killing chickens - advice?..... (obviously do NOT open this if this is not your bag)

[WelliesAndPyjamas]

Newbie to killing chickens. We've done only a couple before but they were old layers (and 1 that had been attacked and needed to be put out of its misery), and I wasn't too happy with how it went.

So I'm hyping myself up for a batch of 15 table birds now. Just have to buy the freezer in the next few days and then I can start.

Any really good tips? Please!
Or just some encouragement?

Sharp cleaver and large wooden block. (mind your fingers)

You can buy "dispatchers" at some of the online poultry stuff places.

how did you do it last time? what made you unhappy?
whats a dispatcher?
are you gonna pluck and gut yourself?

sorry, i have no tips, only questions!
but i encourage you

Take one bird at a time, far enough away to be out of earshot & view of the remaining flock and pull the necks.

I hold the feet in one hand, with the body firmly under my arm with the head hanging downwards and away from me and then use a twist and pull action. You do get a bit of nerve-twitching but it's a clean job. If you are too vigorous the head may come off !

Then I slit the throat vertically and hang it over the butlers sink.

Are you alright with drawing? I can do all of it but usually make a complete hash of trussing them up!

Don't forget that your chooks had a much better life and death than any farmed chicken - even the organic free range ones - and sing hsppy songs while you're doing the dreaded deed (Kylie songs tend to work for me).

here are some dispatchers... Have never used them myself....

I've heard bad things about the wall mounted dispatchers - in this month's PP mag they didn't like them. Will find it later and see what they say.

I've looked at some of these gadgets and concluded that manhandling the bird into a funnel, pair of pliers or holding it flat on the ground with its neck under a stick would be much more stressful (for me, as well as the bird) than just doing it by hand.

Though I like the idea of a stun gun.

I tried to do it once but I just couldn't pull. Dh is a dab hand, grab, click, done.

Seeing HFW do his with a stunner and slitting inside mouth (I think) made me want to do it that way. Do you need a slaughtermens license for using a stunner though?

mehga - I vaguely recall that HFW had a licenced chap there when they used the stunner but I can't remember the exact details.

You could try the Tom Good way and shoot them (with bullets!).

Wow, thanks for all the responses. Sorry I had to disappear.

Am PMSL at singing happy songs!! Love it!

No, no gadgets for me (am abroad plus I don't want to spend money on something I should be able to do for free, iykwim). I used an axe and a block before (with DH helping) and yes, it was efficient, although with one I let go too early and we didn't kill her and she went running down the hill to die by herself. That was horrible.

And we used the axe because I couldn't bring myself to pull... however in my mind's eye I can 'do' it iykwim... it's just the moment of truth with a warm alive chicken under my arm... what a wuss!! also pregnant hormones making me emotional about the birds now (or at least that's my excuse!!)

Am happy to hear your description Duchess. I know that's the way to do it... it helps to hear of a real live mnetter doing it too!!

I had trouble pulling necks myself (not sure if hands too small or just that I've not got strong wrists) and couldn't do a clean job. Last time, dh help, one of us held body, the other head and that worked quickly with no fuss.
I stick them straight in a fertiliser bag until the twitching stops

also, I have to do it alone this time wth DH away so the neck-pulling method should in theory be the easiest, right?

fertiliser bag - good idea, fromgirders

tbh the whole twiching and bleeding thing doesn't bother me as long as I have properly dispatched them

also, in answer to someone earlier in the thread, no I'm fine with drawing. Once they're dead, I'm thinking gravy