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

[FunClucks]

Thank you for all the information. This is the most informative and thorough explanation I have seen. I’d like to add a tag so folks can use it.

I was able to rehome my roosters. I was raised on a working farm and we raised meat birds. I have been processing them since I was a little girl.

I just cannot take a bird I hatched and played with and eat it. I had thought about separating them for awhile, but they are too darn adorable. I only have pretty birds: most of them are bantam Cochins. There wouldn’t be much meat on them, anyway.

Thank you again for your response. I appreciate your time.

I'm glad you were able to rehome your roosters.

You can tag my post if you like, but please be aware there are definitely more knowledgeable members on here than myself. If it weren't for them, I'd be a lot less confident in my processing, and the learning process would have been quite a bit harder for me.

 

[Dreamers Nook]

I can offer one advice, using a head cover (I sew them myself), all birds calm when you cover their heads (actually many animals do). It does make the process somewhat easier.

 

[AKMommaF8]

I can offer one advice, using a head cover (I sew them myself), all birds calm when you cover their heads (actually many animals do). It does make the process somewhat easier.

Would you mind sharing your pattern with us? Please? I am NOT a seamstress, & do everything (poorly!) by hand, but I don't suppose these would have to be pretty. I think they might help my husband who will be learning how to butcher the birds...while I hide inside!

 

[Dreamers Nook]

Would you mind sharing your pattern with us? Please? I am NOT a seamstress, & do everything (poorly!) by hand, but I don't suppose these would have to be pretty. I think they might help my husband who will be learning how to butcher the birds...while I hide inside!

It's a simple pattern, even socks, sleeves from old shirts and etc. would work. Anything to cover their heads to calm them. For birds of prey they have leather hoods. It's where I got my idea, because have dealt with many kinds of birds, even most animals, covering their eyes calms them.
And no doesn't need to be pretty, just cheap cloth, being only use it once.

 

[AKMommaF8]

It's a simple pattern, even socks, sleeves from old shirts and etc. would work. Anything to cover their heads to calm them. For birds of prey they have leather hoods. It's where I got my idea, because have dealt with many kinds of birds, even most animals, covering their eyes calms them.
And no doesn't need to be pretty, just cheap cloth, being only use it once.

Thank you!!!

 

[Klala]

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.

My neighbor and I do it this way.
Acquired something to tie feet together. For this we have used zip ties, old shoe laces twine.. we are a spur of the moment let's get this over with oppertunits ..
Now with assistant/partner in murder (we're a little weird in the humor part of this but it's a way of keeping the mood light and now each bird is ned butterball during the process) Anyways I try to make sure to have about 2 feet to work with for choice rope and I make a small tied loop at one end then I pull the other end through put one foot in pull tight then wrap other foot tight up to other tie a knot and using what's left to tie bird to hang once beheaded
Now a good assistant would have butterballs back pressed up against their chest holding bird with wings tucked in feet pointed out towards you during leg tying process.
when that's over you take another rope or whatnot tie a small loop at both ends and then pull one end through the other this is your noose for when you go to behead it. So make sure it's long.
from here we carry butters over to stump or block and you hold feet and this is where the length for the neck comes into play if you can put a nail down low on stump or whatever type of block using you put the one end over that (Note make sure nail is in far enough and what's out is long enough AND at angle downward... Mistakes have been made and lessons learned) Anyways loop and when ready hold legs give a little pressure pull to stretch neck and ax hatchet holder and focus on a good follow through hopefully ending Butters life quick ( if not by the 4th you'll have it down and the 9th will make you remember not to get cocky)
Hopefully this makes some sorta sense and so far it actually works as the most humane way that works for us. And we have Fouled up some good ways from Sunday...
Remember that everyone has messed up and judgemental people can kiss it, nobody is perfect and find some sorta humor in all cause eventually you'll figure your way to do it that works

 

[speedy2020]

The easy way doing it would be using the branch cutter. All you have to do use the milk jug as the processing cone. Turn the chicken head away from you or cover and then use the branch/prune cutter for quick dispatch (just dip the cutter 4"-6" tip into the hot boiling water for 5-10s to sanitize).

 

[Kaedrian]

I just wanted to let you all know that I calmly and with my own hands dispatched a chicken. This was night and day from that first traumatic experience I had (with the head coming off and body flopping all over the yard). I had wanted my husband to buy the tree limb lopper and do it that way, but he couldn't find one at the store, so I went old fashioned. Like I said, I come from a long generation of chicken slayers, so I took out my very sharp knife, asked my husband if he was sure he didn't want to do the dirty work (he said no), and went about my business. We stuffed him (my attack rooster) into our makeshift cone, and I grabbed his head with my hand (gloves helped here) and found his flesh and slit. Once I cut his artery, it was fine. I was fine. He bled out and then did his death throes and then it was over. Like I said, night and day from last time. I'm so proud of me. Maybe I can butcher my own chickens later in the fall after all. Maybe. Thank you guys so much for all your suggestions and support.

 

[Dreamers Nook]

I'm glad it worked out better this time. To be honest I don't think any butchering should be "fun". But, it does come easier as you do it. Some of us aren't cut out to do it, some we have to steel ourselves to the process. Like you, I come from a long line of butchers, but myself, I'd prefer not to. Yet, "gotta do what ya gotta do", family comes first.

 

[Molpet]

I just wanted to let you all know that I calmly and with my own hands dispatched a chicken. This was night and day from that first traumatic experience I had (with the head coming off and body flopping all over the yard). I had wanted my husband to buy the tree limb lopper and do it that way, but he couldn't find one at the store, so I went old fashioned. Like I said, I come from a long generation of chicken slayers, so I took out my very sharp knife, asked my husband if he was sure he didn't want to do the dirty work (he said no), and went about my business. We stuffed him (my attack rooster) into our makeshift cone, and I grabbed his head with my hand (gloves helped here) and found his flesh and slit. Once I cut his artery, it was fine. I was fine. He bled out and then did his death throes and then it was over. Like I said, night and day from last time. I'm so proud of me. Maybe I can butcher my own chickens later in the fall after all. Maybe. Thank you guys so much for all your suggestions and support.

Glad it went better.
The first one is the hardest. Actually the first one every year is hard for me..... so I overwinter a couple extra jakes for Easter and when they start fighting it is much easier