jugular

[cassie]

Can someone give me some good landmarks of exactly where to cut to sever the carotid and the jugular? Sometimes I hit it right on and sometimes I don't. I need to process some more chickens today and I want to get it right.

 

[TimG]

Where I had mine processed last year, they cut the whole head off (with a knife). I've never done this and wonder how hard it is to cut through the bones. Does the knife slip between vertebra, or is the bone small and soft enough not to matter?

 

[justpete]

Read here I think it will help. https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=109583

 

[cassie]

I didn't want to cut the whole head off. I used to use a BIG pair of pruning shears, regular limb loppers, to lop heads. They worked but I find the chickens bleed out a lot better if you cut the veins. The problem is I am a little hit and miss with my technique. I want hints on how to make things more hit and less miss.

 

[cassie]

Quote:
Thanks. I just printed the whole thing out.

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

do you have them hung up side down, if you do find the jaw bone, where the bone starts to curve is where you want to cut, if the bird you are cutting has a lot of skin do not pull it up then cut because when you let go the skin will go down and close your cut.

 

[cassie]

Quote:
Thanks. I'll give your suggestions a try this afternoon.

 

[Bossroo]

Quote:
First, you place the bird in the cone, take hold of the head and streatch out the neck r e a l l y well then bend the head backwards, this somewhat exposes a space between the head and first vertebra wich then allows the knife to come between them and sever the head completly. You have to use a V E R Y sharp boning knife and cut the throat with a long deliberate strong cut all in one swoop which severs the windpipe, esophogus, blood vessels, spinal chord and head from the neck. Another method is to put the bird in the cone then use tree branch prunning loppers to cut through the neck to sever the head. Then too, there is the hatchet method.

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

I forgot to say cut at an angle you almost follow the line of the jaw bone

 

[jaku]

I just keep slicing till I find it- it never takes longer than a couple of seconds. Just don't cut the windpipe in the front. The vessels you're looking for are around the jaw area.