Using a bullet instead of a hatchet?

[Bossroo]

On the other side of my town, a guy used a .22 to shoot a chciken point blank in the head while his wife held the chicken on the ground by it's feet. The bullet whent through the chicken's head, hit a small rock underground, ricocheted up (missed her head by inches) and shattered his knee... crippled for life !!!

 

[gryeyes]

Why expend ammo? It just seems wasteful to me.

 

[yinepu]

Why expend ammo? It just seems wasteful to me.

no more wasteful than going to a shooting range.. and though I have never tried eating a paper target i am willing to bet that our home raised birds taste better

 

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

You can do what you want, but the use of a 22 caliber is inappropriate and very dangerous for dispatching a chicken. Keep in mind that a 22 long rifle bullet can travel up to a mile if shot at the appropriate angle.

 

[oldmossinger]

I found (for me) dispatching meat turkeys using a .22 short in a rifle, with the turkey's legs tied together, allows a quick, efficient dispatch. It has been the easiest method for me, YMMV

 

[Gscott]

This is definately something where each of us has to find their own way. I am no expert, having only dispatched 20 birds last summer. I wasn't crazy about either the knife or the hatchet. But there is something to the technique. My first bird I tried with the knife, found it bloody awful, and gaspy. But I later discovered I'd done it all wrong, cutthing across the throat (severing the windpipe) instead of just on each side below the jaw. That seemed less gorey. At some point I switched to the chopping block, but I had trouble getting the birds bled out as well as they did by slitting the throat. So I stayed with the knife method.

But I was going to suggest you may try using a machete instead of a hatchet. Hard to miss if you use a nice chopping block and the two nails to help stretch out their neck. There's really no pleasant way to accomplish this. But what about wringing their neck? That is pretty easy and quick, just a little tougher to get them bled out.

I have reservations about shooting a chicken. And I'm not opposed to this as a humane way to dispatch an animal, I put down my last dog in this manner and have absolutely no regrets. (one moment sniffing flowers, the next it was done) My concern is the birds are a small target, and as mentioned previously, after the first they will be spooked and scattered. In the excitement I'm afraid you may lose track of the bullet trajectory. You need to make sure all is clear for a great distance, preferably shoot sharply down. .22lr travels far and fast. There are no 'accidents' when it comes to guns, just mistakes. No offense, but if you are coming here for advice about using a gun, I suggest you don't.

Good luck to you.

 

[New2TheCoop]

Ok here is my thoughts on this & my experience. Over the summer I used a hatchet on 2 roosters. On the 3rd rooster, I was holding him by his feet & he leaned up and bit me. Startled I dropped him! After a few minutes of chasing him around a pasture, I yelled those famous words that every guy wants to say, "HONEY, Go Grab A Gun!". So I took aim, standing maybe 10 feet away. Boom, first shot, it appeared that I missed him. Boom, second shot hit him right in the head. And with that he took off running straight into a thicket of thorns. So after I cut my way to him with a machettee, I brought him back to the table where I was doing the cleaning. When I cut him open, he was full of yellow liquid. I guess I shot threw his body the first time.

My suggestion is use the hatchet. Since that once dent I have cleaned many more birds & it's quick & easy. One knock to the neck & it's done.

 

[FarmTillURdead]

I like the sharp knife in one draw over the juguler vein back tword myself (don't saw). I have cut myself a lot of times with a good knife and it is nearly painless or I had to look to see who was really bleeding. My birds rarely squawk and are usually calm... until they give up the ghost.
I have a wiz-bang so plucking has never been a problem.
After nearly cutting off my thumb this year while "doing" birds... I decided some kevlar gloves would be nice after I had to give myself stitches.
7 birds in the cooler makes no time for hospital trips. I live a half hour from one anyway.
I had a rooster that I hated... use to flog me in an injury he somehow "knew" about up high on my thigh, a overly sensitive nerve than runs the length of my whole leg... I went after him with the .22 one afternoon when I caught him in a chain link dog kennel after he had kicked me around.
I can shoot crows in the head at 30 yards but after 7 shots in the dirt I felt like I was losing this Nintendo game. I was getting concerned he was trying to get a bullet to bounce back off something to hit me. I gave up and went in for the tackle.
Litte Jerk Indeed!
I finished up the work with the knife... brought him in the house and "stewed" about it for the rest of the afternoon. : )

 

[ChickcrazyCharlie]

Don't aim for the head. Aim for the neck at the base of the skull. They drop and you don't have to chase them.

 

[Sundown_Farmer]

I decided some kevlar gloves would be nice after I had to give myself stitches.
7 birds in the cooler makes no time for hospital trips. I live a half hour from one anyway.

Gave yourself stitches? Who has time for that? Just dab on some super glue and get back to work. We should start a chicken scar thread...