What does it physically feel like to cut a chickens head off?

[Xouie]

why do you say the cone for meat?

Just out of curiosity

The cone bleeds them out for cleaner meat.

 

[Mmanist]

I don't like hands on. I shoot them in the head, The brain instantly shuts down, they don't know what hit them.

That is how I put my hen down this weekend. 22 to the back of the head. She was calm and relaxed. Didn't know what hit her.

 

[Mimi13]

Ditto Dat!!

I use the broomstick method of CD for euthanizing a bird I'm not going to eat.
Cervical Dislocation is shown in this video at about 1:00,
Click the 'Watch this video on YouTube'

it's the only CD video I've found that doesn't remove the head.

-Notice the slight divot in the ground under the stick and neck, this will keep the bird from being choked.
-Notice that she slowly stretches out the neck and legs before giving the short sharp jerk that breaks the neck close to the skull, this is key to success IMO.

I've found this technique to be very effective.

I am curious as to what way you use to slaughter for meat.

 

[Trish1974]

Thank you for providing a video! That does look easy and effective, maybe even easier than cutting it off. But the professionals always make it look easy lol. How long did it take you to do it right?

I also prefer the broomstick method. The key is to make sure you have the broomstick handle directly under the skull. I actually put it on the skull then roll it down towards the neck and as soon as you feel it roll under the skull, keep it there.

 

[Mimi13]

I use a pair of heavy kitchen shears. Imagine cutting through a thick piece of cardboard twice - like scissors open to close twice, that's about how long it takes if you really commit. It's less than a count of three from first cut to completely removing the head.

The first cut is like cutting through thick stretchy fabric, the second is like cutting through an old (weak) bug-eaten stick. That's because the first is going to get through the skin and soft tissue, and when making this cut I find it's better to let the scissors slide along to utilize the sharp blades more. The second cut requires a little bit more umph because you are going through bone and tendon but it's not super hard to do and there's a crunchy sound and feeling.

And then it's done. And the chicken kicks and shakes for a couple minutes as it bleeds out.

I think that's the most succinct and accurate description I could give.

You gave an excellent description, but using kitchen scissors scares me. I have a difficult time cutting the neck off with mine after the bird is dead. I think it would be difficult for many of us using kitchen shears, IMHO. Especially if you have any kind of arthritis. Let’s just say my hands aren’t what they used to be. Even though I don’t use them for dispatching I think tree pruners would be better. Kitchen shears might be okay for small chicks though. Just my thoughts.

 

[Whigru]

Ditto Dat!!

I use the broomstick method of CD for euthanizing a bird I'm not going to eat.
Cervical Dislocation is shown in this video at about 1:00,
Click the 'Watch this video on YouTube'

it's the only CD video I've found that doesn't remove the head.

-Notice the slight divot in the ground under the stick and neck, this will keep the bird from being choked.
-Notice that she slowly stretches out the neck and legs before giving the short sharp jerk that breaks the neck close to the skull, this is key to success IMO.

I've found this technique to be very effective.

Wow. I’ve never seen it done this way before but really appreciate the ease and cleanliness of it. I have had one bird I needed to cull and couldn’t do it, and stressed so much about the best way. I grew up on a farm with my dad butchering chickens the old fashioned way (ax to the neck) but was always just a post-death cleaner, never the killer. Having seen this method, I think I could do this more effectively and calmly than cutting off a head and having a blood-spraying bird flop around my yard. Thank you for sharing this.

 

[Mimi13]

Wouldn't trust myself with a gun or a hatchet...
...it's either the slit neck in the cone(for meat) or the broomstick.

That answers my question. I should have read through all the posts before I posted. Sorry for the duplication.

 

[Joken]

When I was a kid on my grandparent's ranch dealing with animals was a daily job and killing the sick or slaughtering for food was the norm. They raised a bunch of fryers now and then and after processing them, I swore I'd never do it again and I won't. I can butcher a Goat I raised, kill Deer, Elk, or a wild Turkey and not bat an eye, but no stinking Chickens. We give them away.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

You gave an excellent description, but using kitchen scissors scares me. I have a difficult time cutting the neck off with mine after the bird is dead. I think it would be difficult for many of us using kitchen shears, IMHO. Especially if you have any kind of arthritis. Let’s just say my hands aren’t what they used to be. Even though I don’t use them for dispatching I think tree pruners would be better. Kitchen shears might be okay for small chicks though. Just my thoughts.

That's very fair. My sister has rheumatoid arthritis and I don't know if she could do it. I would use tree cutters for that if I was also dealing with a severe joint issue. But I don't have a lot of hand strength and I pull it off so if you don't have arthritis it should be doable even if you're not very strong.

 

[Kusanar]

That's very fair. My sister has rheumatoid arthritis and I don't know if she could do it. I would use tree cutters for that if I was also dealing with a severe joint issue. But I don't have a lot of hand strength and I pull it off so if you don't have arthritis it should be doable even if you're not very strong.

You know, I wonder if there is something out there that is similar to a huge pair of cat nail clippers. 2 half circle blades that you could wrap fully around the neck but loosly to hold the head and neck still, then both hands on the handles to quickly lop it off.

Most tree cutting pruners have those curved blades that tend to make things shoot out of the end if you don't hold it firm enough.