Official Squatch Watchers

[TexasSam]

I have watched the video of putting the chicken upside down in the cone, cutting the jugular and cutting their brain through the roof of their mouth. How do y’all do it???

Honestly the easiest and fastest for me is hold them and jerk hard and fast. They don't know what happened and I'm not stressing them very much. Pretty much just like when you are hunting dove or quail.

 

[CapricornFarm]

I had to help a goat once that had 2 babies trying to come out at the same time! What a tangle of legs! Had to push one back, then the other popped right out. Then i had a very pregnant goat that didn't seem to be in labor suddenly died so i did a C section. But it was too late, kids had clearly been dead a while. Very sad.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Honestly the easiest and fastest for me is hold them and jerk hard and fast. They don't know what happened and I'm not stressing them very much. Pretty much just like when you are hunting dove or quail.

Well easy if you have hunted like that. Or not if you haven't!

 

[Sassysouth]

That is so sad Cap.

 

[TexasSam]

Well easy if you have hunted like that. Or not if you haven't!

This is true. I'm afraid of chop scared I will chop the wrong thing

 

[CSAchook]

Oh Sassy, I am so sorry! I haven't had to cull yet but when that time comes I plan to use engine starter fluid (ether) to put them to sleep. TwoCrows talks about that method here

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...umanely-with-medication.976111/#post-15198828

So sorry to even have to give this advice

 

[CapricornFarm]

That is so sad Cap.

Yes it was. My neighbor happened to be there and was amazed i whipped out a scalpel and went to work. No hesitation, just right at it cutting through layers. It was as if i was a vet in a previous life. She was grossed out and fascinated at the same time.

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

I haven’t been able to cull myself. I luckily have a friend who is willing to help. He does the cervical dislocation method. Usually his wife distracts me while it’s being taken care of.

It’s always sad.

 

[Redhead Rae]

I have watched the video of putting the chicken upside down in the cone, cutting the jugular and cutting their brain through the roof of their mouth. How do y’all do it???

I cull, pluck and eviscerate my own birds. I figured out the process about a year ago. We had a bunch of roosters that were eating us out of house and home, but no idea of how to kill them. I did a bunch of youtube research and put it to the test. I will often watch different people's slaughtering videos so I can pick up different things to tweak my process.

I put my birds in the killing cone and slice the jugular on one side. I have tried doing both sides but I lose my nerve and haven't figured out the angle of the offhand cut. The one time I tried and succeeded in cutting the bird on the other side, I nearly cut myself but didn't cut in the right place on the offhand side. I have a pan or bucket of water under the bird and just let them bleed out. They go to sleep. There is some jerking before the end, but it works. I don't know if I would have the nerve to ring their necks or swing a hatchet to chop their heads off.

 

[staceyj]

Oh Sassy, I am so sorry! I haven't had to cull yet but when that time comes I plan to use engine starter fluid (ether) to put them to sleep. TwoCrows talks about that method here

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...umanely-with-medication.976111/#post-15198828

So sorry to even have to give this advice

I read that a few weeks ago. I think it sounds quite humane for the chicken's sake indeed, HOWEVER:
Don't skim.
Read the whole thing.
This MUST be done outside!

The ether in the starter fluid will knock you out too if you don't.

(If you have a lawn mower you probably have some of this on hand. )