shoot in head to kill rather than axe method?

[bassfishrman]

has anyone ever shot their chickens before processing? I can't bring myself to use the axe method, but am a pretty good shot with a firearm.

I figure I can make a clean head shot and then cut the head off for bleeding them out.

Thoughts?

 

[Sally PB]

Here's my story of shooting two cockerels I had to cull because they became unholy terrors to me and the pullets at 4 months when hormones hit.

Before I caught the bird, I got my revolver and ear muffs ready in a spot behind the garden shed, out of sight of the other chickens.

I got a fishing net (get one that is mostly open net, not tiny mesh) and caught the bird. I took him to the spot, put on my muffs, put the muzzle to the back of his head, and pulled the trigger. The bullet exited the bird's head safely into the ground. He did the death throes thrash for about 15 seconds, and was still. Then I cried, hard.

I did the second one the next day. That afternoon, there was peace in my flock once more.

There was no plan to eat either of them, so they are buried in the garden. I thank them for their contribution to the soil. It wasn't their fault they were born male.

 

[pips&peeps]

OK, I guess I will have to go into it. My husband was supposed to cull one of my very old layers, he decided he would shoot her in the head.

I thought he had done the deed and went to take care of her body. When I got there she was still alive and walking around. I yelled at my husband, "Why the heck didn't you cull that bird?" He said, "I did, it's dead"......

He doesn't cull any of my birds anymore. I didn't have the heart to do it before, now I don't have the heart not to do it.

 

[Wildsky]

Mmmmmmmm I think you'd be wasting bullets if you plan to cut the head off anyway......

 

[Molpet]

 

[theMickster]

I culled some cockrels that were pretty hard to catch in the middle of the day. I resorted to the .22. I'll spare the details, but after the first BANG the rest knew what was up and it was Game On!
In the future I'll have them confined from the night before and use a killing cone and a knife. It will make their trip to freezer camp much less traumatic on me and them.

Mick

 

[Dan nich]

I shot one in head with 22 one time it’s took 4 more head shots and she finally died

 

[RiverOtter]

The cone is the way to go, and use a machete (about $12 at TSC) if you're worried about your aim.

Here's the thing about bullets - regardless of how good your aim is, a chicken isn't going to stop one. When you watch an action movie, the hero has never dove behind a chicken like "Whew!! That was close!" Even if you're a sharpshooter and hit that dime-sized brain Every Single Time, that bullet will just keep right on going.

Well sure, I can hear y'all scoff, Chickens are short, I'll be aiming down.
Whatever dude, it's your funeral - or, really, your kids or dogs funeral. Although I have a cousin-in-law who lost an eye because he thought it wasn't true that bullets can ricochet.
It is true, and it must be true there's an angel that watches over fools, because one degree change in angle and that bullet would have killed him.

Now, it must be pointed out, I have a gun, I use a gun, and I have used a gun to put down animals (although not chickens!). So it's not that I'm against them. But you MUST know - not think, not guess, not assume - where that bullet will end and everything that is around, behind and near your target

 

[AGeese]

A *good shot* with an air rifle is all I see being practical when it comes to shooting, otherwise it's overkill in my view and a waste of ammo. I've heard some have good results with PVC cutters.

I don't have meat birds, but I do have a $5 hatchet and a $4 manchette if the need ever arose to dispatch or add a few down the road. Though I may consider the sharp knife and cones method.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I use a .22 to the back of the head. I swaddle the bird in a cloth, lay on the ground and talk to it the entire time. Very calm, quick, easy way to go.

This might be a better way for me too when I get my own place. We use loppers to break the neck, but it very methodical and cold, and I know the birds dislike the last few minutes which makes it worse for me