Quick Slaughter question

[ChaoSS]

Ok, So I have 7 birds with a reservation for freezer camp this weekend. My arm is broken. I had planned to chop their heads off, but I might have trouble holding them still enough to do the job properly. I think I could do the job properly with a pellet rifle. Is this a bad idea? Brains possible small enough to be hard to hit even with a point blank shot? Other reasons this might not be the best idea? I'm already thinking I'll have to do the rabbits with similar reservations with the pellet rifle instead of the broomstick, might as well do the chickens too.

 

[Dogue]

I don't think this will work for chickens. They have long brain stems and even when chopping off their heads, you have to make sure you chop low enough on the neck, or the bird won't die right away, and you'll end up with a "Mike the Headless Chicken".
You should enlist help. My personal opinion is to never try when you're unsure of the outcome when it comes to the suffering of an animal.

 

[DoubleMM]

Have you thought about a kill cone? You can buy them or make one if you're handy.

This link shows making a cone and at the bottom of the page a link on using it.

Kill Them With Kindness: How to Make and Use a Killing Cone


http://razorfamilyfarms.com/animals...-kindness-how-to-make-and-use-a-killing-cone/

Good luck

 

[bobbi-j]

If you're doing it by yourself, and with one hand, I would think a cone would be your best option, as long as you have a good, sharp knife and can sever arteries and jugulars quickly.

 

[ChaoSS]

I don't have a cone. I might make one for the next batch in three weeks. I am not a fan of the way they flap so much and one broke a wing and one is badly bruised. More importantly though, I think I need to build a plucker for my drill. This is taking me far too long to pluck these things.

And fwiw I shot them in the back of the head and it's working out ok for me. Lots of flapping but it's a dead bird.

 

[RedneckRebel]

I hang mine up by their feet from a tree limb or something of the sort. I bleed them out, they don't feel anything because of the blood draining. It's kind of like going to sleep, they just don't wake back up

 

[ChaoSS]

I hang mine up by their feet from a tree limb or something of the sort. I bleed them out, they don't feel anything because of the blood draining. It's kind of like going to sleep, they just don't wake back up

I don't imagine mine would be very happy about being hung upside down. Not sure I could do it with my arm in it's current condition. I'll keep that in mind for next time though, if my arm is more up to the task.

 

[ChaoSS]

I went to Lowes last night and got all the stuff to put together a drill powered plucker. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to work very well. It does a good job of ripping out the big feathers, but the little pin feathers don't come out very well. Seeing as how I can get the big feathers out myself in a very short time, guess I'm stuck plucking by hand for now.

 

[subhanalah]

I don't imagine mine would be very happy about being hung upside down. Not sure I could do  it with my arm in it's current condition. I'll keep that in mind for next time though, if my arm is more up to the task.

when they turn upside down, they kind of go into a daze. I think it's because chickens Tend to get hung up this way, and it's more merciful for them to pass out when it happens.

 

[ChaoSS]

when they turn upside down, they kind of go into a daze. I think it's because chickens Tend to get hung up this way, and it's more merciful for them to pass out when it happens.

Let me clarify, I don't think they would be happy about being turned upside down. Keeping them that way may be no problem, getting them there may well be. My arm is weird right now, certain things I can do quite well, but most turning motions are a bit out of the question, and I don't see myself being able to hold the bird and flip it upside down.



3 birds to go today. Yesterday I managed 3 rabbits and then 2 chickens, and today I've knocked out 2 chickens. I'm reheating the scald water right now. The outdoor cook stove I got isn't big enough to hold my scan pot, so I get to keep running it in and out to take care of it.