Getting into the mindset to allow for harvest

[Battlepants]

Hello all,
Recently moved to the country and the house came with 3 laying hens. After quickly realizing that this is not going to be enough eggs for the family, I went to a local farmer to buy some chicks. 3 months later and I am fairly certain that one of these chicks is going to be a rooster (bringing us to 6 hens and 1 rooster, if I am accurate about the other chickens). There was always a plan to eventually have a rooster in the flock and to harvest extra roosters that came out of the process, but just not really planning for things to happen this soon. I had planned to take a couple years where I would get a batch or two of Cornish X or some other meat bird raised and processed as a "practice" of sorts to get me more conditioned to the process.

As for prepping myself and my tools for the process, I've been reading up on others' stories and watching youtubers that walk through the process. Plan on getting/making a proper kill cone for the process, have a propane burner and a canning pot that should make due as a scalder, not much in the way of a plucker, probably do that manually the first time (my hands have very little feeling, the high temps don't bother me much), then just need to get a big ol' cooler for the initial chilling and some freezer bags for packing.

Are there any other things that I should research/practice/meditate on/ect to get myself to the point where I can humanely and effectively dispatch a chicken for harvest?

Side question, it seems to me that the purpose of the kill cone is to invert the chicken (by my understanding, a blood rush to the head effectively knocks them out) and hold it there while it bleeds out after the cut. I see that most people tend to use a cut to the neck rather than lopping off the head - It seems to me that the more humane process would be to remove the head entirely with one clean chop. I would expect a heavy blade with a backboard makes this near foolproof. Is it more humane to do a small arterial cut? Or is there another purpose to this? Making sure the heart keeps beating during the bleed out process?

Thank you in advance for any pointers that anyone has to offer!

 

[STACEYH]

HELLO
I'm old fashioned . I have a chopping block and sharp axe. One swift chop and done. If it hops up I let it run to pump blood out if not I hang it upside down. I use a my hands to pluck and a knife to open it to get guts out. I put in a tub with a towel over it so bugs don't land on them. I let them cool a few hours then wrap to freeze. I only do a few each time. My mind set has always been I kill I get food.

 

[CNJ]

It seems to me that the more humane process would be to remove the head entirely with one clean chop.

People that bleed the neck can and will pull the head off after it stops kicking. The reason I wait is so that the blood doesn't splatter all over the place. You will be surprised how easy the head comes off when you pull it down after slicing its neck.

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

I use loppers to take the head off and allow the bird to bleed out in the cone. Aside from using a hatchet and chopping block, it's the most foolproof method I've used and suitable for those new to slaughtering their own poultry. And the bird won't get up and run off.

It helps me to remember that processing your own meat means that you know how the bird was raised and how it died, and that you can ensure that it both had a good life and a quick death without unnecessary suffering. That's more than can be said for factory-farmed birds.

Kudos for doing your research beforehand and for being willing to face the reality of choosing to eat meat. Best of luck!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Are there any other things that I should research/practice/meditate on/ect to get myself to the point where I can humanely and effectively dispatch a chicken for harvest?

One thing that jumps put at me is to make sure your knife or knives are very sharp. I use poultry shears for some cuts through bone to keep the knife sharp. A sharp knife makes all the difference, whether you leave the carcass whole or cut it up into serving pieces.

It seems to me that the more humane process would be to remove the head entirely with one clean chop. Is it more humane to do a small arterial cut

You can get a lot of different opinions on here as to what the most humane process is. In my opinion the most humane way is the way you can. You don't want to close your eyes or flinch at a critical point, you may injure yourself or the bird instead of getting a clean kill. You want it to be sure the first time.

Some people talk about using pruning loppers, pipe cutters, etc to take the head totally off. It's important to have the right version of the tool. The anvil type is not the best, you want a bypass type. That's the type of detail people often don't talk about. Once you decide on your method it's not a bad idea to go over with people on here. Expect a bit of a learning curve. The first time doesn't always go as planned.

I would expect a heavy blade with a backboard makes this near foolproof. ? Or is there another purpose to this? Making sure the heart keeps beating during the bleed out process?

I personally use the hatchet and stump method. Some people on this forum have said they get a better bleed out with the killing cone and knife method, but when I take the head off the chicken reacts violently, flopping all over the place. The head is severed so I don't consider this as inhumane, nerves are severed. It's just a reflex reaction. I consider all that involuntary muscle movement more than sufficient to get the blood out. The heart doesn't stop beating immediately either.

Some people are unnerved by all that flopping around. A killing cone and a cut with a sharp knife to bleed them out seems to avoid that involuntary action most of the time. If you take the head off entirely with some type of loppers you will probably get that reaction. Some people have had the bird come out of the killing cone.

 

[iwltfum]

Not much need for a kill cone if you're going to take the head from the start. I bleed out with a artery cut because I have noticed a pooling of blood at the joints when I kill the bird before bleeding. really it's up to personal preference. Nothing really wrong with clotted blood at the joints. Just not the way I like it.

If do you use the kill cone, dont expect the bird to be essentially knocked out if you put it in a kill cone upside down. They are very much still alive and aware in the kill cone until you actually kill them.

 

[NatJ]

I see that most people tend to use a cut to the neck rather than lopping off the head - It seems to me that the more humane process would be to remove the head entirely with one clean chop.

I prefer to chop the head off.
My main reason: I can tell if I did it right, because the head is completely off!

I think either option is probably humane if done right.

 

[Morrigan]

We use the hatchet and stump method, with a kill cone. The process we use is to first hold the bird until it is calm. Then, keeping a hold of the legs wiith your left (non dominate) hand, lay the head of bird on the stump. As soon as the head is in position, chop the head off and then immediately drop the bird into a nearby killing cone to bleed out. Dropping it into the cone also relieves you having to continue to hold onto the flopping, headless bird.

If you use the hatchet method, it helps a great deal to invest in a heavy, high quality axe that it kept very sharp. Practice swinging it until you are confident and comfortable with it. Also, be prepared for how vigorous the death throes are. My husband usually does this and makes it look easy, but the first time I did it, I nearly dropped the bird trying to get it into the cone.

I was also surprised at how much more emotional I felt to be the one doing the deed (although I had watched my husband do it many times). I had to take a few minutes before I was ready to do the next one. So, know that it's normal to feel emotions and give yourself time to make sure you are completely calm and ready before you begin.

Good luck. Harvesting your own meat is a difficult, but very worthwhile way to go.

 

[HumbleAmerican]

Mindset is easy.

You have given the animals in your care the best life you possibly can. You are indebted to give them the fastest, painless death possible so you can eat. The meat you buy from the grocery store isn't guaranteed to have either.

I kill by cervical dislocation (I use my hands. I have the strength to do even the toughest of roosters as fast as the broom stick method) I would not suggest your first harvest being anything bloody to dispatch if you are the least bit queasy about it. Hatchet and chopping block work the most efficient. Kill cone works fine with a good sharp knife.

Whichever method you choose, be confident in what you are doing. It matters. Don't hesitate. Hesitation with lack of confidence can cause mistakes.

 

[Battlepants]

For the mess side of things, kind of a non-issue. I have a bunch of trash clothing and the area that I am going to be working in is going to be a future growing area. So aside from the neighbors seeing me covered in blood, no real issue there. Spreading the blood on the land might even be a good thing for the future crops.

As for the killing process, it sounds like the only real problem with just taking off the head is that blood will get everywhere and the carcass might get away but the positives are that this is something I can confidently do and be sure that the kill has happened quickly, so I will likely go with this method. I currently have a Home Depot machete as well as some stumps that would get the job done. I will be sure to put a good sharpen into that blade before use however. Also, going to get some practice in with chopping up some sticks with it before hand. May also be switching to a handaxe if the machete proves itself to be too light to reliably sever the test sticks. I want to be damn sure that every swing is a kill. On that note, getting a kevlar glove for my off hand might be a good call too.

Thank you all for your advice and kind words. I have some shopping and practice work to do to prep for this. I'm sure I'll be back with more questions sooner or later!