What I’m I doing wrong when processing my meat birds?

[RoosterML]

I grab the chicken, tie their legs and hang them upside down in a tall bucket. Then with a very sharp knife I feel around their neck just before the head and grab the loose skin around there and slice, right?

You don’t grab the skin and start cutting. Go to the google search bar and type in “ how to dispatch a chicken “watch videos, better yet have your friend come back again and again if needed.

Do you own a gun?? If not.... go buy a .22 pistol with rat load shot and shoot each one while hanging in the back of the head. Yes you will need to hold the head steady to shoot it.

 

[Torinik]

I'm having a hard time with some of the things I'm reading here.
Here is my very first post after years of reading and finding splendid info on BYC. I also quoted it below. Look or read through the pamphlet to make sure you can locate the veins you want to sever. Or on the net, lots of real pictures of dissected birds with the veins well visible. And youtube of course for A to Z butchering tutorials.
Hope this helps.

Hello all,

I've been reading your posts on BYC for years now and found a wealth of information. I thought I'd share some of my experiences to reciprocate what I've received.
When it comes to butchering, this was a common thing when I was a child/teenager that we didn't really give a second thought, back then. Because of life and participating in the rat-race I had to re-learn this once seemingly simple skill. I remember the first time, after so many years, being quite upsetting in contrast to the times in my youth.

This is what I found.
Make sure you're in a firm state of mind. You are going to take a life and it will happen regardless. If you're nervous, uncertain or hesitant, the bird will pick up on it. You don't want to impart that on the bird. Pick it up, gentle but firm, and take it away from the others. I hang the bird by the feet and don't use a cone. No pros or cons here, this is just how I do it. The bird is usually very calm when this happens. I gently stretch its neck with my left hand. This also works for people who want to use a hatchet, it kind of hypnotizes the bird and it will leave its head stretched out on the block for a little while. I hold its head gently in my left hand, the bird's chest facing me, find the vein I want to sever and make an incision of about 5mm (which is about a quarter inch, I'm guessing). This takes practice and knowledge, more on this in a bit. Usually, at this point there's no reaction, it just hangs there and bleeds out. My left hand remains gently around its head, ready to grasp firmly when the bird flaps its wings so it doesn't go all over the place. After it has flapped a few times, it folds its wings back and it's over.
I think this is about as humane as it gets. There's no reaction (most of the time) to the incision and once it's cut the birds blood pressure drops dramatically. Anyone who got out of a chair too fast and felt a faint spell knows you're not really there, the same applies to the bird.

Now, for some very detailed information. There's a pamphlet issued by the U.S. department of agriculture on February 4th, 1915. Titled: How to kill and bleed market poultry.

Here's a link, https://archive.org/details/howtokillbleedma61penn_0.

Hope this helps.

Edit. The pamphlet describes cutting the vein from the inside. Since I don't have the proper tool to do that and don't have to carry the carcass to market, but instead process it on the spot, I perform the incision in the same location from the outside.

 

[NatJ]

Question. Is Stromberg a brand name? For a type of knife?

https://www.strombergschickens.com/
Strombergs is a company that sells chickens and equipment, including knives for processing chickens.

 

[iwltfum]

Question. Is Stromberg a brand name? For a type of knife?

It's a poultry supply company. I think it's full name is Stromberg's Chicks and Game Birds Unlimited. They have been around a while and have lots of good quality poultry supplies (and chicks I guess, but I've never bought chicks from them.

The knife I was referring to is actually made by Dexter, which is a well known commercial quality knife brand. We have a slew of different varieties from them that I bought when we set up our butchering facility. They have some kind of special steel they use that is high carbon, but is not as brittle as your standard high carbon steel knife.

 

[casportpony]

The question is how do I know I am cutting the blood vein so they bleed fast and die fast?

Source:
https://www.hsa.org.uk/downloads/hsatipeffneckcutpoultry14oct2015.pdf

 

[rjohns39]

Another thing you might want to consider is cut resistant gloves. I can't tell you how many times I've nicked my hand between the thumb and Index finger, thankfully the glove did its job. I'm right handed so I wear the left glove while processing birds and I use the right when using my mandolin.

 

[De Bauer]

Question. Is Stromberg a brand name? For a type of knife?

No its a hatchery/ seller.

For a knife one of the very best for everything from dispatching chickens to butchering them to processing deer and hogs etc is a 6" semi stiff curved boning knife.. Here is one of the most popular ones even with Prof butchers.. This is what I use and have a few of them for helpers and to give out if needed.

Victorinox Rosewood 6 in. Semi-Stiff Boning Knife

You should not pay over $30 USD and look for free shipping.. They make a 5" as well..

This is from same company as Swiss Army Knives.. They make good quality butchering knives.. These are Forschner brand which is now under the Victorinox corp umbrella. It has a very good industry rep in the meat processing butcher world..

They make a cheaper line that only difference is a grippy plastic handle.. Its their Fibrox line.. These you should get around $20 USD.

The first wooden handle one is a slightly better knife.. Its full tang vs hidden and pinned vs glue.. The blade itself is the same.. The wood handle is from their traditional line.
They all have life time warranty.

 

[De Bauer]

Wanted to add if you do not have one already you need a butchers or knife steel to clean up the blades edge ever so often.. Your kitchen knives will thank you as will your fingers.

12" is about ideal for general use.. Around $20

 

[SweetLittleChicks]

Hi! I have been a part of chicken butchering, and though I am not an expert I may be able to help.
What I've seen done is they take the bird's head in their hand when it is in the bucket, and they slice right under the throat.
The bird may kick and fight for up to an hour after, but it is not alive. The vain under the throat is a vital vain.
The kicking around is only a nerve thing, they are not actually alive and can not feel anything. ☺
I understand that feeling of not wanting to make the bird feel pain, it is normal.

I would highly recommend not wringing their necks, it is time consuming and not ideal. It required lots of strength and skill. Though the bird can flap around after it is cut, I assure you they feel no pain.
You need to give it one good hard slice, to cut the vain.

I Hope you dont buthcer egg laying hens because egg layers can live long and for taht to lay an eggg it pain they work so hard and lose nutrition because of it you Should keep old hens to ur flock they also make great pets older hens are more nicer and docile than younger hens they also keep the pest down and eat rats and mice a laying hen can live up to 11 to 15 years. Now I can understand if you kill Cornish cross because the have no chance even tho they suffer from it so there is no better. But laying hen a sick hen desserves to surive and tooken to vet ALSO old hens do lay egg 5 year old 8 year old lay egg but not as often there also good with protecting young hens and have more experince with a hen they also tend to go even tho there 8 years old if the do they make great mothers because they have more experience

 

[De Bauer]

Older hens such as old layers make some of the very best chicken stock and soup.. In the pressure cooker for a few hours yummy.