I don't know if I can do this...

[Kaedrian]

So, we're raising 18 chickens for butcher this summer. They are about 10/12 weeks old now. Today when I put them to bed, my 4 year old daughter wanted to help me. She was out in the run herding them in while I opened the door for them when one of the roosters attacked her. This was one that I had noticed was a bit aggressive to the other chickens but this was the first time I've seen him attack a human. I went into Mamma Bear mode and flew at him, chasing him away and cursing him out. He fled into the coop and I took my daughter out of there. When I came in and told the rest of my family what happened, my older daughters told me that they had been attacked as well by this same chicken. My husband and I decided that he had to go early - that night in fact. I didn't feel like keeping him in a small crate (neither did I have any to spare) until butcher time, so we decided to butcher him tonight. I mean, I've watched lots of videos and I used to help my mom butcher chickens all the time. One chicken shouldn't be too bad, right?

Anywho, we put the kids to bed, I got my buckets and knife ready. My husband and I went out and brought him out of the coop. Unfortunately, I couldn't find my brand new filet knife I had bought for this purpose (we were planning on butchering all 18 chickens by ourselves so I had been acquiring the things we'd need), so I told my husband perhaps we could do the broomstick method. At this time, I didn't think I could go through with slicing his throat as my knife was not the sharpest, and I figured we could just pull his neck. So, I told my husband how to do it (he hadn't watched the videos), and he pulled ... halfheartedly. The chicken was not dead. He stared at us, quite calmly, and I'm like, "I don't think he's dead." So ... I decided I would hold the chicken while my husband cut off his head with the axe (which was the tool we were using). My husband wasn't too sure he could get a clean and accurate cut (I mean he's never done this before or used an axe much, and I didn't want him to chop off my hand). So, I decided, I would have to do it myself. I pulled too hard. The body came away from the head and I dropped it. It went all over the place - our kitties were as excited as we were appalled. Anywho, I eventually got it into a bucket, plucked it and gutted it, knowing if I didn't do it, nobody else would.

But having done our first chicken, I don't know if I can do this. If I had someone here with me who knew what they were doing, maybe I could, but I don't know if I can do this 17 more times. We're thinking of sending them to the butcher. This was recommended to us by a local farmer who raises his own meat chickens. I don't know a lot of people who do this themselves anymore - at least near us. Any words of wisdom would help. Thank you.

 

[DLA]

Processing your own chickens for meat isn't for everyone so don't stress it if you decided to send them to a butcher to be done. There's no shame in that. If you think you can handle doing it again, learn from any mistakes you made and know that you're not alone, pretty much everyone makes mistakes the first time. It should get easier with every one that you do.

 

[SourRoses]

Considering your mutual lack of confidence with various blades, I would stick with the broomstick method.

This was from my singular attempt to slaughter this spring, lacking said confidence... resulting in a subsequent tendon repair surgery and months of PT, and I still can't open a jar on my own.

 

[Molpet]

the first is the worse.
i use a cut up kitty litter jug as a cone, fender washers to hold it to a post.
a pvc pipe cutter to remove the head,
harder to cut fingers

no shame to take them in to a processor. i would if it was closer to me...but its a 5 hr round trip

 

[FunClucks]

If you're using a sharp knife, use a cut proof glove on at least your opposite hand. Hold chicken head and restrain body firmly.

I wrap them in a large bath towel and either hold them on my lap or put them in a kill cone. Grab the head, and slice both sides, drain into a 5-gallon bucket. No processors around here, or I would've done that for my first set of meat birds.

After 21+ chickens, I think I'm getting the hang of it. I've never processed anything in my life before these chickens. I'm glad I stuck with it, it's gotten easier, or at least more predictable with each chicken.

But I also have never fully pulled a head off, that sounds pretty upsetting. That's one of those scenarios most of us hope we never have to experience. I think almost any other method you try in the future will work better and be less upsetting, so if you decide to try again, odds are good you'll have a better experience.

 

[Ridgerunner]

But having done our first chicken, I don't know if I can do this.

Why? What was most appalling to you? Was it the failure to cleanly kill him the first try? Was it the head coming off unexpectedly? Was it all the blood? Was it him flopping around after the head came off? Something else? What parts do you dread the most for the next time?

Some of this will be different next time. You made the decision fairly fast to butcher him now and could not find the knife so you had to improvise. That did not go as expected. Next time you will better know what to expect. The only methods I've ever used to kill a chicken means the head has to come off, it's planned. They always flop when I do that. I don't know how much they flop when you put them in a cone and slice the throat. Some things can change but some things probably not.

I think you made good decisions throughout. You decided to protect your kids. You were not comfortable with the axe and stump method so you went another way. I use that method but I think that was an excellent decision since you could have easily had a disaster. I cannot fault you for anything you did. It's part of the learning curve. The first time often does not go well.

I don't know a lot of people who do this themselves anymore - at least near us.

I don't know where you are located. Can you find your state or country thread in the "Where am I? Where are you!" section of this forum and chat with your neighbors? You may find someone that can help. Maybe chat with folks at the feed store. They may know someone that can help but what I'd mostly be looking for is a bulletin board so you could post a notice looking for someone that could teach you to butcher chickens. Some places even have a local facebook group of chicken people. Help may be available if you can find it.

 

[Birdinhand]

I had a horrible first go with culling chickens when I was a kid with my dad. I learned in a rather traumatic way that the saying “running around like a chicken with its head cut off” is a very literal one. Fast forward 45 years and I’m raising chickens with my kids (almost 10 years now, and wanting not to pass on the same bad memories. Still, after much preparation, all went well until the plucking, with a drill bit plucker. I ended up getting covered, from head to toe with chicken crap… I basically never wanted to eat another chicken again in my whole life.

On the bright side, I regrouped and planned even better the next time, making adjustments to help avoid the elements that grossed me out the first time… I bought a yard bird chicken plucker, and it’s been worth every penny. The things that have also really turned out to be critical for me are, a razor sharp knife, kill cones, and a leg hanger to allow me to butcher with one leg secured. Don’t despair, instead, as they say in sailing, keep tacking (adjusting the sail). With a few more tries it gets a lot better.

As an aside, Cornish cross mature to harvest weight before the roosters become aggressive. They are ready for freezer camp in 6-8 weeks, and are in general quite docile.

 

[jdfog2]

My wife and I did 3 cockerels a few weeks ago. July 4th weekend.
My first time in 45 years or so. I was 17 the last time...I was 8 the first time.

Seriously, you can do it. But, without equipment (plucked especially) that's gonna take time to do all of those.

No shame in using a butcher. But maybe hold one or two back and try it yourself? The way things are going, it might be a good skill to have in the future.

I used a 5 gallon bucket. Tied paracord around feet, suspended from t post hung em upside down over bucket. Grabbed head. Sliced jugular then lowered the cord so their head was in bucket. They die quickly. But they don't seem dead...for about a year. (Ok, several minutes but it seems longer, much longer)

Anyway, good luck!
JD

 

[Kaedrian]

It's been a few days, and I've reflected on the situation and all your words. @Ridgerunner , I think you have some very good points. If I do decide to try it again, I'll be better equipped the next time (I found my knife) and be better prepared for what to expect. I think I was most appalled by the actual killing part. Even if I had had a sharp knife, I don't know if I could have done it. I'm actually a bit ashamed it was so hard for me to do, because that was something I thought I could do seeing as how I grew up helping my mom butcher all the time. I'd hold the feet and wings while she slit the throat and we'd hold the chicken over a bucket until the blood drained. I think because I never did the actual dispatching, it was difficult for me. I'm hoping with more time, and if I can find someone to help, I'll be a bit more comfortable with it. I'm still interested in butchering our own chickens - it's a good skill to have, but we did pencil in a date with the butcherer.

Thank you everyone and your support! I've so enjoyed having a bunch of great chicken people to learn from. I'm also thinking of trying some cornish cross next year. We will see.

 

[Molpet]

I'm actually a bit ashamed it was so hard for me to do, because that was something I thought I could do seeing as how I grew up helping my mom butcher all the time.

Don't be ashamed.
I grew up hunting and still had issues with the dispatch. Definitely the hardest part. I like the cone and PVC cutter, seems less hands on