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?

 

[Wildsky]

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

 

[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

 

[pips&peeps]

Use the axe! I won't go into how my husband found out it wasn't faster or easier.

 

[PurpleChicken]

Use a hatchet with 2 screws to hold the head. It's not bad and quick.
Shooting can be bad. It's too easy not to get a clean shot. Chickens are
fast.

 

[unionwirewoman]

What's the difference ? You kill them either way and have to clean up afterwards . I'd rather look at a dead chicken w/out the head than one with half the head missing . I've shot grouse in the head w/ a 22 and have had blood shot in the meat . At least with the axe you won't get that . You're also taking a chance of missing the head and / or shooting it in the wrong spot . I think it's more humane w/ the axe . Just my opinion .

 

[Marlinchaser]

are you having problems catching them first, I could understand using shotgun if they were in a tree roosting, but then you might get lead poisoning.

 

[Marlinchaser]

Quote:
what are the two screws for to keep it from flopping around after you cut off the head??

 

[professor_yellow]

When I was 10, an old farmer showed me a method that is bar none. Snap the neck, by ringing and a clean quick jerk. Is not traumatic for the bird and release of adrenaline can always be tasted in the meat unless you soak it long.

Hold the bird in your arms long enough for it to calm down and relax, then as you pet it, grab the head and snap it, till you feel the neck severed. Hang upside down and the blood rushes to the head past the dislocated neck.

The smell of the blood sprayed all over from the hatchet method will freak out the next in line.

This method after the chicken is dressed the head comes right off over a bucket to collect the unwanted matter.

thirty some years with this methos on ducks, chickens, and pheasant and has yet to fail me.

 

[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.