Humane kill with pellet or bb gun

[Granny Hatchet]

I tried to shoot a guinea that way once. I had a mean cock bird . So I grabbed my sons BB gun and went after him. I was literally 2 ft away from his head. Totally missed him and somehow shot my good male guinea in the wing and about once a yr that wing would take a spell bleeding just to remind me what a terrible aim I was.

 

[Squishychicken]

What do yall use to bag your birds? I've seent that everyone orders shrink bags but is there anything at like say a walmart that you could get for them as well?
I've read to that if your cutting them up in the diffrent parts to eat that you should soak them in ice water for certain period of time also read that it dosent matter. Is it the same for if you left them whole?

 

[Meg-in-MT]

There are many options here and a gun is the least desirable one. Not only can you put a chicken through a hell of a lot more than is necessary, but imagine your frame of mind when said chicken is running about injured.

You can make a kill cone out of many things. A five gallon bucket comes to mind. I do believe @igorsMistress made one like that.

Good of you to look at different ways of doing things, but I'd cross this one off of the list.

 

[ShannonR]

What do yall use to bag your birds? I've seent that everyone orders shrink bags but is there anything at like say a walmart that you could get for them as well?
I've read to that if your cutting them up in the diffrent parts to eat that you should soak them in ice water for certain period of time also read that it dosent matter. Is it the same for if you left them whole?

1. I personally wouldn't process birds by shooting, seems like a waste or time to me. You still have to bleed them out afterwards. Potential for eating BBs is there as well. I just hang mine by their feet with twine and cut their throats.

2. Packaging from wal-mart? Not for whole birds, but if you cut them into wings, thighs, breasts, drums, ECT. You can package them pretty nicely with Glad press n seal wrap followed by butcher paper (stuff I buy is waxed on the inside). They sell a special freezer tape to go with that paper, normal tape won't really hold up to freezing. But seriously, order the shrink bags if at all possible. You won't regret it, and the birds will have a longer freezer life that way.

 

[Coopscraft]

I would hang it by the legs, secure the head with one hand, and slice both carotid arteries in one quick motion. This results in immediate drop in blood pressure to zero and is probably the most reliable way to get a clean kill without risking something going wrong. A gun is really not the best option for a bird in your hand because you might miss if the bird freaks out right as you squeeze the trigger. Than you could have a slow painful death which is not the best you can do if you have the bird in hand. Use the gun for dispatching animals you can’t catch by hand or animals big enough that you can’t miss the brain.

 

[igorsMistress]

We have used an air shotgun in the past but the bird was sick and couldn't move. For processing to eat, no. A kill cone, extra bucket and very sharp knife. When a chicken is upside down it's surprisingly calm. We cut off the head completely and walk away for a couple minutes until the death throws are over.

I second the vacuum sealer, I did whole chickens and parts. I also like freezer paper.

 

[Chris-n-Kate]

I’ve heard of using a feed bag with a corner cut off as a “killing cone” for poultry thats too big for a standard killing cone.

 

[CatWhisperer]

A head shot should do it; the brain is destroyed before any pain messages even get to it. As others have stated, you just have to make sure you don't miss.

You would have to be holding the chicken still and have Amun pressed against skull. BB not near big enough. We use hatchet and wood block, 2 people. Proper method on YouTube. Best if you hold bird on its back in your lap and calm it. You can do this and just cut blood vessels in neck with a scalpel blade. Guns are really not the best method.

 

[sean_wonder]

Don't do that. Get a cord and put a loop in it. Nail one end of cord to a board.
Loop Slip knot over the head and pull. With a good pair of cooking
/meat scissor cut the head off above the cord.

How is it possible to get scissors sharp enough to cut through bone?

 

[David61]

How is it possible to get scissors sharp enough to cut through bone?

It's not sharp as much as the type of scissors. A good pair of cooking scissors will cut chicken bones like a good pair of metal shear scissors will cut metal.