Second time around

[quercus21]

Sliting the neck isn't hard after a few times. I wont say I can do it with my eyes closed, because I wont, but....I'll put the bird in a cone, with it's back towards me. I'll take it's head in my hand, with my thumb on the back of it's head. Pull down gently so as to "stretch" the skin on the neck. A nice new or very sharp razor, up close to the wattle, I draw the blade towards me. No sawing back and forth. I'll repeat on the other side. For heavy feathered birds, when placing the knife, get it down below the feathers, touching the skin.
Kaj

 

[Sunny Side Up]

I have a repurposed metal porch swing frame to use for processing chickens. At first it just had some thick wire hooks from which I could hang the chickens by their zip-tied feet. Now I've bolted a long 2X6" plank along the top and installed a few home-made killing cones. I don't just hold the birds by their feet while they bleed out, but I do hold on to their heads after slicing until they stop wriggling around. I could just cut & run, but I like to eliminate as much extra blood splatters as I can, just so it doesn't entice predators to the area afterwards.

I use rubber gloves so it isn't so nasty getting blood on my hands, and just hold the heads to direct the main flow into the bucket below. I also keep the gloves on while plucking. The feathers do tend to stick to your hands, you have to pluck & pluck then flick your hands to shed the feathers, pluck-pluck-flick. Some folks have said those cloth gardening gloves that have the rubber dots for better grip are also good for plucking, I have yet to try them but may get some for the next session.

Let us know how well the next session goes, and how good this bird tastes when you cook him.