The most humane way

[Deannep36]

I'm new to this, and were getting ready to butcher our first meaties in a couple of weeks.
My question is what is the most humane and least painful way to kill them?
I know some slit the throat. Does the chicken die right away?or is it in pain as the blood is draining?
Chopping the head off, how do you do it right without hurting them to much?
I know these questions may sound stuped, but I just want to do it right with out hurting them to much

Thanks
Deanne

 

[kingmt]

I think there is a difference between best way & most human way. If you put them in a butchering cone & cut the blood vain in there neck they will stay calm & bleed out good but choping the head off is probley more humane. Only messier.

 

[kingmt]

Also this will probably go all over the place with opinions.

 

[cw]

i agree

 

[citrusdreams]

Those are not stupid questions. I firmly believe that you don't have to be cruel when dispatching your livestock. They still are living things and deserve a quick, painless death. And you don't know until you ask.

IMOHO, the most humane and quickest way is cervical dislocation or/and decapitation. It's fast and the chicken dies immediately.

You can do it in pairs: one person holds the head, the other person holds the feet and you pull until the the neck is broken. And a lot of people hold them on the ground, and put a board/bat/2x4 over their neck while anchoring it with your feet, and pull the body away from the head. You can hold them in your arms until their calm too, they really can be calm when you do this.

Slitting the throat is way too slow for me. Basically, they just bleed to death after losing consciousness. And a lot of people do it with an axe, but I'm not good with an axe. It's very effective and humane if you can do it quickly and correctly.

You might want to change or edit your subject to "most humane way to dispatch" or "humane butchering" or something or add "graphic" to it. There are a lot of people on this forum who consider chickens to be very beloved pets, and the thread might offend them. But if you have it in the subject, they know to open that thread at their own risk.

 

[Buster52]

I plan on doing a modified version of both... use a cone to contain and calm the chicken, use the knife to cut straight through, severing the head. The cone controls the body jerking and allows the bird to bleed. It won't bleed out as well as just cutting the arteries, I realize, but an instant death is more important to me.

 

[WalkingWolf]

I think the method would have to depend on the person what they feel is most comfortable with. It would not be the same for everybody. In the meat industry they are required to stun an animal before slitting the throat. They do this by either electric shock or causing a concussion by blunt force.

I read a thread on pithing and would like to learn to do it. Problem is it must be done correctly to be humane.

 

[TimG]

Quote:
Well, it is the Meat Birds forum.

 

[citrusdreams]

I know TimG, but the new posts index at the bottom and I can see how someone would click on it by mistake....

I mean, don't get me wrong, it obviously doesn't bother me, I'm just trying to save someone from being upset...

 

[WalkingWolf]

Quote:
When I think about it one of your concerns should also be safety for yourself if this is your first time. If you are going to decapitate be careful not to chop your hand or fingers. Also it takes a sharp knife to slit the throat with ease, be careful of your fingers.