Slaughtering methods...

[Yukonchick]

Does anyone know if there is any difference between slaughtering a chicken by lopping their heads off compared to slashing their artery on their necks?? Don't they bleed out the same?? Cutting their artery seems to be the method most used but it seems easier to just lop off the head and throw them in a bucket of water.

 

[Altonafamily]

I've never done this myself, in this video the guys says that its not good for the meat to chop the head off

hope this helps

 

[Buster52]

I've done both many times. They don't bleed out the same. Chopping is quicker so the heart stops pumping blood. Slitting is quick, but they pass out before they die, thus their hearts continue to pump.

And having done both, I have found slitting is actually easier, if you have a decent cone, a good sharp knife, and know what you are doing. It is also more of a sure thing. I spent several years as a wood shingler in my youth and I'm very handy with an axe, but even I missed the mark on occasion. And when you do, it isn't pretty.

But I'm comfortable doing either one.

 

[Yukonchick]

Thanks, i gotta do 33 meat birds this weekend maybe and the last time i raised them years ago, i just lopped off the heads, so i was wondering why people slit the throats. They do bleed out better??? I do want all the blood out or as much as possible.

 

[amber t]

having dressed other animals, bleeding makes the meat taste and freeze better. I have not processed a bird in many years, but believe I will slit, as buster52 says, they pass out, the heart keeps pumping, thus the blood flows.

by the way, your id pic is my desktop background. lol

 

[booker81]

I'm a danger to myself with an axe or loppers, so I always cut with a knife. I get a good final result, but more importantly, I don't lose any fingers.

 

[partsRheavy]

Have bucket, knives, poultry shears and source of water readily available. (need the water especially when gutting and cleaning but also to clean all feathers away).

Also, have an uninterrupted block of time available because you want to kill, pluck, gut and otherwise process and get them into the fridge as soon as you can. Butchering time is not a good bill-paying or toddler-sitting time.....

I've never come close to trying to do 33 at a time!!?? More like 2-3 in a session.

With 33 birds, I think you will need to split the work over 2 weekends unless you have helpers and a tub-plucker plus some experience.

Cut with a SHARP knife. Carbon-steel knives are favored by some cooks because they become very sharp with a sharpener or butchers' steel. Use a sharp knife so the process is quick.

It's good to hunt around at yard sales for stuff like kitchen knives, sharpeners etc.

Restrain the wings so they don't flap too much.

To make it a little easier you can

1). Stroke chicken in "shoulder" area where wing joins body. This calms the chicken.

2). Pluck a few feathers from the side of the neck before you use the knife.

 

[Mehjr10]

If you don't have any cones, I made mine from gallon jugs. cut out the bottom and cut out he top so the neck and head slide through. Put a hole through the side on the bottom edge for a wire hanger.

 

[Yukonchick]

LOL, You better stick to using the knife, I'm pretty good with an axe cause \i'm always splitting wood for our woodstove.

 

[Yukonchick]

Ya I've got three styles of cone I'm trying. One is an orange traffic cone, one is a milk jug and one is a dog cone from when my dog got spayed. I just modified it to make it smaller.