something I've been reading about for years, have collected books on and would like to try myself. It will be a ton of work but something I'll be proud of. I'm thinking shooting it would probably be best but was looking for an alternative because it might be a bit harder to repair the damage on a bantam then, say a duck.

@The Phantom does taxidermy, they can probably give you advice.

Whenever I have a bird that needs to be put down I take 1cc of rubbing alcohol and inject it right behind the head just into the skull. They do not flinch or struggle at all if done right. They literally just pass out instantly without any flapping or twitching. Best if done with 25 gauge needle so there is little to no pain. If your interested in trying this let me know and I can post some pics with more details

 

[cottontail farm]

I'm going to go alcohol injection. Thank you everyone for all of the suggestions, I think this will be something I can do confidently. After that he's going to just go in the freezer until I can start this project this winter, I'm due with a baby in 3 weeks. But I want to get the roo taken care of now because unfortunately we've been having fox problems

 

[The Phantom]

Thanks for replying! Can you explain this a bit more? Are you actually piercing the skull and how much force is needed for that?

It’s kinda hard to explain but I’ll do my best! So when you feel the back of their head close to their neck where it connects, there is a slight dip. I stick the needle in there and if you hit it right the needle will feel like it’s going into cartilage then go in just a little more and inject. (When I do this I stretch their neck out to feel it easier)
The purple line is where you stick the needle in

 

[RUNuts]

The ones eating fish, what are they? I see teeth in their bills O.O

Red breasted Merganser?

The Hooded Mergansers are harliquinesque and gorgeous as well.

Fish eaters so the meat can be fishy tasting depending on their diet and time of year. Or high in Omega 3 fatty acids.

 

[cottontail farm]

I'm sorry for your distress but my weird brain laughed WAY too hard at you fainting twice. I wish there was an emoji for smelling salts

I'm not really sure why this is kicking up so much dust? It's the burchering forum for discussing, well, killing birds? The only difference is that I'm stuffing the skin instead of throwing it out?