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

[Vickischics]

I just recently helped my neighbor Cull two aggressive Cockerels that not only severely tore up 25 plus pullets but attacked her two children ages 3 & 5.

Here is what we did.
I had a good sturdy (not very flexible) bladed sharp knife. (sharp enough to shave the hair off your arm)
Got a huge pot of water on an outside burner stove with a thermometer and raised the heat to 160 degrees.
Made a loop with cooking string. (like kite string).
Put the loop over the feet and quickly hung him upside down on a fence post.
Stretched out the neck and moved the feathers from around the jugular and quickly and smoothly cut its throat.
I held the bird firmly against the fence while it bleed out. ( it will violently flap for about 2 minutes), that is the reason I held it firmly against the fence.
Then, I took the bird and submerged him in the 160 degree hot water until the feathers were wet. I made sure it stayed submerged for a few minutes or so often checking for "doneness" if you will, by pulling on the exposed feathers above the legs. idk know if it was 2-3 minutes but, it wasn't long.
When a handful of feathers removed easily, it was ready to be plucked. She put it on a table and the plucking process was very easy.
Then, you begin to butcher the chicken.
First the neck, making sure not to rupture the crop and emptying the contents into your bird.
Next was the rectal area.
This area must be done with precise precision and a sharp knife because you do not want to cut the bowel.
My advice is to watch a step by step video on the butchering process.
This takes time to learn and become proficient. So, be prepared to take your time at a table or something waist high. (save your back)
I think the butchering of a chicken took longer than when my husband and I field dressed a buck. That is no joke.

The one most important thing I learned when field dressing a Deer is, you must have a very sharp knife or two or three. A Good, Sharp knife is your friend.
A cheap flexible blade that is also dull will make your slaughtering and butchering experience an unpleasant one.

Also Read information about the timing of Eating vs Rigor mortis and the timing to result in tough meat.

Good Luck.
I hope all of our experiences help you to be successful.
Keep us posted.
Vicki

 

[3KillerBs]

Actually that's exactly what I mean.

Its hard for people when butchering, and if you get stuck or your knives aren't that great you don't want the animal to suffer.

That's why I brought up the electric knife idea; because of 'the faster the better'.

IMO, it would be better to spend the money on a good quality knife sharpener.

While nothing beats the edge you get from an experienced person sharpening a knife with an proper set of oil stones, steels, etc., most people don't have that experience.

 

[aart]

The way he explained it to me is that he goes in with this sharp skinny tool and wiggles it around in the brain from behind the head and they don't even feel a thing.

Yep, that's pithing. It's supposed to release the feathers for easier dry plucking.

I haven't really seen people talk about if using an electric knife would make butchering easier?

That's because it's not a good tool for the job.
They are for slicing cooked meat, not slaughtering or butchering.

 

[Mimi13]

That's sad, but understandable IMO. There's a ton of reasons why we do it, but the biggest reason is food security. When the pandemic started and things got crazy in the grocery stores, I promised myself we would not get caught out there wondering if we would have enough food to last the three days it takes to restock a grocery store. There were so many stories of people not having, people buying too much, greed and what not. I want to make sure I can feed my kids, and even have some for anyone I may come across that might need just a little bit to get through the next day or two. My entire family comes out to help on processing day, and they take home a percentage of their animals.I raise the animals, they all raise the gardens on their properties, we make it work.

What an awesome family. Anything is always better when the whole family is involved. My hat is off to you and your family.

 

[Mimi13]

It is harder on the body to never have any meat though.

And it is hard to do this unfortunately.

One thing...I haven't really seen people talk about if using an electric knife would make butchering easier?

IMO, no. Not needed for sectioning the carcass and definitely not for cutting the jugular. Just a good sharp knife.

 

[Mimi13]

Actually that's exactly what I mean.

Its hard for people when butchering, and if you get stuck or your knives aren't that great you don't want the animal to suffer.

That's why I brought up the electric knife idea; because of 'the faster the better'.

If you don’t have a sharp knife do not even begin to slaughter A chicken, much less several. I never slaughter a bunch at once, but if I did I would definitely sharpen my knife after I did several. I even use a different knife gutting and carving the bird up. I definitely don’t want my jugular slicing knife getting dull.

A sharpening stone or knife sharpener is not that expensive. No bird processor should be without one. You are asking for a nightmare on processing day!

 

[aart]

If you don’t have a sharp knife do not even begin to slaughter A chicken, much less several. I never slaughter a bunch at once, but if I did I would definitely sharpen my knife after I did several. I even use a different knife gutting and carving the bird up. I definitely don’t want my jugular slicing knife getting dull.

A sharpening stone or knife sharpener is not that expensive. No bird processor should be without one. You are asking for a nightmare on processing day!

Ditto Dat!!

I sharpen up several knives before starting and use one only for jugular slit,
making sure to get between the feathers to delay dulling.
I only do 4-5 at time too.

 

[3KillerBs]

Is there any benefit to using a razor knife (boxcutter), for the jugular slit?

 

[Mimi13]

I don't know if it is exactly pithing as I understand it. If you look up a duck hunting tool called "The Finisher" you will find a video on it being done to a duck. The way he explained it to me is that he goes in with this sharp skinny tool and wiggles it around in the brain from behind the head and they don't even feel a thing. It seems to be fairly gentle on the birds, they do some flapping but not the extreme flapping and jumping out of the cones that I have experienced by just cutting the neck. But I am by no means extremely experienced, we only just did our 2nd butcher day of 100 birds this past weekend.

Oh man! I just watched “The Finisher” and I was shocked...only because it was weird, something I’m not used to, kinda like first time dispatching a bird I guess!

Anyway, it is technically pithing which is “piercing the brain,” but just backwards to what I’m used to. But when you think about the length of a duck’s bill compared to a chicken’s beak, I would suppose reaching the brain would be easier from the rear. Once again, when I have to do something that I cannot see, it brings on a little anxiety for me.

And, I have never used pithing as the ONLY means of death. It is supposed to aid in the quickness of death AND make the feathers ‘turn loose’ a bit for greater ease in plucking. But when the bird is dunked in the right temperature of water for the right amount of time (not 3 minutes unless you want a partially cooked bird where the skin will tear when being plucked) I’m not sure pithing is needed for plucking ease.

 

[Mimi13]

Is there any benefit to using a razor knife (boxcutter), for the jugular slit?

I tried that once...FAIL...!

Maybe it’s just me, but I need a longer blade!