rooster overload

[ButchGood]

I'm in the same boat, but I have 13 Roos to process. Three will go in two more weeks and the rest when they reach about 20 weeks. They are 11 weeks old now. I have Buff Orps, Australorps and RIR's. The one big Australorp made the cut and will be the flocks rooster.
Ill be using a killing cone and a scalpel. From what Ive read and seen they don't even feel the cut from that sharp of blade. Its like they fall asleep. When they start kicking they have expired. This will be the first time I use this technique. Ive always decapitated with an ax before, but I want to try this bleeding out method to see if it makes a difference

 

[County Boy]

I'm in the same boat, but I have 13 Roos to process. Three will go in two more weeks and the rest when they reach about 20 weeks. They are 11 weeks old now. I have Buff Orps, Australorps and RIR's. The one big Australorp made the cut and will be the flocks rooster.
Ill be using a killing cone and a scalpel. From what Ive read and seen they don't even feel the cut from that sharp of blade. Its like they fall asleep. When they start kicking they have expired. This will be the first time I use this technique. Ive always decapitated with an ax before, but I want to try this bleeding out method to see if it makes a difference

Let me know how it works. I may try it. I've got 24 roos to process. Just a bunch of mixed breeds. They got 2 months left.

 

[n8ivetxn]

No slower than chopping the head off... - It's actually humane. They just lose consciousness (pass out) and then expire. No bloody mess, no headless bodies running around - it's contained in the cone. The blood is collected in a bucket under the chicken.

 

[County Boy]

O, and your real lucky, those Orps are a great meat bird

. I usually do mine in at around 6-9 month but the RIR's i only give 6 months. The Orps are more mellow and don't get aggressive so you have longer before the meat begins to toughen. I always keep an Orp as a flock roo though but never have had Australorps

.

 

[ChickaBamBam]

Probably the stupid question of the month here but is there any way to combine the cone and the hatchet?
To me the hatchet sounds quicker.
The one time I helped my dad butcher with a block and hatchet (I was 8 yrs old) the roosters ran right in my direction --campfire smoke follows me too

My husband would probably help half heartedly so I would rather just be able to do it myself.

 

[n8ivetxn]

I've seen one set-up where the cone was attached to a plank of wood attached to a tree, instead of a free-standing pole - I think you could put the chicken in the cone and use the axe with the plank acting as a cutting board? A little awkward maybe??

 

[jahphotogal]

I thought I'd be able to eat my birds, but now that I've named them, and talk to them, I think it will be very hard! But I have no objections to anyone else doing it.

 

[ButchGood]

I thought I'd be able to eat my birds, but now that I've named them, and talk to them, I think it will be very hard! But I have no objections to anyone else doing it.

This happens to a bunch of people. I know a guy who couldn't kill his extra roos for that exact reason. But, a couple roosters got super aggressive and he butchered those. Mean roosters do taste better

 

[n8ivetxn]

Mean roosters do taste better

- even if they're tough ol' birds!

 

[ButchGood]

- even if they're tough ol' birds!

Not so tough coming out of a CrockPot surrounded by dumplings.