Culling - Break Neck Method - BEWARE - NOT A PC JOKE - NOT KIDDING

[PurpleChicken]

THIS IS NOT ONE OF MY NORMAL JOKES!!! DO NOT READ UNLESS
YOU HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH CULLING AND THE ACCIDENTS THAT
HAPPEN.





















We have several Delaware cockerals who are at 4 - 6 pounds and are picking the
heck out of some of our younger birds, especially the Blue Orps. We cleaned the
coop today and were going to seperate them. While they were in the run one attacked
Angel, our 11 month old splash silkie. I had enough and was VERY ANGRY. I decided
to cull it and try to break it's neck like others have mentioned. My anger gave me
the guts to try this.

Well I grabbed the bird, tried to break the neck and nothing. No crack or anything.
But I hurt it. Now I wanted to put it down quick so holding it's head I twirled it
around then slammed it down. NOT DEAD YET!!! It was rolling around, would stand
up, walk sideways, fall, you get the picture.

OK so now I said the heck with this where is my hatchet. I couldn't find my hatchet.
I'm franticaly running around throwing things looking for the hatchet. The Delaware
had managed to crawl into a nesting box and was under my broody Speckled Sussex.
I almost puked at this point. Never would I want a bird to suffer like that.

20 minutes pass and I find my hatchet. Now the Delaware is standing, looking at me,
not showing any signs of trama, and walking fine.

Ummmm

 

[FutureChickenMan]

note to self...

carry good knife/hatchet/pistol when in coop.


Well, if that roo didn't know you were the boss, he does now.

 

[Judymae]

I think they do these things to make us feel bad.....

 

[Cheryl]

So now what are you gonna do?

 

[Buster]

PC- this same thing happened to me. I tried to twist and pull to cull a rooster and it didn't work. He was hurt and stood there looking at me. I figured he'd fall over dead and then he took off running. So I grabbed him and put him back in the cage for a few days so the adrenaline could cool off and just used the hatchet the next time. I don't think I'll try the neck breaking method again because it's just not as certain as a hatchet. I do know that people break the neck by swinging them around by the neck, but I've only been successful at that with a duck I shot while hunting. Better luck next time, I know it's a terrible feeling to make something suffer- even when you had the best of intentions.

 

[PurpleChicken]

FCM, that's the perfect conclusion. I will alway have
alternate methods available now, not that I will ever
try that method again.

Judy, It worked. I feel bad.

Cheryl, the rooster was spared. If it seems in any way to be hurt
I will cull it immediately.

Buster, exactly. Thanks

 

[hinkjc]

I don't think the pull and break neck method is meant for full grown birds. I have heard of it on young chicks and birds that are too small for the hatchet method. It works perfect for small chick culls and they pass very quickly. All others, including full grown bantams get the hatchet here. It is pretty much full proof unless you miss.

Jody

 

[HobbyChickener]

Been there done that. I was in the same situation with my son's pet roo (road runner). He was a bantam barred cochin. The New Hamp Roo gave him a good rump kickin one day while I was at work. I had come in to feed them and noticed that he was gone. Upon looking everywhere for I found him under the shed hideing. Well when I got him out the big roo immediately jumped on him again. WELL with my short temper I got my hands on the closest thing (a 3 ft piece of 1" plastic pipe) and gave it a good swing. Keep in mind I am not a little fellar (6'6 230) and I caught him right in the old melon. Dropped him like a rock. My thought was, well crude now I have to clean him so I just as well clean the other ones that were going to be culled anyway. I picked him up and carry him to the shed while I got the "tools" to take care of the others. 45 min later when my DW came out to get the water started for the plucking she walked by him. He suddenly jumped up, let out a huge crow, and ran like heck for the coop which scared the crap out of DW. I had to recatch him and finish the job because now I have the others on the ground and figured it was time for him too. From then on, nothing but Hatchet!

 

[PurpleChicken]

Quote:
I learned my lesson today. The hatchet has been my prefered method for the limited
amount of birds I've culled. A heavy sharp knife works well for small or young birds.

I did miss with a hatchet once. Now I use two long screws drilled into the stump to
hold it's head(painlessly) while I stretch it out.



Thanks again to everyone for responding to this. This was a good "vent thread" for me.

Don

 

[d.k]

* Not quite done yet, PC. . . Had the same problem with "The Rabbit FROM HELL" once!!! ~ Took us over an hour to off this Thumper & nearly killed the both of us. . . NOT for amateurs, no siree!!