Going to process a rooster for my 1st time need some help

[CaliTX]

The way that I did my first one was how it was done in a youtube video called "respectful chicken harvest."
I held the chicken in my lap upside down with her head pointed into a bucket lined with a trash bag. She was wedged between my knees and I wrapped my apron over her as well, stretched her neck down (she was VERY relaxed), slit her throat, bled her out, broke her neck, at which point the kicking and flapping started however because she was securely wrapped in my apron and between my knees it was not difficult to keep her from flopping around all over the place. Overall it was a quick process and I will be using the method again.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Thank you everyone for the input. I'm thinking at some point the only way to know what will happen is simply to give it a go.

 

[NTBugtraq]

Bobbies,

I haven't done it myself, so take this for what its worth. I have, however, cleaned many fish. As I am planning on harvesting many chickens for meat, my thinking is that the process for the chickens will strike me similar to cleaning a fish. Either way, I'm killing the thing.

Perhaps because of my many years of catching and eating fish, I don't feel I have much to mentally prepare for with culling a chicken. Here's my suggestion; once the neck is cut (head removed), turn away. Whether it falls off the chopping block to be hung or you have to lift it to hang it, the movement of the now dead chicken isn't something anyone needs to watch. As you've acknowledged, its got nothing to do with "feelings" or being respectful, that all happens before you make the cut. But what happens after the cut can be the reason for trauma. You mentioned you want your kids to be able to do this in the future, so hanging the carcass and moving away should be the least trauma (to humans). There's no reason for anyone to learn how to cope with the nerve reactions.

Cheers,
Russ

 

[bobbi-j]

Thank you everyone for the input. I'm thinking at some point the only way to know what will happen is simply to give it a go.

You're absolutely right. DH and I use the nails-in-the-stump method to decapitate our chickens. I hold them by the feet, he slips the neck (just under the chin) between the nails. I keep it gently stretched, and he lops the head off with a good, sharp hatchet. If I had to do it myself, I think I'd use a killing cone, and a VERY sharp knife to remove the head. I just think for one person that would be easier - and maybe safer. At least for me it would be. I'm not necessarily that coordinated.

Interested in knowing how it goes for you....

 

[AinaWGSD]

The way that I did my first one was how it was done in a youtube video called "respectful chicken harvest."
I held the chicken in my lap upside down with her head pointed into a bucket lined with a trash bag. She was wedged between my knees and I wrapped my apron over her as well, stretched her neck down (she was VERY relaxed), slit her throat, bled her out, broke her neck, at which point the kicking and flapping started however because she was securely wrapped in my apron and between my knees it was not difficult to keep her from flopping around all over the place. Overall it was a quick process and I will be using the method again.

That's an excellent video. Our third batch we were having a lot of trouble with the first two and it was very upsetting and frustrating for us that they were suffering while we were still bungling through the process. So I came back in before we did any more killing and looked up videos on how to slaughter. This one was very well done, very helpful, and after watching it the rest of the chickens died quickly and without suffering. We modified it slightly as we still hung ours, but this video has excellent instruction on where and how to make the cut.

 

[retiredwithchicks]

My mother kills her chickens like she has for 70 years. She catches them, puts a broom stick across the neck, one jerk and the head is off. Clean, quick, and efficient way to do the deed. Doesn't take very much of a pull to take off the head and no knife involved or way the chicken can move so no halfway killing.

 

[what did I do]

My mother kills her chickens like she has for 70 years. She catches them, puts a broom stick across the neck, one jerk and the head is off. Clean, quick, and efficient way to do the deed. Doesn't take very much of a pull to take off the head and no knife involved or way the chicken can move so no halfway killing.

 

I want to try this method on my roosters. How hard do you have to jerk to get the head off?

 

[triplepurpose]

I use the English method described in this article for most chickens: http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Butchering-Killing.html
I greatly prefer it to any other method as it is humane, simple, and not messy.

If you are using the machete to decapitate, instead of putting nails in the block to hold the chicken's head, I can recommend using a small piece of string with a slipknot to hold the head. You hold the other end of the string under your foot, or tie it to something. You can either hold the chicken's feet and wings with one hand, but it also works well to hold the wings together behind the back, and then you have your dominant hand free to swing. I use this method with ducks. It's a little messy, but it's easy and effective.

If this is your first slaughter, I recommend going with something easy and quick that doesn't require a lot of equipment. The English Method is quick and requires NO equipment, but it takes technique, so if you decide to try it read the instructions VERY carefully and be prepared that it may feel a little awkward the first time you try it--you may also find at first that you pull too forcefully and actually take the head off completely, but that's ok too, just not as tidy.

 

[retiredwithchicks]

I want to try this method on my roosters. How hard do you have to jerk to get the head off?

I killed 7 today and all came off with a very easy quick pull, one was a little harder and I don't know what I did different to make it harder. These were the first I had ever killed and was surprised. My two great nephews did the killing last week, ages 9 and 11. They had no trouble.

 

[retiredwithchicks]

I just thought of an example of how hard, like pulling to start a lawnmower.