Dual purpose birds for meat

[Parront]

You could always make a whizzbang plucker or find someone that could build you one. They're much cheaper.

My DH2B is building us one I'm super excited!

Tractor Supply has a $400 one that I would consider, when that time comes.

 

[theuglychick]

Here are some pics of some of the Basque Hens for those who are curious about them.

These are the Marrunda variety/color. Very pretty birds.

Cockerel

Pullets

 

[Molpet]

I have the $400 yardbird plucker that TS sells... I have only done about 10 birds through it.. it does plug up with feathers after 2 heritage birds, but is easy to get them out. . one bird tends to get stuck and throwing a 2nd keeps them moving... less than a minute for 2 heritage birds. and couple of min to clean out the feathers and throw a couple more in.. I am glad I got it...
drum has 4 latches that hold it on the base, comes apart very easy to clean out.

 

[Parront]

I have the $400 yardbird plucker that TS sells... I have only done about 10 birds through it.. it does plug up with feathers after 2 heritage birds, but is easy to get them out. . one bird tends to get stuck and throwing a 2nd keeps them moving... less than a minute for 2 heritage birds. and couple of min to clean out the feathers and throw a couple more in.. I am glad I got it...
drum has 4 latches that hold it on the base, comes apart very easy to clean out.

Always nice to hear feedback. For a small amount of birds, I think cleaning it like that would be fine. For us in AZ, I am leaning towards Naked Necks, tolerate the heat and they have less feathers to pick.

 

[Redhead Rae]

I will first admit that I'm blessed in that my DH2B does the actual killing for me we work together on all the rest of the tasks. I am working up to being able to do it but I like others here don't want to hesitate or botch it and cause the bird to suffer.

Here, I'm the killer of chickens. My husband will help pluck, but is queasy until it "looks like food and not a chicken". @theuglychick, If you can, I would try to find someone who can teach you this method of killing a chicken in person. You can learn from the internet how to do it but until you actually do it or are shown how to do it in person there will be some trial and error. I confess, I botched the killing of my first chicken. I cut too far forward on the neck and didn't get the artery. After trying twice, I lost my nerve and started feeling shaky and almost threw up. Thankfully, the bird was calm and only gave a brief squawk when I make the cuts (far less the squawking we got from grabbing him from the pen). He wasn't tense or struggling, but his neck was wide open and I had to finish the job come hell or high water. After 2 more cuts, I did find the vein and he bled out. It was not fun. It wasn't until my 10th bird (several months after the first) that I discovered I wasn't getting adrenaline shakes anymore from slaughtering the birds. The KEY to a clean neck cut is to cut the neck right below the ear in one swift motion. If you don't see a gush of blood on the first cut (which will be apparent in less than a second) cut again. I'm still working up to cutting both sides of the neck. It is hard for me to find the right angle if i'm working on the opposite side from my dominant hand. Here are two resources that helped me greatly.

How to Humanely Butcher Your Own Chicken Dinner (from Justin Rhodes, I'm addicted to watching his "Great American Farm Tour" on Youtube)

Killing, Plucking, Eviscerating, & Cutting Up Your Chicken - Graphic! This is a BYC post that helped me figure out the proper neck cut and several evisceration issues that stumped me.

Third if you aren't processing every bird you have and they see the process or see birds running around without a head this can and usually will traumatize them.

My chickens are in close proximity to my house so they see every bit of the slaughter process. The thing that upsets them the most, is when the roosters start squawking when we catch them to put them in the cone. I have the cone on the side of one of my coops and the hens that live in that coop try to get at the blood bucket that is outside their run fence. They love drinking the blood. Of course, I've never had a chicken running around with its head cut off or its throat opened.

 

[theuglychick]

Awesome advice! Thanks a ton for sharing. I'll be sure to check those links out when I get home from work.

I'm feeling pretty good about it.

My husband keeps telling me (borderline insisting) that he has absolutely zero problems dispatching them for me (so long as it's none of his favorites from our main flock).

I appreciate his offer and may need to resort to it if I botch it, but I still want to learn to do it myself.

I think he knows that I'll probably be attempting to dispatch a bird while blubbering through a veil of snot and tears, lol.

Here, I'm the killer of chickens. My husband will help pluck, but is queasy until it "looks like food and not a chicken". @theuglychick, If you can, I would try to find someone who can teach you this method of killing a chicken in person. You can learn from the internet how to do it but until you actually do it or are shown how to do it in person there will be some trial and error. I confess, I botched the killing of my first chicken. I cut too far forward on the neck and didn't get the artery. After trying twice, I lost my nerve and started feeling shaky and almost threw up. Thankfully, the bird was calm and only gave a brief squawk when I make the cuts (far less the squawking we got from grabbing him from the pen). He wasn't tense or struggling, but his neck was wide open and I had to finish the job come hell or high water. After 2 more cuts, I did find the vein and he bled out. It was not fun. It wasn't until my 10th bird (several months after the first) that I discovered I wasn't getting adrenaline shakes anymore from slaughtering the birds. The KEY to a clean neck cut is to cut the neck right below the ear in one swift motion. If you don't see a gush of blood on the first cut (which will be apparent in less than a second) cut again. I'm still working up to cutting both sides of the neck. It is hard for me to find the right angle if i'm working on the opposite side from my dominant hand. Here are two resources that helped me greatly.

How to Humanely Butcher Your Own Chicken Dinner (from Justin Rhodes, I'm addicted to watching his "Great American Farm Tour" on Youtube)

Killing, Plucking, Eviscerating, & Cutting Up Your Chicken - Graphic! This is a BYC post that helped me figure out the proper neck cut and several evisceration issues that stumped me.


My chickens are in close proximity to my house so they see every bit of the slaughter process. The thing that upsets them the most, is when the roosters start squawking when we catch them to put them in the cone. I have the cone on the side of one of my coops and the hens that live in that coop try to get at the blood bucket that is outside their run fence. They love drinking the blood. Of course, I've never had a chicken running around with its head cut off or its throat opened.

 

[Redhead Rae]

I think he knows that I'll probably be attempting to dispatch a bird while blubbering through a veil of snot and tears, lol.

My advice, start with the meanest, most annoying rooster you have. It definitely makes it easier. Also, start out only doing one at a time unless you can find and experienced teacher to help. I can process 3 in 2-2.5 hours with help on the plucking.

One thing I do that makes it easier on me and my family members that help me pluck. After the bird bleeds out, I take pruning sheers and remove the head. I hate looking at their faces while I pluck.

 

[chickendreams24]

Yes we also remove the heads before we pluck. It does help. However we don't use pruning sheers bc it can shatter bones and make sharp shards. We cut in between the vertebrae with a different knife than we use for killing, it takes some practice but after you cut the meat and a couple tendons it is possible to twist the head off with force. It does take more twisting and force then you would think at first as chicken necks are very very flexible.

Which is another very important point absolutely make sure you have a specific knife for killing and make sure it's always sharp. It's kinder for the birds and less painful if you cut yourself, which my DH2B did do one time.

Absolutely start with the worst meanest bird. It will be better for the flock dynamic, better for your nerves and you'll feel guilty but less so if the bird was a jerk.

We like Justin Rhodes too.

We had no help our first time because we couldn't find anyone that could either help or would help us.

The first bird we did went very well the second one we did have to cut twice. We have done many more since then and have only had problems when the weather was cool or cold.

It's really hard to not hesitate with how much force to use. I think that's where the problem comes in.

 

[Redhead Rae]

Which is another very important point absolutely make sure you have a specific knife for killing and make sure it's always sharp. It's kinder for the birds and less painful if you cut yourself, which my DH2B did do one time.

I use a folding knife that has replaceable stainless surgical steel blades. It is sharp enough to cut 3 chickens' necks with ease as well as eviscerate them (third bird is a little more tricky than the first) but it works. I have a hard time getting a knife sharp and keeping it sharp. I have good quality slaughter and evisceration knives but I am holding off using them until I learn to sharpen them to keep me safe and humanely kill the bird.

It's really hard to not hesitate with how much force to use. I think that's where the problem comes in.

One problem my mom ran into when I was trying to teach her (and I've heard this happen to other people as well) is she tried try to saw into the neck rather than slash. The cut is a quick draw across the neck with only a moderate amount of pressure rather than something you have to put muscle into.

 

[chickendreams24]

I can definitely see how a woman like myself could have a problem bc we feel there must be more force to make the cut. Thus the sawing motion. That being said the problem we more ran into was not that but that we were afraid we would cut too deep and nick the trachea causing the bird to suffer so there was hesitation.

The surgical blade sounds good.

Yes I was taught to sharpen knives by my Grandpa and I believe my DH2B was also taught by his Grandpa or Dad. It's a great skill to have. I do have to say we haven't quite gotten the hang of the honing rods like chefs use but prefer a whetstone.