Taser?

[RavenStorm]

Does anybody here use a taser to stun their poultry before slaughter? I'm sure it's a bit of an over-kill (no pun intended), but DBF wants me to look into us using a taster to make sure that the birds are completely out of it since we prefer to bleed them out with the head still attached. So I need something that is strong enough to easily stun them yet will not electrocute them too much to kill them since we need the heart to keep beating. Any idea if this is a good method? What should I look for in a taser?

 

[NonnasBabies]

A taser doesn't completly knock you out. Now with a chicken it might but I think you would prob kill it before anything else! Have you ever been shocked by one??? Not a pleasant feeling!!!

Missi

 

[aggieterpkatie]

I would think that would be unnecessarily cruel. Not to mention, it would probably tense up all the muscles which might make for a tough bird. That'd be my guess at least.

 

[JohnL11935]

RavenStorm:

Sometimes I think many of us - in the quest for a "perfect" processing session, tend to over think the process. Its really not physically difficult to properly bleed the birds while being as humane as possible.

Drop the birds into a cone and make two quick cuts just under their "ears" till you get a sudden rush of pulsating blood. Just stay away from the wind pipe directly under their chin.

There is no need to taser, or otherwise stun the birds.

The first couple of birds will be tough. Say a prayer, make the cut and look forward to the rewards come dinner time.


.

 

[scubaforlife]

Stunning the birds can stop their hearts, that would prevent the bleed out.

Severing the blood supply to the brain is instant.

 

[Ibicella]

You don't need a taser. You can immobilize the birds by utilizing a built-in mechanism that Mother Nature gave them called "Tonic Immobility." Some people call this "hypnotizing" or "Trancing" the chicken.

Pick up the chicken and hold it on it's back in your arms, holding the wings and stroke it's breast. It will eventually go still and LOOK like it's asleep. What's actually going on is the chicken is still awake and aware, but they have had a rush of serotonin (the feel-good "happy" chemical that our brains use to regulate mood) to the brain, and it makes them go still and limp. This allows them either to avoid being seen by predators, become uninteresting to predators, or not suffer as terribly if they are eaten anyway.

Anyway, it allows you to kill the bird easily and quickly with minimal fuss, and they don't know what happens or suffer. I use this since I normally don't slaughter a whole bunch of chickens at one time. Since the chicken is relaxed, it's easy for them to bleed out and the feathers pretty much fall out after a good dunk in a pot of hot water. MUCH easier to pluck.

 

[Slinkytoys]

Or you can try it and let us know how it goes.
Slinky