What is the Best Way To Cull a Chicken for a Squeamish Person

[HippieAtHeart]

I will soon have chickens and am contemplating the best way to cull a chicken being that I’m squeamish. I have never killed an animal (aside from spiders, but only if they are near me lol) and don’t know if I have the stomach to kill a chicken but am really wanting to have a little homestead. I really don’t want to slice it’s artery in its neck...I read a lady who used a cone and sharp tree limb lopers which sounds like one way. As hands off a way is what I’m looking for

 

[Molpet]

I will soon have chickens and am contemplating the best way to cull a chicken being that I’m squeamish. I have never killed an animal (aside from spiders, but only if they are near me lol) and don’t know if I have the stomach to kill a chicken but am really wanting to have a little homestead. I really don’t want to slice it’s artery in its neck...I read a lady who used a cone and sharp tree limb lopers which sounds like one way. As hands off a way is what I’m looking for

The loppers are how I started. Make sure the chicken fits in the cone so you can get the neck out to chop it. My first one didn't fit right. A CX and was too big.
I use electrical tape around the ankles so they can't get away as easily.

 

[Molpet]

OH I now use pipe cutter. It's kinda hard to get the neck to stay where you can lop it with the loppers
Dawn Industries 1-5/8" Plastic Pipe Cutter at Menards https://www.menards.com/main/p-1444428688236.htm

 

[Ridgerunner]

Since you are in the meat bird forum I assume you are talking about butchering for meat and not a mercy killing to get it out of its misery. That narrows it down a little bit.

In general, the best way for you and the bird is how you can. What I mean by that is you do not want to flinch or close your eyes at a critical time, that might mean injury to you or the bird. You want it to be quick and sure. That method can be different for each of us.

I use the hatchet and stump method, but I grew up using an ax, hammer, and hatchet so I'm confident I can hit the target. I grew up butchering chickens that way, but it is hands on.

Many people use the cone method, especially people like you that haven't done it before. They may cut the arteries or use loppers, pipe cutters, or something else.

Some people like the broomstick method. You put the head on the ground and hold a broomstick or similar stick over the neck with your feet and jerk.

With any of these methods there are little tricks that make it go better. If you decide on a method come back on here so maybe someone can help you with details.

Another option is to find someone in your area that processed chickens, many do that. Or find a neighbor that can help you the first time or two. Having a knowledgeable person that can mentor you can make the process easier. I see you are in Pennsylvania, thanks for providing that information. If you haven't found this thread yet you might chat with your neighbors about this.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/pennsylvania-unite.248345/page-7813

 

[HippieAtHeart]

OH I now use pipe cutter. It's kinda hard to get the neck to stay where you can lop it with the loppers
Dawn Industries 1-5/8" Plastic Pipe Cutter at Menards https://www.menards.com/main/p-1444428688236.htm

Thank you for the pipe cutter idea, that makes sense its' neck would stay where it should

 

[HippieAtHeart]

Since you are in the meat bird forum I assume you are talking about butchering for meat and not a mercy killing to get it out of its misery. That narrows it down a little bit.

In general, the best way for you and the bird is how you can. What I mean by that is you do not want to flinch or close your eyes at a critical time, that might mean injury to you or the bird. You want it to be quick and sure. That method can be different for each of us.

I use the hatchet and stump method, but I grew up using an ax, hammer, and hatchet so I'm confident I can hit the target. I grew up butchering chickens that way, but it is hands on.

Many people use the cone method, especially people like you that haven't done it before. They may cut the arteries or use loppers, pipe cutters, or something else.

Some people like the broomstick method. You put the head on the ground and hold a broomstick or similar stick over the neck with your feet and jerk.

With any of these methods there are little tricks that make it go better. If you decide on a method come back on here so maybe someone can help you with details.

Another option is to find someone in your area that processed chickens, many do that. Or find a neighbor that can help you the first time or two. Having a knowledgeable person that can mentor you can make the process easier. I see you are in Pennsylvania, thanks for providing that information. If you haven't found this thread yet you might chat with your neighbors about this.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/pennsylvania-unite.248345/page-7813

I am looking for one way in case I need to do a mercy killing and also if I end up wanting to butcher. I want to have things and be prepared now in the event something happens to a chicken and I need to act.Thank you for the PA forum, I hadn't thought to go on there. I do have a few Amish neighbors and people I buy milk from that have chickens they butcher for meat, I will have to ask them whenever I get back around to seeing them. I hadn't heard of the broomstick method, but that sounds like an option as well. Thank you!

 

[Ridgerunner]

For a mercy killing you might consider the carbon monoxide method. It requires setting up correctly but you put the chicken in a box and pipe the exhaust from a running car to the box. Or carbon monoxide poisoning, by mixing certain chemicals to produce the carbon dioxide. Supposedly the chicken just goes to sleep.

I have not done this and would want explicit directions to set it up right so it would work. I would not eat a chicken killed this way but maybe for a mercy killing.

 

[annageckos]

Instead of CO if you want to go that route I'd suggest CO2. I've used this to put down mammals like rats. I use to raise rats as feeders and I'd have large groups to do at a time. Some may not agree but I've used it for small pets when needed and a wild rabbit that was smashed by a car but still alive. I have a smallish CO2 container used for a paint ball gun. You can get them filled at most sporting good stores. Get a box with a lid and run the tubing into a hole in the top. Very slowly let the gas seep in, I find this the best. If you flood the chamber too fast the animals will panic because they can not breath. If you do it slowly they will fall unconscious. Once they are out you can flood the chamber with CO2. I let it go for a bit once the chamber is flooded to make sure they are dead. I've never used this with birds so I couldn't tell you how long it would take. For small animals it's all over in 15-20 minutes, though I let them sit in the box, unopened for about 30-45 minutes. They are out much fast than that though. I wouldn't do this for birds I'd be eating though.

 

[RiverOtter]

Don't do CO or CO2 for birds, they have different oxygen requirements than mammals so it will either go way too fast and panic/choke the poor things or they wake back up again.

Honestly, the best thing to do is realize that what is easiest for you is not what is easiest for the animal and decide if you want to be selfish or humane.

I choose humane, so I try to handle and stress them as little as possible, so I catch them gently and put them in a cone. From there, sticking is instant brain death - which means no possible suffering. BUT, if you are not confident that you can get the exact right spot, then resolve to practice that on dead birds. Decapitation is the next most painless least stressful way, so get a machete (because you are not going to miss with that nice long blade. They're about 12 dollars) and PRACTICE a firm, hard swing. Get some old garden hose and put it through your cone and practice cutting clean through it an inch from the end of the cone until you can do it with your eyes shut and there a notch in the wood your cone is fastened to.

Then, when the time comes, you'll know exactly what you're doing and how to do it, and the beasts won't have to deal with your stress and panic or, god forbid, mistake.

And huge, huge kudos to you for planning ahead!! I'm really proud of you. Too many of us are caught by surprise. My first time was when a friend asked me to please put a bird out of it's pain because she couldn't. I had no idea what to do, read up real fast and decided the broomstick method seemed the most idiot-proof, but at least I was so afraid of not doing it hard enough and hurting the poor thing that it ended up being a fast decapitation.

 

[RoosterML]

#1 find someone with experience to help you if possible. I started with an axe. Now I use a meat cleaver from the kitchen. Nice and heavy, plenty of cutting edge, and easy to sharpen. If you miss with a meat cleaver find yourself something else to do. If you have a .22 you could also use rat load to the head.