Delicate Question

[Impress]

Quote:
Not to mention a good flinch or having your eyes closed is a good way to chop your OWN fingers and hands off if you are holding them!

 

[colby318]

I lay the bird on the ground and put a broom stick behind their head. Put one foot on one side of the head and STOMP on the other. This breaks their neck. If the pupils are dilated, they've passed. I got this from Practical Poultry - The British magazine when they had an article on processing geese. I don't like the blood factor, nor a headless bird flopping around. Very clean, and very humane. I hypnotize the chickens first by drawing a line on the ground in front of their beak in the dust, gravel, etc. It's over in 15 seconds.

 

[SteveBaz]

Breaking a birds neck is quick, simple and humane. When I was younger worked in a chicken slauter house. Real crappy job. They way they treat the birds is how a carpenter handles his tools for work, its just a job. They used a trouph and cone method. That is the birds go in a cone head first over the trough and as they are place a cutter walks up behind and cut the throut and it bleeds out. .22 cal is a good way also but for the people in city limits you can not discharge a firearm.

Steve

 

[Citron_d'uccle]

This may seem kinda funny, but I use a sleeve from an old T shirt. It is an elastic material like Under Armor. I grab the chicken by the feet, slip the sleeve over its head and body, then place it on a mesquite stump as I hold their head with one hand and chop off their head with the other. A kill cone and a good, sharp knife work well too.

 

[IttyBiddyRedHen]

We processed 2 roos two months ago. We had gotten 13 chicks, 7 turned out to be roos. Anyway, I made a tripod of 3 tree limb poles, strapped with bungees. Hung from the center, a vinegar plastic bottle, cut open and hung upside down. Head through pouring hole. Wings wrapped around body, up through the plastic bottle. DH was able then to take his sharp knife, slice the heads off, they drained the blood in a bucket set under the tripod. Quick, and humane. Then, we processed from there.
We only got the 2 done of the 4 though. Right then, the propane single burner gas valve developed a leak, and we had to shut down operations.
Now, this dispatching didn't bother me in the least. And I am the city kid, raised with buses ..taxis..and Macy's. DH is the farmer boy from the hills of WV. I am glad he knew the process, because I only knew rudimentarily what to do.
I guess things like that don't bother me because I am the tomboy of the family..and I also worked healthcare for 6 years. Life happens. Processing livestock to eat, is part of living.

 

[Mattemma]

I had to killy my RSL hen and I chopped her head off.Lots of anxiety up to that moment,and right after...but otherwise went well. Head chopping would be my choice for any future culling.

I used a hand axe from harbor freight,and put her head by 2 nails on a board to hold her in place. I did cover her head and she was quite limp from the covering.She never moved on the board.

 

[navasima]

Thank you all very much for your responses.