Killing, Plucking, Eviscerating, & Cutting Up Your Chicken - Graphic!

[ellie32526]

Great Post! I've done this before but never with a killing cone. Where do i get one of those? Did you make your own? Great information for anyone who wants to know how to do it right. I learned a few things, myself.

 

[ellandeeranch]

Great Post! I've done this before but never with a killing cone. Where do i get one of those? Did you make your own? Great information for anyone who wants to know how to do it right. I learned a few things, myself.

I cut the bottom and top off a 1-gallon plastic milk jug. It seems to fit very well. I have it screwed into a sawhorse. I put a five-gallon bucket with a big trash bag as a liner. After I cut the jugular, I pull up the trash bag for it to bleed out cleanly. I keep the bucket for the feathers and innards. I can usually get three chickens or so into one bag. After I'm done, the bag goes in the garage freezer, and goes out in next week's trash.

Richard

 

[ellie32526]

Great, that sounds easy enough, not too expensive either. LOL

 

[apra big hen]

Wow what a thread loads of information MAYBE a bit too much, a couple of pics made my eyes water,but apart from that excelent information

 

[youngchooklover]

 

[oldrooster]

I hope you never have to dispatch an injured bird with that attitude....

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Killing cones can also be easily made from traffic cones cut down/up to fit your birds. I've also made some from plastic plant pots, the flexible black ones many nursery plants come in. I cut off the flat bottoms, slit down one side, curl it into the cone shape I need, and hold it together with duct tape, or twists of wire or zip ties poked through holes punched in place.

You may not need killing cones, they're used to hold the birds in place for slicing and to keep their wings from flapping. You can also just wrap duct tape around their sides to hold their wings in place. Hold & stroke the bird first to get him nice & calm, then lay him on his side and wrap the tape around.

I like the sawhorse idea, but you may want to find a way to hang the birds higher, about shoulder height, for easier access when slicing. You can hold the head in place to help direct the blood into the bucket/garbage can below, the bleeding lasts only about a minute.

It also helps to have the birds hanging by their hobbled legs at shoulder height when you're plucking. They can hang from a fence, rafter, or tree branch. I have a metal yard swing frame that I use.

This isn't for everyone, many will always have an adverse attitude. But everyone should have a good plan for how they would dispatch an ailing or injured chicken of theirs. It needn't be as extreme as this, I hold them nicely and quickly break their necks for that purpose, I don't like making my bird friends bleed.

 

[SilkieSensation]

Marking this for future reference.

 

[BirdbyGavin1103]

This seems far less stressful on my self and the bird than my Dad's method, but his only experience butchering chickens (or chickens in general) was on his Grandparent's farm 40+ years ago. So methods were a bit different. I will definitely keep this in mind in a few weeks/months.

 

[LilBeaverDoms]

THANK YOU FRUGAL!!!
I've been a hunter and fisherman all my life, so I figured I could get the meat on the table, lol, but this will make the chickens look like chickens when I get done. Great thread! And also thanks to all the others who chimed in with good advice! I read every reply, interesting reading!