The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[aoxa]

All the Silkies seem to love the DL. The chicks wallow in it like piggies. After five hours the guy with the loud breathing has quieted. I can barely hear it now. <enter big sigh of relief!>
I don't know if it's because of the olive oil I put down his throat or he cleared his lungs on his own. I'm thinking I will take him out of the barn and put him on the grass while I turn the litter in his pen from now on. I'd rather he got a bit wet than choke to death. Eventually all my Silkies will run together. It's soon time I played yard tetris with my flocks. My hubby is already talking about another hoop coop next to the turkey one.

Grass?

I forget what it looks like!

 

[PeepsCA]

Quote: I'm not a seasoned culler at all, I've only had to cull a few keets that ended very quick with minimal spasming, but I've killed and processed around 25 of my adult Guineas last Summer/Fall (soon to do about 10 more). And I have to say that the flapping and spasming is the part I dislike the most. Luckily for me I've never had any of my birds spasm that long... but my method for killing before processing is hanging them by their feet with each bird slid inside of a long tee-shirt sleeve, head sticking out the sleeve cuff, the other end of the sleeve is tied between their legs (my version of a make-shift killing cone), then I pith them first before quickly slicing the jugular. Usually it's just a little bit of (controlled/restrained) flapping followed by just a few seconds of shuddering/spasming, then it's over. Never any delayed smasms. I've never had any of them do more flapping or spasming than that even if I just slice the jugular, without pithing them. Good to know it is possible and that it may happen tho... now I'll be mentally prepared. Extended spasming and flapping with the head completely off would be really creepy, yuck

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[PeepsCA]

Eventually all my Silkies will run together. It's soon time I played yard tetris with my flocks.

Perfect description of how I deal with my multiple flocks of birds that I keep separate, lol. I've always said my birds are on rotation (of who free ranges where, and when), but I like your term "yard tetris" much better!

 

[loanwizard]

There are the old stories and the adage running around like a chicken with it's head cut off. It is normal for me to take the birds head off and hang it by its feet in the noose, to drain in a bucket, and for it to take what seems like an eternity for it to "settle" down. I assume that when you completely behead, not only are you cutting blood, but every nerve in the body to brain causing this violent reaction. What gets to me sometimes is the bird quits flopping..... til you dip it in the scalder and it shakes hot water on you.

 

[Leahs Mom]

There are the old stories and the adage running around like a chicken with it's head cut off. It is normal for me to take the birds head off and hang it by its feet in the noose, to drain in a bucket, and for it to take what seems like an eternity for it to "settle" down. I assume that when you completely behead, not only are you cutting blood, but every nerve in the body to brain causing this violent reaction. What gets to me sometimes is the bird quits flopping..... til you dip it in the scalder and it shakes hot water on you.

That raises a question for me.

Do you have that kind of response only when you cut the head totally off as the method of kill? (Like you're saying about cutting nerves, etc. before the bird has bled out?)

The videos I've watched appeared to me to have more reaction when the head was removed totally as the method of kill. When I watch the videos of slitting the throat, they don't seem to have that kind of PROLONGED reaction. And the ONE TIME (that I posted about) that we processed, we just slit the throat rather than cutting off the head to kill, and it was very uneventful. When it died, it was over. Just a little reaction.

 

[stonykill]

That raises a question for me.

Do you have that kind of response only when you cut the head totally off as the method of kill? (Like you're saying about cutting nerves, etc. before the bird has bled out?)

The videos I've watched appeared to me to have more reaction when the head was removed totally as the method of kill. When I watch the videos of slitting the throat, they don't seem to have that kind of PROLONGED reaction. And the ONE TIME (that I posted about) that we processed, we just slit the throat rather than cutting off the head to kill, and it was very uneventful. When it died, it was over. Just a little reaction.

shoot a turkey with a shotgun and the reaction is exactly the same. They are still flopping, but dead by the time you put down your gun and walk 40 yards over to them. So I'd say....no

 

[loanwizard]

That raises a question for me.

Do you have that kind of response only when you cut the head totally off as the method of kill? (Like you're saying about cutting nerves, etc. before the bird has bled out?)

The videos I've watched appeared to me to have more reaction when the head was removed totally as the method of kill. When I watch the videos of slitting the throat, they don't seem to have that kind of PROLONGED reaction. And the ONE TIME (that I posted about) that we processed, we just slit the throat rather than cutting off the head to kill, and it was very uneventful. When it died, it was over. Just a little reaction.

Not a doc nor a vet, but I would say yes. When you kill by shot, head removal, any type of trauma, the nerves will send messages. When blood pressure drops suddenly, there is much less reaction.

But, I have no idea and I have never slit a chickens throat.

 

[Mumsy]

Not a doc nor a vet, but I would say yes. When you kill by shot, head removal, any type of trauma, the nerves will send messages. When blood pressure drops suddenly, there is much less reaction.

But, I have no idea and I have never slit a chickens throat.

I don't like bruised breast meat from birds that are beheaded and allowed to flop around on the lawn. Yes. I can tell the difference in texture and taste. Not to mention it makes for a lot of drama and mess. I have a killing bucket with lid. Bird is dispatched and dropped in the bucket. Lid applied. No mess. Lots of noise from bird in bucket. When no more noise from bucket it's time to process or bury. Hose out the bucket in the compost pile and peace is restored to the barn yard. I use the cone technique when processing multiples.

 

[stonykill]

I don't like bruised breast meat from birds that are beheaded and allowed to flop around on the lawn. Yes. I can tell the difference in texture and taste. Not to mention it makes for a lot of drama and mess. I have a killing bucket with lid. Bird is dispatched and dropped in the bucket. Lid applied. No mess. Lots of noise from bird in bucket. When no more noise from bucket it's time to process or bury. Hose out the bucket in the compost pile and peace is restored to the barn yard. I use the cone technique when processing multiples.

I never let go of the bird. No bruising. Remove head, hold on to the bird. The way my grandfather taught me and the way he did it in the 30's as a kid. No bruising , quick death. Whatever works for anyones setup is what I say to do

 

[delisha]

I avoid beheading for that reason in an adult bird. There seems to be a larger chance of more flopping and bigger mess when you remove the head. Blood letting is enough for me. I do head removal for chicks.