Humane Slaughter questions

[bmanty]

Ditto Dat^^^

May be a dumb question but let them sit dressed out or still fully feathered?

 

[BantyChooks]

Thanks everyone, I guess easier was not the best choice of words but getting used to it maybe. I do hunt and fish but those arent animals I have picked up and carried around and raised...anyway, I may try it here soon enough and see. I am unsure of the broomstick method, I do not want to do it wrong. I may just go to decap I think would be best.

Would a large buck knife be ok or shears?

It does get easier in that respect. For me, I was borderline sobbing the first time I had to do a bird in, & had to psych myself up for days. I hated every inch of it.

I recently had to cull the aforementioned bantam cockerel due to the fact his head and legs pretty much froze during a cold snap. I didn't dilly dally and keep him suffering for days, I just took a deep breath and did it. What didn't change? I still hated every inch of it.

Probably. I don't think I'd use the shears on anything but a young CX though... older layer birds have tough necks.

 

[BantyChooks]

May be a dumb question but let them sit dressed out or still fully feathered?

Dressed.

 

[bmanty]

Dressed.

Thats what I thought, thank you

 

[bobbi-j]

Thanks everyone, I guess easier was not the best choice of words but getting used to it maybe. I do hunt and fish but those arent animals I have picked up and carried around and raised...anyway, I may try it here soon enough and see. I am unsure of the broomstick method, I do not want to do it wrong. I may just go to decap I think would be best.

Would a large buck knife be ok or shears?

I don't think shears would work. The knife has to be razor-sharp so it can get the job done quickly and thoroughly.

 

[lomine]

I only use shears on quail. Don’t think they would work on chickens. For larger fowl I use tree loppers. I decapitate while in the cone since I do all the steps myself.

 

[bmanty]

Yeah I do have a tree looper, I just watched a broomstick method video. Very similar to how my brother cleans ducks and geese after hunting

 

[BantyChooks]

I only use shears on quail. Don’t think they would work on chickens. For larger fowl I use tree loppers. I decapitate while in the cone since I do all the steps myself.

I thought of using loppers, but decided the short handle was better... and we all know how quickly kids manage to get their patties on any set of loppers and gum them up with pine sap. They can't steal my pipe cutters for that.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi, hope you are enjoying BYC!

The first processing day was a long time coming. We openly talked about it and went WAY past their "processing" age for cockerels. Major over thinker here! And a bit on the soft hearted side as well.

We decided to go with the cone method, using a bleach bottle with the bottom cut out and the top. $30 is a bit much to spend on a cone when you aren't quite sure if you will ever do it again in your life. We also chose to skin verses trying to get the water the right temp for plucking and smelling the stench I read so much about. We are only doing 1 or 2 birds per time. I screw the cone in to the barn wall with a my lined kitchen trash can underneath, pretty close so the jerking doesn't spray the blood too far. In other words the head hang below the top of the can. My daughter did the first one and said she doesn't mind the dead chicken part but didn't wan't to dispatch. So I tried next. It went horrible! I had the head facing away from me and tried to cut it's throat like you see in the movies. No, that isn't reality. I was afraid of "hurting" the bird but even more of cutting my own hand off. That time included some sawing to get it right. Seeking BYC support of course, Someone told me I have to realize I am dispatching and at some point not WORRY about hurting the bird. I need to put some pressure behind my cut. So I thought about how I cut a roast into steaks and practiced making that motion, with the throat facing forward as the top of the roast would. My goal is not to take the head all the way off, hoping the bones will save my hand. It really works best if you get the blade to the skin instead of trying to cut through feathers like my first attempt. I touch the neck with the back of the blade essentially relaxing the bird to the feeling. So I got myself psyched up a little, practicing the cutting motion (before each bird).. kinda like going into a boxing ring. I cut it, saw blood gush (not spurt), held the head back a little to make sure the blood drains quickly fro the brain area and walk away before the death jerk starts. That's really hard to stand around and hear for us. Wait a couple minutes and return. I tried once without practicing my psyched up motion and it wasn't as smooth!

Now I personally hate the dead bird, bone cracking part... Dispatching does NOT bother me. I know something dies for us to live. I am not happy to kill it, I don't do it maliciously. But I understand that EVERYTHING dies sometime. And I have to be honest, we mess around and lighten the mood, bend the leg and make the foot try to grab someone, press the cavity when some sort of sphincter still attached makes a funny honking duck sound, discovered by accident. It's a tense time. We aren't enjoying it, we are making the best of it. I'm so very honored to know where my food comes from and how it had every single best day possible and one bad moment... that came and passed before they knew what hit them. I was afraid we would become vegetarian when that day came. My biggest cry the first time around was out of sheer pride and joy that my (then) 17 year old daughter (and not a nasty teen) was willing to help her family do this VERY difficult task. My husband does not participate.

What does get easier is not having the fear that you CAN'T do it or you're going to hurt one of your birds worse if you really need to help them out their misery. Having the confidence that your skill has become both effective and efficient and that you aren't causing unnecessary harm or undue stress, that part gets a lot better.

Dispatching is easier than watching a bird die slowly as system failure sets in for whatever reason. In addition it can very well help to control disease among your flock and protect their health! Keeping weak birds, invites issues. Learning to cull is one of the most difficult choices. Something I'm glad is finally under my belt and not looming over with fear of what might happen if someone gets hurt and I don't know what to do. The vet often isn't an option.

Older hens we are more attached to go to a coworker for their family to process. Some may, but very few will stay until their end of days here. I currently pay someone to do most processing when possible. It's still done the way I want and it's still my chicken. But it is invaluable skill to have. What gets harder to me is ever being able to face another chicken or egg at the grocery store or restaurant the same way again. Makes me crazy when hubby brings home bags of chicken wings to take to work. It's not about the life I took it's about the life I provided while they were here. And their final moment wasn't dragged down a conveyor belt or some other atrocity and then floated down the bloody chlorine river before ending up on my plate. So we try to focus on the positive basically. And if possible send gals to knew homes early in the season before their 3rd molt (after returning to lay from molt 2, age disclosed) so they will still have at least that good season left in them if not a few more. Then I never see them decline or dispatch them ladies.

Sorry, you have to face this. I'm sure you will figure out what will work best for you and spend hours researching like most of us have. It may not come easy or go smoothly the first time. But the payoff is huge and I don't mean a chicken on your table. It's a different life. Somehow more whole (or wholesome) to me.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Thats what I thought, thank you

Some have said straight into the pot is also effective as resting.


And YES!!! Good information about the skin being tougher on older birds. A lot of the videos that show how "easy" it is may be on young broilers... and we see major difference in connective tissue even between 16-24 weeks. Older birds are harder to skin as well, not sure about plucking, as we have never done it yet. But skin on birds is also nice, thankfully my processor does it that way. Even Silkies!