Killing your meat birds - how do YOU do it?

[ssledoux]

I want to know the different methods folks use to actually do the killing. I've looked at the stickies but am wondering if there are others who have different methods.

Our meat birds are coming soon and I want to have some time to research the methods and plan how it will be done here. I know some people cut off the entire head, some wring necks, some do as the stickies above show, and maybe some do other things.

I know that the bird has to be bled, and we are planning to just skin ours this first time, but I just want to know the various ways in which the deed can be done, so I can figure the one I think will work best for us.

Thanks!

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

This is rather graphic, but bear with me. We tie their legs together to use as a "handle" and then use a SHARP axe to sever the head from the body. Then, we hang them up and let them bleed out, then process them as whole birds or cut them in parts.

 

[ozark hen]

Stacey, go to the bottom of the page and where it says...
meat birds....then the GO button...click on the GO button and at the top of the page you will find two "stickys". Good info on butchering for you. Hope this helps you.

 

[melgsix]

My husband is from South America. Down there they have a little sling that they put the chickens in and hang them upsidedown. They slit their troats and let the blood drain into a pan. After the chicken is drained they set the pan in a warm place so it can thicken like jello while they butcher the bird. While the bird is cooking they add garlic and onions to the chicken blood jello and eat it as an appitizer for the chicken dinner. This is tradition for them and they tell me this is what your supposed to do when you butcher a chicken. I don't think I will be participating in this tradition when I butcher my first.

 

[Hens_And_Chicks]

Quote:
Oh I don't think I could participate in that "tradition" either. I have a local Amish lady butcher for me - they hold the feet and wing tips together and put the head on a block between nails and chop the head off. It sounds graphic - I know there is a killing cone you can mount on a wall and you use a knife to cut the neck somehow.

I want to learn - never thought I would - but I'm slowly coming around.

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

The killing cone seems a little weird to me. I don't think I could watch my chicken bleed to death. At least when you completely cut off the head, there is nothing you can do to help it at that point.

 

[ssledoux]

I have seen the stickies, but the reason I asked if there were other ways people did the killing is because I, too, think it would be hard for me to imagine them bleeding to death vs. severing the entire head to start. I would do the cone probably either way so they were contained and couldn't flop and run around, but I think severing the head completely might be "better" for us (as if anything could really be better when you're killing a chicken).

I'm still open to ideas if anyone else has anything they do differently.

 

[CARS]

Previously to our last butchering I axed the head off and let them bleed out.

Last July we took our last batch of Cornish X's in for processing and I noticed that they stabbed through the neck and cut forward slitting the jugular. I asked why and they said that when you chop the head off you are separating the brains ability to tell the heart to pump. Making for a more complete and faster bleed out.

I wouldn't mind some opinions on the processors theory, it sounds plausible

 

[Sunny Side Up]

I don't know how to add the link here, but if you search for "cut-throat butchering" you can read my report on cutting the throats for dispatching. It's the method I'm going to use from now on.

But I know what you mean, if you're unfamiliar with the process of processing it can be easier on you to quickly chop off the heads, keeping the instrument of death at arm's length.

And read some more about plucking vs skinning. In my opinion, plucking isn't that bad of a chore, I'd rather pluck and keep the skin on while cooking, even if I discard it later instead of eating it.

I'd advise you to read read read all you can on the topic, and try to find someone in your area who has experience and could be with you when you do your first birds. Where do you live? Maybe I or someone else here lives near you. I'd come over if I was close.

I wish you great success! Do keep us posted as to your experiences.

 

[agnes_day]

i just had my oldest chop its head off..we used a stump with 2 nails sticking out to sort of hold the head still.. then we hung it up to bleed