Ok we butcherd 4 of our extra roo's today what did we do wrong?

[GhostRider65]

The problem we had today, in killing them, not sure what we did wrong, but we used the insert knife into brain twist method which is suppose to be the quickest kill, but it did not kill them instantly like stated, what did we do wrong? did we miss the brain? or was it just nerves still moving them making there wings flap? 1 went limp almost immediately, then flapped as we cut the throat then the head off. The sight I got the info from stated they die instantly, and no flapping, and feathers pull out easier??? here's the sight for anyone else's reference.
http://www.rogueturtle.com/articles/chicken.php
So 1 more question, on after butchering how long do you let them bleed out? we left 1 hang while we caught another, then did the kill and doused the first in the hot water to pluck feathers, was that long enough maybe 10 to 12 minutes. I was worried about the heat it was getting up there by 10 am when were trying to get them done.

 

[donrae]

I've never used this method, but I thought they always flapped. That's why I use a killing cone, to contain the activity. Let them bleed until they stop--ten minutes should be fine. There's really not much blood in a chicken, it just looks that way when it's splattering all over

Good on you for butchering, it's hard at first but does get easier!

 

[GhostRider65]

Quote:
Oh it was awful I hated myself for doing it, but they had to go!! I knew it had to be done and I have been mentally trying to prepared myself for this day for over a month......... I can't feed 34 roosters, plus my hens, plus be all stressed out by them fighting almost constantly even though they were raised together..........arggggggg They were driving me crazy, and the 6 worst ones had been banished to the outside run for over a week and my hens were locked in the coop with Fred my White Wyandotte rooster and Gray Beard my EE roo, that I'm keeping. The hardest one was my GLW who was actually a perfect angel, never fought just ran away from the others, he wasn't a super friendly chicken but he wasn't what I wanted in a rooster for my flock either, soooooooo sadly he also had to go. It was very hard, I almost cried but managed after the work started, to bury myself in the process and not think about there deaths. I still feel bad for Tinker The GLW tho..........

 

[jwg423]

never heard of that method before.
We cut the main artery in their neck while they hang upside down, if you do it right they shouldn't flap much at all,
When we did ours (this year was the first time) we didn't always get it right and they did flap around a little but not too much, most of them didn't even move.
the cone is nice it will keep them from flapping around.
As far as the most humane or quickest kill, I think everyone has a different idea of what is best, you just have to find what works best for you and do it...

As far as letting them bleed out, we did the same, let it drain while we went and collected the next chicken seemed to work fine.

 

[Firefighter Chick]

i have heard of doing this, called debraining. i read in my handy book that i bought that it was done after cutting the jugular vein to loosen up the feathers for easier plucking. hope this helps.

 

[Saltysteele]

in the amount of time to do this, you could have just cut their heads off.

it is the quickest, most humane way to do it, imho

they're going to flap. if you cut the head off and threw them on the ground (best way to do it, if you don't have a cone of some sort), they will jump 4-5 feet in the air. just nerves. they will flap, they will jump or run no matter which way you do it

 

[Tracydr]

Quote:
I've heard of people using that method and they all seem to say it doesn't work as advertised.
I wouldn't worry too much about the heat, I've been having to process mine in well over one hundred degree heat, here in AZ this summer, which is why I still have four to do that are nearly twelve weeks old. I keep putting it off because I don't feel like being out there in that heat. I go as fast as I can, limit myself to two and plunge them into an ice/ salt water bathe ( to get the temp colder than freezing water) so that I can cool the carcass quickly but, it's just yucky out right now. It can't be that bad up north, I'm sure.
Last week I had one start to go, probably heart attack, and ended up processing her in 110 degree heat.

 

[GhostRider65]

Quote:
I've heard of people using that method and they all seem to say it doesn't work as advertised.
I wouldn't worry too much about the heat, I've been having to process mine in well over one hundred degree heat, here in AZ this summer, which is why I still have four to do that are nearly twelve weeks old. I keep putting it off because I don't feel like being out there in that heat. I go as fast as I can, limit myself to two and plunge them into an ice/ salt water bathe ( to get the temp colder than freezing water) so that I can cool the carcass quickly but, it's just yucky out right now. It can't be that bad up north, I'm sure.
Last week I had one start to go, probably heart attack, and ended up processing her in 110 degree heat.

God I couldn't imagine doing that in that heat, we have been a bit cooler this last couple days 80's,but we had been running 100 to 110 with the heat index, and 80 on the dew points Tropical weather in Wisconsin..argghhhhhhh...it's been a nightmare! we cold blooded peeps ain't use to this godawful weather.......LOL we stay cooped up in the air during this kinda crap, I want to move somewhere where the winters are warmer but I haven't because I couldn't handle the summers oppressive heat. I would love to be rich so I could afford a summer home up here and a winter home in say Texas or Arizona NM, warmer...........hehe seriously I think god should have made a place that stays 70 /75 all year long that would be my dream site. No 50 below and NO 110 degree heat..... oh such a blissful place that would be.....

 

[Judy]

Pithing, as i understand it, destroys the brain but does not kill the animal, at least not immediately. You must then slit the throat. The purpose is to bleed the animal after it has lost consciousness, but while the heart is still beating.

A search in eat birds will produce several threads about this.

 

[Saltysteele]

the heart will continue to beat just as long, whether you cut the head off, destroyed the brain or cut the jugular. separating the head from the body is a for sure, immediate removal of impulses to and from the brain, and the bird continues to move and pump blood for 30 seconds or more.

it's a matter of personal preference and comfort, as to what you do, I guess. we cut the head off, but i have no problem with anyone doing it however they want, just didn't want people to think i'm telling them they're wrong.

next time, i would like to try the lopper method. my dad and i have been doing them together, and the beheading has been his task, so i haven't changed things up. next time we'll try loppers