Special cone to butcher a CX?

[Hummingbird Hollow]

Hey, due to the conversation begun on another thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/776613/cx-vs-freedom-rangers-my-experience-observation-so-far#post_11108185

I've descovered that I'm not the only one who has had trouble using a killing cone to harvest CX that worked just fine with the Freedom Rangers or other breeds. The big chest/shoulders of the CX roosters, combined with their shorter necks means that the head doesn't extend far enough out the bottom of the cone for easy access. Plus several of us have reported having a bird flap itself right out of the cone.

What do you vetran CX harvesters use? Do you even use a cone?

 

[Big Dan]

the hanging from a string is the best way I have found. Size does not matter and it is very hard for them to get out. You tie a string from a tree or over hang and tie the chicken upside down and let it hang for a few min and relax. this makes it easy to do the deed and bleed out. And size of bird does not matter i have done turkeys this way. A good video that shows this is http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?client...qzY&oref=http://m.youtube.com/&has_verified=1.


If the link doesn't work go to YouTube and search "how to butcher a chicken part 1- hobby farms.com" the beggining of this video goes over the string method. You will love doing it this way makes it easy.

 

[Big Dan]

I also forgot to say it works for CX because you can do a bunch at a time. You can butcher as many chickens at a time that you want, just hang more string. Hope this helps!

 

[donrae]

We've done the string from a tree and it did okay, but I like the confinement of the cone. We're frugal around here so we made our own from some thick black plastic pond liner. It's not rigid, like a conventional cone, so we usually just but the bird in head first, then lay them on a table with the head hanging over the edge. The opening is large enough to pull the head through, off with the head, then the person holding just raises the open end of the cone up for gravity to do it's thing. It's not a perfect way, but it works for us.

 

[Life is Good!]

I found this site interesting enough to bookmark. It's not a cone, but near as close as possible....

http://ramblingredneckmom.blogspot.com/2011/04/how-to-process-chickens-at-home.html

I know I had found a source of pre-made cones...but darn it all, I cannot find the link! They offered cones in a variety of sizes - for cornish hens to gigantic turkeys! If I find it, I'll post it here. (grumble, grumble, grumble.....darn brain isn't working tonight!)

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

I may have to try that. I thought if there wasn't a cone, they'd flap their wings when they were being hung upside-down. If they actually do hang limp, I think I could handle that.

 

[Highland Hens]

I have butchard hundreds of rabbits but only 1 chicken so far. I tryed the chicken hanging rope method but i cut through the neck to far and well i got drinched in the process. I think i am going to try a cone next time. That way i can cut the head off and the blood will just go strait down. Would a regular road side orange cone work? I might have to cut the tip a little bigger but this was the best ridged, cheap, easy thing i could think of. I have 10 chickens i will be butchering in a few weeks. Thank you

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

I have butchard hundreds of rabbits but only 1 chicken so far. I tryed the chicken hanging rope method but i cut through the neck to far and well i got drinched in the process. I think i am going to try a cone next time. That way i can cut the head off and the blood will just go strait down. Would a regular road side orange cone work? I might have to cut the tip a little bigger but this was the best ridged, cheap, easy thing i could think of. I have 10 chickens i will be butchering in a few weeks. Thank you

From my experience, which now includes the actual dispatching of 36 chickens, all using the cone method, you shouldn't count on the blood going straight down,. When I do the first cut to the jugular, I hold the chicken's head sort of at an angle so that the cut angles straight down for the first few few seconds. If you've made a good, accurate cut, the blood flow will be really strong, almost like it is squirting for the first few seconds. After that, it will drain straight down.

I created my own cone out of a scrap of ridgid plastic that I put together with staples and duct tape.

 

[donrae]

They usually go limp when hung upside down while they're still alive. Once you cut, they do flap all over the place. If you have clear space where they don't swing into something, it's usually okay. Or, you can grab the wings and hold the body while it bleeds out. The flapping only lasts a minute or two, even though it can seem like forever!

 

[Big Dan]

This is just proving something I have always felt. It is all about how you do your cut. You could on to the feet and do all right if you doing an even cut to control the blood. OK I just like the string method because it works for me for any size bird up to bleeding an elk. When they hang they do hang limp, but you have to do whatever will make you comfortable with the cut.