DIY HUMANE way to Kill Slaughter Chicken (Stun-kill, Gas)

[bobbi-j]

I don't think an extra step in there of zapping the birds would add to~ or take away from~ the low stress process that happens on butchering day here. Again, I think this is one of those things folks come up with to make themselves feel better about killing the bird but doesn't necessarily do anything of benefit for the bird.

there is no pretty or kind way to take an animals life. All you can hope for is fast humane kill and that is simple.

I agree with both of these statements. Killing and processing chickens is not something we do lightly. OK, I'll confess. I don't even kill them myself. I've never had to. DH takes care of that duty for me. I hold the feet, he lops the head off. It's always kind of a sad day for me when we butcher our spent layers, even though I don't try to make pets out of them or become attached. The meat birds aren't quite hard for me. I think because we don't have them around for as long as the layers.

 

[WalnutHill]

The most humane harvest kill I ever accomplished was with a 52 lb broad breasted bronze tom. No normal handling was practical due to his immense size. I walked him up the hill toward the garden, and closed him in and let him rest an hour or so. He was napping in the sun when I went out to see him, freshly sharpened chef's knife in hand. I stroked his back, he lifted his head and stretched his neck for his head scratch, and I gently passed the scalpel sharp blade across his jugular, then the other side. He did not even know he was cut, he did not react at all, he was still very calm, very awake, and just got very weak and tired and eventually laid his head down. His heart continued to beat long after he was unconscious, and we lifted him into the wheelbarrow, secured his feet to the handles, then tilted it forward to help drain more blood.

It was very peaceful, no blood splashed everywhere, and relatively stress free for both of us.

And he was delicious.

For mercy killing, as when our Narragansett tom was mortally wounded by a neighbor's dog, I put an air rifle pellet directly into his skull, with the muzzle against his head. One quiver and it was over. The noise was not enough to further frighten the rest of the already terrified birds.

 

[bachbach1]

Have you yourself SEEN an electrostunner used? Not, have you extrapolated from your own experience of being hit with a shock and imagined what its like for the livestock but actually seen the tool in use?

I have and have to say, it looks the bee's knees in the right setting. When the stunner is applied the animal goes stiff and then totally limp. No thrashing about or struggling at all. The throat is then cut so the animal will bleed out WITHOUT feeling it! As the heart is still pumping at that point a total bleed out is achieved.

The point is you cant pass electricity through the animal without the animal feeling it, not saying it wont put them down. That and saying electricity is an evil thing to do to anything, brutally efficient in a chicken processing plant, brutal the key word. It is just the nature of electricity. I am not sure if they bleed out because of gravity, being upside down gravity will do it. or if their heart is still beating. The guy from Tyson told me it killed most birds, and it was done so they wouldn't flop around and miss the next step that slices their head.

Everything else aside, an electrical shock is brutal, it has to be to put anything down.

 

[donrae]

I agree. My birds are not used to being handled, so I just take them off the roosts the night before, truss them and leave them in the coop bedding for a morning slaughter. That way there is no chasing and they don't have to leave their flock mates, they can still move around but not run away when it's time to pick them up for the killing cone. There is no undue noise, chasing, over stressing the birds...just calm, quiet, easy movements that do not cause them to get excited. They rarely ever make a sound throughout the whole process.

I don't think an extra step in there of zapping the birds would add to~ or take away from~ the low stress process that happens on butchering day here. Again, I think this is one of those things folks come up with to make themselves feel better about killing the bird but doesn't necessarily do anything of benefit for the bird.

Okay, this is one of those

why didn't I think of that things!!! I've struggled to figure out how to contain/separate the birds to be culled and just haven't found a way that works, but I think this is the key! So simple, really a "duh" moment! Thank you, Bee!

I agree--no way I can isolate a single bird before slaughter, and me reaching in to "pet" it would freak it out more as my birds aren't used to being handled. Not really wanting to get into this whole "electrocution" thing....just saying that example is pretty impractical for those of us who slaughter multiple birds at a time.

And sure enough, I'd zap my own stupid self

 

[Beekissed]

Quote:
Yep..I'd rub my nose and wake up some time later on the ground in a pool of pee.

 

[bobbi-j]

Okay, this is one of those

why didn't I think of that things!!! I've struggled to figure out how to contain/separate the birds to be culled and just haven't found a way that works, but I think this is the key! So simple, really a "duh" moment! Thank you, Bee!

I agree--no way I can isolate a single bird before slaughter, and me reaching in to "pet" it would freak it out more as my birds aren't used to being handled. Not really wanting to get into this whole "electrocution" thing....just saying that example is pretty impractical for those of us who slaughter multiple birds at a time.

And sure enough, I'd zap my own stupid self

I hear ya there! I'd probably do the same thing.

 

[bobbi-j]

Yep..I'd rub my nose and wake up some time later on the ground in a pool of pee.

 

[donrae]

Yep..I'd rub my nose and wake up some time later on the ground in a pool of pee.

 

[chick fetish]

Thank you New Egg for your post. It was truly something that I had been searching for. I have a three week old chick that is not thriving because of a deformed beak and is cheeping continually because even though as Out of the Brooder states...they may have small brains (I have seen chickens do some pretty amazing things however) they also know when they are hungry. My chick may not know what death is, but I do and am grateful for your research on how to painlessly end a chickens life. My chickens are more than eating and breeding machines so maybe that is the difference. They have become our family pets and have brought us many good memories. Nice to know there is a way to end their life with dignity. Thank you again.

 

[Browneyedblonde]

Yep..I'd rub my nose and wake up some time later on the ground in a pool of pee.

LOL!