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

[galanie]

If the chickens flop out of the cones then you're doing it wrong.

 

[Jakl]

I have used cones several times with little success, I guess I will keep doing it the way that works for me.

The bleach jug cone looked allot more stable than the ones our neighbor bought, and tried to use.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

The cone is to keep their wings from flapping while you're cutting and also while they're dying. You can also use duct tape or something stretchy like the sleeve or leg from a sweat suit, something like that. You tie their legs together with a zip tie or a cord and hang them from a branch or fence, have their wings bound, and then you're free to work on their neck with both hands.

 

[galanie]

The only time I've had one come even close to flopping out of a cone, it was too big for the cone, really. I suppose that might happen if you're using a milk or bleach jug for a cone. I use either a homemade one I made out of some galvanized metal I had around and for smaller ones sometimes use a cut up traffic cone.

 

[Beekissed]

I've never had one come out of a jug....can't imagine how that could even happen unless someone cut their cone/jug too shallow or didn't fasten it up properly.

 

[uaj0sh]

UnfortunatelyI live in Colorado. Trees aren't exactly plentiful. It is a great idea, I'll put up a post to make life a bit easier for the next go around.

Thanks!

 

[Jakl]

We use a corral panel, works pretty good.

 

[fried green eggs]

We just used our pickup tailgate and strung binder twine from the trailer hitch then up and over downed tailgate and hung chickens from feet to bleed out.

 

[TheWaterGoddess]

I've been looking through the thread for the past 20 minutes or so, but there are so many pages that there is no way I'm going to get through all of them.

Last year my mother, sister and I processed about 14 roosters that we had raised for eating. My mother grew up on a farm, and was familiar with ringing the neck to kill the birds (grabbing the bird at the head and twirling the body to separate the head from the neck). However, I don't feel that it was a satisfactory way to kill the animals, and I'm looking for alternatives.

When the neck was broken (mom did all the killing as my sister and I 'chickened out' at the last minute) the birds continued to blink and breathe for at least 30 seconds. One bird in particular sat back up after he was "killed" and had to be re-wrung. I personally feel that the death could have been quicker for the animals, hence my interest in this thread.

The two favored methods seem to be decapitation and throat-slitting. Which method is quicker, and results in less trauma to the bird (and, hopefully, the human)? I am not concerned about the flapping that happens as it dies or after death. Which method would you also recommend to someone who is very reluctant to cause an animal undue suffering before termination?

 

[galanie]

There are plenty of people that will tell you decapitation is the only humane way. And just as many that will tell you throat slitting is it. For myself, I think throat slitting is best. Don't remember which thread, but there is some evidence that with people, they are still conscious for 15 seconds or so after decapitation. And when people bleed to death, it's more like just passing out.

Granted, we aren't chickens and it may be different with them. Still, I think slitting the throat is it.