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

[CindyinSD]

Shooting the bird might be all right, but there are other considerations to be weighed in the decision. Such as, since you are killing the bird in order to provide food, it's important (imo) to make sure the food is as high in quality as possible. This means bleeding the bird, which is best done while the heart is still beating. One might compromise by putting the bird in the cone and then quickly taking off the head entirely. You'd still get a decent bleed while minimizing pain to the bird.

 

[Kris5902]

If you’re close enough with your neighbors and they process for meat using a cone I recommend asking if you can get help/instruction in this from them. There are also YouTube videos and the like for this. I personally started with the cone and loppers for mercy culling. I now use a knife for both culling and meat processing. That is what is used in the processing plants here and once you are proficient at it I believe it to be the fastest most humane way. Sharp knife, steady hand, and resolve. If you do need to cull for kindness, just remember the animals welfare is more important than your personal feelings. I do not reccomend CO2, even for chicks. I tried this first and a swift knife is far kinder. I speak softly to all my culls when I need to do this, it keeps us both calm and reassured.

Also, thanks for preparing for this possibility before starting to get into managing a flock. It’s the most responsible thing to do.

 

[De Bauer]

I am lost after reading 5 pages..

What exactly is the goal?

Is it the least stress on the chicken or the least stress on the dispatcher?

As I understood the original post the issue was the way to dispatch a chicken meant for eating that a super squeamish person could do.. This has only two priorities I can see.

1: whatever the method it should not degrade the quality of the carcass for consumption.

2: To make it the least gruesome in the OP eyes so the OP experiences the least emotional discomfort.

For number 1 ideally you want to remove as much of the blood from the musculoskeletal system. This aides in preservation, visual, and to a lesser degree taste.

The above means bleeding the chicken.. The method that removes the most blood that is reasonable is cutting the cartoid artery in the neck.. This requires the heart to be pumping.

To a lesser degree beheading how ever you want to do it.. Make a mini chicken size French guillotine, a hatchet, branch loopers, whatever.

Breaking the neck or shooting are next down the line but they are still going to require blood letting.

No matter what way you choose you still are going to be dealing with blood.. The reason eviserating a chicken issue devoid of blood in any videos you have seen is because it 98% was removed when the artery was cut.. Without doing that guess what will be there when you start cutting on that chicken not to mention if you use a plucker.. With a plucker and a body and muscles fully of blood get ready for some bruising I would think.

As this is for meat and frankly I feel anyone that eats meat should at least once have to dispatch each of the different types of animals they eat.. It imparts value and respect.

In the end killing should never be sterile from the emotional connection of those doing the killing..

Its just something you have to deal with... Have someone help you thats done it before.. Have them show you.. Then have them directly assist you.. Even if they have to hold and guide your hand the first time.

If you really want to get over it go on a fast for 2 weeks eating nothing and then having only you and that chicken in the pin.. It sounds contrived I know but in all honesty it really puts things in perspective.. Most all of us in the USA have never dealt with true involuntary chronic hunger.

I am certainly not insensitive to those that have real emotional issues taking the life of another living creature.. Its that much harder for those that were never exposed to this as children. But at the same time you owe it to that animal if you plan to use it as food to be willing to be the one that ends it.

Its not suppose to feel good. But if you want to be responsible for the meat you eat its necessary.. There is always vegetarianism !?!

I am sorry but I do not think taking a life should be made easy and devoid of that connection.