When your chickens get old and die...

[Beekissed]

I think that I will take up my friend the butcher, at least he will show me exactly where to cut with cone method. What do you do with the blood left behind on the ground? Hose it? The carbon monoxide.... One would think the meat would not be edible. Am I thinking to much into it? Thanks for your input!

My other chickens, the dogs and the cats take care of the blood left behind...by the next day it is like it never was.

 

[jstanard]

Thanks so much!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I think that I will take up my friend the butcher, at least he will show me exactly where to cut with cone method. What do you do with the blood left behind on the ground? Hose it? The carbon monoxide.... One would think the meat would not be edible. Am I thinking to much into it? Thanks for your input!

I drain mine into a bag lined trash can. Throw all our extra feathers and pieces in, tie it up and toss in the big can.

We get a lot of rain here so we do it just inside the door of the pole barn, none of my animals have access to that area. Plus one of my dogs might become aggressive protecting the bloody area from the chickens and it could be fatal to them.

But as Bee said... the other day I got a bloody nose and was surprised to see how one of my hens pecked every piece of grass that got covered.

 

[jstanard]

I guess they will eat anything! Thanks

 

[bobbi-j]

Who wants blood spurted everywhere letting the dead bird run around without it's head? But my dogs would enjoy that. But I wonder if the scent of blood everywhere attracts other predators in the days to come? :/

We put them in a 5-gallon bucket or deep plastic tote until they they're done spurting and flapping - it helps keep the meat from getting all bruised, too. When we have let the blood go onto the ground, it just seemed to soak into the gravel driveway.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I guess they will eat anything! Thanks

They don't seem crazy about slugs...

I picked one up to toss farther out in the yard one day.... even after washing my hands 6 times with Dawn and Dr. Bonners, my hand was still gross!

Needless to say, I will never pick up another slug bare handed.

 

[Spartan22]

They don't seem crazy about slugs...

I picked one up to toss farther out in the yard one day.... even after washing my hands 6 times with Dawn and Dr. Bonners, my hand was still gross!  Needless to say, I will never pick up another slug bare handed.  

 

[Molpet]

It's my understanding that the flopping is intensified by full removal of the head.

We don't cut through the spine using the cone until after it comes out for the rest of processing.

We only hear a couple of jerks before it's complete... but the cone contains the flapping and everything.

Who wants blood spurted everywhere letting the dead bird run around without it's head? But my dogs would enjoy that. But I wonder if the scent of blood everywhere attracts other predators in the days to come?

I used a cone, tapped legs and cut the head off w/ a long handle game lopper (like a branch lopper, but meant for deer ribs and such) .. at first I caught all the blood in the bucket and hosed off everything.. I left the clean bucket by the cone and no varmints dumped the bucket... one day I didn't catch the blood or hose off much and still no varmints dumped the bucket.. Coyotes, coons and such come by the same as always, but for some reason it doesn't seem to draw them...

 

[sevenfatcows]

No waste, cockerels are processed and made into dog food. My chihuahuas eat a steady diet of roosters. As far as the carbon dioxide goes, I am well aware that it is a component of the air we breathe and is not in itself toxic. If you read my post, I never stated that it was. It is the displacement of the oxygen that caused the bird to perish, and I can tell you that it is very fast. I do not think there is any way that killing an animal is pleasant for either the victim or the one who has to do it. I am right there for the whole event, so although I don't SEE the action, I can hear and feel it. I take the slaughter of any animal very seriously. That's my method for processing a few at a time. Thanks for your comment.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Seem like it is recognized by ... maybe the humane society (?).... as an approved humane method of euthanasia.

Sorry, didn't really mean to knock it or see that you had described the process by which it took place.

Everybody has to do what works for them, for sure!

Excellent that you don't let it go to waste.

Almost curious to hear how you make dog food... but don't wanna open up a whole other can of worms so to speak.