Discuss all aspects of raising poultry. No topic is too small
Killing chickens?
I like the thought of having the freezer full of chicken, but when it comes to killing them i just cant do it, i have no problem gutting them and all that, i just cant get around to actually giving them the chop, it just seems very cruel, how they are alive and running around one minute and then just to be dead, has anyone else killed them and does it get easier, also the thought of the chicken moving after its head has been removed just makes me feel sick. Its just that i have tones of roosters here, i never have a problem killing a sick chicken, i just dislocate the neck but i just cant do it to a live healthy chicken, has anyone else had this problem?
Michael Gordon
Saturday, May 21st, 2011 after the first one i think its a lot easier.you get used to it. if you do it right they only flap about for a few seconds.
michael p
Saturday, May 21st, 2011 make sure you do it right !!! if you mess up it can be very off putting... not to mention bad for the chicken!
but it gets easy after the first 1 or 2
micheal501
Saturday, May 21st, 2011 You don't need to remove the head on a chicken for eating, dislocation is fine, the blood just pools in the dislocation space so it doesn't taint the meat, and it's not as messy that way.
I've done a few bantams, but haven't tackled a large fowl yet. Will do in the autumn, that's why we have them, for the table.
Susan Mc
Saturday, May 21st, 2011 http://www.lkpoultry.com/products/Poultry-killing-funnel-con...
get one it helps calm them before the "CHOP" and stops the Flappling
Mark R
Saturday, May 21st, 2011 I always thought the flapping was supposed to be a good thing as is drove the blood to the head after dislocation and therefore as Susan Mc asid above, it pools there. They have to be hanging upside down of course.
Rho b
Saturday, May 21st, 2011 asid = said - sorry, brain is working faster than my fingers.
Rho b
Saturday, May 21st, 2011 Or are your fingers moving faster than your brain, lol!
Susan Mc
Saturday, May 21st, 2011 its the hart that moves the blood to the head
Mark R
Saturday, May 21st, 2011 I know its the heart that pumps the blood, i just heard that the flapping was good as it helped them drain faster/better.
Rho b
Saturday, May 21st, 2011 Ye your right Rho it drives the blood to the head. I hate killing sick birds and i also hate killing birds i dont intend to eat aswell. It gets much easier after the first one or 2. Dont chop off the head! Dislocation is much better. If you chop off the head you get a big mess and it tightens the feathers and makes it hard to pluck. I find killing for the table ok because you are getting something out of them. The plucking is tedious and is probably the bit i dread the most and i have only watched a bird being gutted because i think i would make a mess of it. I'll have to give it a try soon though!
Oisin Cleary
Saturday, May 21st, 2011 When the neck is dislocated properly the chicken will flap like crazy and this will send the blood into the neck cavity.
Michael, in answer to your question about it getting easier, well i dont think it does. It's never easy to kill a healthy animal.
jaymac
Saturday, May 21st, 2011 I'm the same Michael...I really like the idea of providing meat for the house, but I still can't come to terms with how they would be alive one minute, then gone the next...
Penny Lane
Monday, May 23rd, 2011 Oisin ! If you think plucking is bad then just wait till you have done the gutting !! I quite like plucking !! :P
micheal501
Monday, May 23rd, 2011 Haha!! The plucking just takes so long and its boring! The gutting didnt look too bad when I got someone to do it and it took about 5 minutes. Its probably not the best job though!
Oisin Cleary
Tuesday, May 24th, 2011
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Killing chickens?
I like the thought of having the freezer full of chicken, but when it comes to killing them i just cant do it, i have no problem gutting them and all that, i just cant get around to actually giving them the chop, it just seems very cruel, how they are alive and running around one minute and then just to be dead, has anyone else killed them and does it get easier, also the thought of the chicken moving after its head has been removed just makes me feel sick. Its just that i have tones of roosters here, i never have a problem killing a sick chicken, i just dislocate the neck but i just cant do it to a live healthy chicken, has anyone else had this problem?
Saturday, May 21st, 2011
after the first one i think its a lot easier.you get used to it. if you do it right they only flap about for a few seconds.
Saturday, May 21st, 2011
make sure you do it right !!! if you mess up it can be very off putting... not to mention bad for the chicken!
but it gets easy after the first 1 or 2
Saturday, May 21st, 2011
You don't need to remove the head on a chicken for eating, dislocation is fine, the blood just pools in the dislocation space so it doesn't taint the meat, and it's not as messy that way.
I've done a few bantams, but haven't tackled a large fowl yet. Will do in the autumn, that's why we have them, for the table.
Saturday, May 21st, 2011
http://www.lkpoultry.com/products/Poultry-killing-funnel-con...
get one it helps calm them before the "CHOP" and stops the Flappling
Saturday, May 21st, 2011
I always thought the flapping was supposed to be a good thing as is drove the blood to the head after dislocation and therefore as Susan Mc asid above, it pools there. They have to be hanging upside down of course.
Saturday, May 21st, 2011
asid = said - sorry, brain is working faster than my fingers.
Saturday, May 21st, 2011
Or are your fingers moving faster than your brain, lol!
Saturday, May 21st, 2011
its the hart that moves the blood to the head
Saturday, May 21st, 2011
I know its the heart that pumps the blood, i just heard that the flapping was good as it helped them drain faster/better.
Saturday, May 21st, 2011
Ye your right Rho it drives the blood to the head. I hate killing sick birds and i also hate killing birds i dont intend to eat aswell. It gets much easier after the first one or 2. Dont chop off the head! Dislocation is much better. If you chop off the head you get a big mess and it tightens the feathers and makes it hard to pluck. I find killing for the table ok because you are getting something out of them. The plucking is tedious and is probably the bit i dread the most and i have only watched a bird being gutted because i think i would make a mess of it. I'll have to give it a try soon though!
Saturday, May 21st, 2011
When the neck is dislocated properly the chicken will flap like crazy and this will send the blood into the neck cavity.
Michael, in answer to your question about it getting easier, well i dont think it does. It's never easy to kill a healthy animal.
Saturday, May 21st, 2011
I'm the same Michael...I really like the idea of providing meat for the house, but I still can't come to terms with how they would be alive one minute, then gone the next...
Monday, May 23rd, 2011
Oisin ! If you think plucking is bad then just wait till you have done the gutting !! I quite like plucking !! :P
Monday, May 23rd, 2011
Haha!! The plucking just takes so long and its boring! The gutting didnt look too bad when I got someone to do it and it took about 5 minutes. Its probably not the best job though!
Tuesday, May 24th, 2011