When is it not cost or labor effective to butcher?

[dudefromtampa]

I can tell you that if I tried that guy's bucket method, my shoulders would be ripped out and I'd be facing an other shoulder surgery before the day of plucking was over. I find it much easier to hand pluck than the effort that the bucket appeared to require. However, the drill... worth investigating.

It does look a bit laborious!

 

[dudefromtampa]

Totally agree on not using 22 ammo--we still can't hardly find any

My honey has used a pellet gun to take down roosters, but you've got to be a very good shot. Their heads are so tiny and in constant motion. Knife or hatchet is probably best for newbies.

Agreed. And that would be me!

 

[dudefromtampa]

i prefer a machete style blade less chance of missing even by just a little

I have a couple machetes but not so confident swinging one of those yet

 

[donrae]

Totally agree on not using 22 ammo--we still can't hardly find any

My honey has used a pellet gun to take down roosters, but you've got to be a very good shot. Their heads are so tiny and in constant motion. Knife or hatchet is probably best for newbies.

It doesn't require a good shot if shot point blank. I would take a chicken and calmly place their head on a 1/2" piece of lumber on the ground. I would gently stroke their neck or head until they relaxed a little (some would relax better than others). Then I took the cocked and loaded pellet pistol and quickly held it at the back of their head, aimed toward the opposite eye, and fired. There was no chance of missing the shot in that case and every bird was dead instantly. I don't think I ever found a pellet, so must have been still inside the cranium of the bird. Of course, a .22 would go right through. I don't even have a .22 and even if I did, I would prefer the pellet gun with the conical pellets. I haven't tried the blunt-nosed pellets, they would probably work, but the conical ones are meant to kill rather than maybe kill/maybe stun.

I guess our reason for using the gun is so you don't have to catch the bird. IMO if you've caught it, use a blade. I honestly never thought about catching the bird and point blank using a gun.

 

[pdirt]

Quote:
Well, this is weird. I wrote that last quote, the one starting in bold. Not donrae...must've been some sort of glitch on BYC.

 

[aart]

Check out this guy's plucking invention...brilliant! Would be good if you're only plucking a small number of birds, I would say 15 or less. Way cheaper than a electric plucker. I looked at the drill-mounted plucker and after seeing this guy's bucket method, I think it would be more practical, at least for my needs:

My shoulders/hands wouldn't handle that, but it sure made me LOL!!!

 

[aart]

Have you tried advertising them as black meat birds? There are ethnic groups that love silkie meat, not sure if that's the case in your area.

Ditto this....guy in PA on another forum had quite the business growing silkies just for an asian market.

 

[jcs89115]

At what age can you start to butcher?