For those who have done it both ways: Hatchet vs. Knife

[ninjapoodles]

I really appreciate all your responses here. Every single opinion IS helping us make up our minds as to what seems the best route for us to take. Keep 'em coming!

 

[sosanista]

I'm returning to slaughtering chickens as I did it a few times as a kid and I've started to harvest a few of my current crop of cornish x rocks.

I prefer for the deed to be done as fast and as humanely as possible. My problem with the ax method is it takes time to get the chicken calm on the chopping block and you can't guarantee a precise chop. Also the chicken struggling while being held down takes extra time and adrenelin. My problem with using a knife is that with two hands, one holding the chicken and one holding the knife its hard to get good leverage on the blade while controlling the chicken.

In my experience that fastest most humane way is to to hold the chicken in one arm while petting it with your other hand to calm it down. Next simply grab the neck and yank the head off in one fast motion. This seems more gruesome then the knife and the ax but its faster and more efficient and therefore more humane. I usually hold the chicken by its feet while the blood drains rather then letting it plop around.

 

[Barnyard Dawg]

Quote:
We prepare our birds whole that is why we don't chop the heads off.

 

[scooter147]

I use the stump, two nails and an extra wide hatchett.
I found this hatchett at a auction the blade part is about three times as long as those I can find in stores now.
I had it cleaned, rust ground off and sharpened.
I love it for doing the deed. With this I have not had one of those horrible mishaps.

Do not let the bird flop around.

 

[Salt and Light]

Quote:
How do you keep it from flopping around?

 

[Alaskan]

we would put it in a bucket

but I am thinking that a velcro strap might be better....want to try it when these are ready to be butchered hummmm

 

[MaineChickens]

When I get the chicken from the pen I turn it upside down to stun it a bit. I then have a started zip tie on a snap with a big enough opening to get the feet into easily. zzzzziip! legs are set. Hatchet. Stump. and I hold the feet with one hand and steady/hold the body with the other hand till the process is over. All ready to hang on my fence. It is over quick. Of course there is that stupid part of me trying to soothe a chicken without a head by talking to it.

like it can hear me... :|

I can't do the chicken running around bit. If you let them flop too much you risk injury. I had one that I lost my grasp on and it broke a wing. By the feet being bound, at least it wasn't running.

 

[sosanista]

I don't know about using the bucket and or the cones but to me introducing these objects to the bird and the time it takes prolongs the process making the bird afraid. If you haven't tried just yanking off the head with your hand you'd be surprised by how fast and easy it comes off. Just one quick hard pull = done. The faster and more comfortable the bird is killed = the most humane IMHO.

 

[deb1]

Quote:
How do you keep it from flopping around?

My sons always held the bird for my hubby. They didn't have trouble with the chicken flapping around but maybe Buff Orp. are just a quiet breed. I am pretty certain that they tied the legs first.

 

[Alaskan]

Quote:
That is BRILLIANT!


Quote:
No, with the bucket, after the head was chopped off, the bird was placed in the bucket until the flapping stopped.