Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Poultry and Pets => Poultry FAQs and other Information => Topic started by: muntjac on October 04, 2007, 13:53

Title: KILLING A CHICKEN this post includes graphic images
Post by: muntjac on October 04, 2007, 13:53
IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO SEE THE FOLLOWING IMAGES OF A CHICKEN BEING SLAUGHTERED FOR THE POT THEN DO NOT PROCEED PAST THIS  SPOT.
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Title: BREAKING A CHICKENS NECK in images
Post by: muntjac on October 04, 2007, 14:06
Most of my life i have taken lives of birds animals and unfortunatly the odd human.i find no thrill in doing it at all .i firmly believe if you keep chickens or any animal that you should know how to dispatch it without pain or fuss . the following pictures show my method of dispatching a bird by manually breaking its neck .WARNING THIS BIRD WILL DIE ,I OFFER NO PRETENCE AT ALL

to do this task properly you have to be settled in your mind that you are able to carry it out , safe in the knowledge that how you apply the task is the proper and quickest way . so first i take the bird calmly from its coop  , my birds are all used to being handled by myself as seen in this first picture the bird is calm

(http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g119/Karl0101/chicken1.jpg)

 this calmness must be continued all the way through  so its best that you do this with no audience at all .you can take a bird from the coop in the dark by using a red light go into the coop quietly whistling softly or even talking this way the birds know its you and dont all scream about flapping and upsetting everything , take the bird by the legs from the perch and pull it into ur side by placing a hand around its body and cup its head in ur hand .  walk out quietly and away from the coop upto the house so as not to cause any more disturbance to the rest of the birds and the household

i can do this task in the daylight as my birds as i said relax with me .and it would be pointless me doing it in the dark as you wouldnt be able to see properly . . now i will describe the holding of the bird ready for killing . take ur right hand  and slide it under the birds  butt and grasp its legs  with the hand closed  take the legs with the thumb pointing away from the body as this is a stronger grip
(http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g119/Karl0101/chicken2.jpg)

 placing the fingers and thumb of the left had over the chickens neck just above the head . the first 2 fingers ie index and second fingers close over the head with the neck inbetween like a V the thumb then comes over the head closing it into the palm   taking a half twist as it closes
(http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g119/Karl0101/chicken3.jpg)

now bring the bird into your chest holding its legs tight into the body and takeing a firm but gentle grip on its neck  
(http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g119/Karl0101/chicken4.jpg)
extend and put the wieght of the top part of the body onto the neck forcing the head down in one clean movement

(http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g119/Karl0101/chicken5.jpg)

 the head wil part from the body and your hand will follow ondown and away from the bird as the pressure you applied is released  the bird will start to flap uncontrollaby at this point ......... THIS BIRD IS DEAD
(http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g119/Karl0101/chicken6.jpg)

 this action is only nerves it will stop in about 30 seconds . allow the bird to flap as much as it wants .this action forces any blood to go down to the neck and coagulate there.

now if you feel the neck between the head and the body you will find a large void where the neck joined the head  closing the two fingers over it will show its dead
(http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g119/Karl0101/chicken7.jpg)
and you can hang it for a couple days if you so wish ,or you can carry straight onto the plucking , start by  plucking the large wing feathers the primaries as the wings go cold first and become harder to do if they are left .then do the large tail feathers ,,the legs the breast the back and finally up to the point in the neck you wish to use for stuffing capsule .

 i hope this has helped those who wish to do this task iether for eating the bird or carrying out the culling of a sick or injured bird
Title: KILLING A CHICKEN this post includes graphic images
Post by: jack russell on October 04, 2007, 14:45
Fantastic post Munty very descriptive.  Could you do the same for plucking as a continuation of this. then maybee a pic of it roasted on the table :wink:

cheers

jr
Title: KILLING A CHICKEN this post includes graphic images
Post by: muntjac on October 04, 2007, 14:51
plucking and dressing to follow  :wink:
Title: KILLING A CHICKEN this post includes graphic images
Post by: richyrich7 on October 04, 2007, 16:16
Excellent article Munty, clear, concise and done with care.

A big thank you, clears up a grey area for me and many others I'm sure.
Title: KILLING A CHICKEN this post includes graphic images
Post by: agapanthus on October 04, 2007, 17:31
Brilliant Muntjac!!! (not sure tho' if I could do it :? )
Title: KILLING A CHICKEN this post includes graphic images
Post by: ACatCalledElvis on October 04, 2007, 19:23
thanks very useful  - fantastic -and a good point about being able to cull a sick bird even if we just keep chooks for eggs - is it possible to make the positioning of hands/fingers clearer? I'm sitting here trying to shape my hands in the right way to understand the process

E
Title: KILLING A CHICKEN this post includes graphic images
Post by: muntjac on October 04, 2007, 19:25
finger positions .          will do ,,,, no problem  :)
Title: KILLING A CHICKEN this post includes graphic images
Post by: John on October 04, 2007, 19:31
Thank you very much for this Muntjac. Even if your birds are pets there may come a day when this is very useful to quickly dispatch an injured bird for example.
Having been faced with that situation, I can tell you that the know how is very useful.
Title: finger positioning for killing the bird
Post by: muntjac on October 04, 2007, 20:03
no explanation needed really .just maintain an even grip with all fingers on the birds head and a greater grip on the legs of the bird and the two will seperate

(http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g119/Karl0101/7.jpg)

(http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g119/Karl0101/8.jpg)

(http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g119/Karl0101/9.jpg)

(http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g119/Karl0101/10.jpg)

at this point the pressure is taken down and away from the body of the bird...... hope this helps

(http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g119/Karl0101/11.jpg)

(http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g119/Karl0101/12.jpg)
Title: KILLING A CHICKEN this post includes graphic images
Post by: muntjac on October 07, 2007, 21:10
there are no laws except the laws of duty and care applied to keeping any food animal or bird.note a bird implies eggs from same . killing for the table has no restrictions on it except size etc you have to have any pig or cow sheep goat etc slaughtered at a registerd slaugter house if memory serves sallys hubby can elighten further .i have killed and processed every bird that is normally for the table and also small animals  on the vermin or pest register . i have done deer on my own as this is not neccasry for a licencsed slaughterman to do being tha the deer are shot .but there are certain rules now about how a deer is dressed out ,it has to have the head and  spinal column removed . but you are quite alright doing your own chickens ducks turkeys etc rabbits  i have done pigs and  fattener steers  when i was younger but back then no real rules applied in law
Title: KILLING A CHICKEN this post includes graphic images
Post by: MontyTom on October 08, 2007, 22:22
superb post.  glad you mentioned flapping for those who have not done it - bit odd the first time because you think it is not dead or you have done it wrong.  thanks, karl.
Title: KILLING A CHICKEN this post includes graphic images
Post by: muntjac on October 08, 2007, 22:25
ur welcome monty  :wink:
Title: KILLING A CHICKEN this post includes graphic images
Post by: Green man on October 11, 2007, 15:21
Hi Muntjac , I have dispatched a few birds. But What I would like to know and I think that you may have said it before so please bear with me.
I am hoping to keep turkeys next year so that we may have them over the Christmas season and New Year. Would it be the same way of Dispatching as with the chicken?
I would not find it hard to do as I was a slaughterman for over 12 year and in that time I have killed the pig and dressed it and then boned it.
Is there anyway that you could slaughter a pig with out it going to a slaughter house?? Thanks for the infow.
Greenman.
Title: KILLING A CHICKEN this post includes graphic images
Post by: muntjac on October 11, 2007, 18:23
you really ned a cone for turkeys mate .i know myself how to do it as you would also know .but a cone makes the job a bit easier ,you can use a loop around the feet and secured to a roof truss /beam .grip same as for a chicken . if you have a licence to slaughter still ..... i think. :idea:  you still are able to slaughter and dress a pig at home .... you have to check with the defra folks ,maybe a call to your local slaughter house would help i havent had a pig to do for some years due to regs and rules  :roll: .....
Title: KILLING A CHICKEN this post includes graphic images
Post by: Tessh on November 28, 2007, 11:19
Thank you for the clear instructions.

The question is how long do you hang the bird for (and why)? I was going to have the cockerel for Christmas and I need to work out when to do it.

Thanks
Title: KILLING A CHICKEN this post includes graphic images
Post by: muntjac on November 28, 2007, 11:27
2 days before you want it  dont feed the bird in the morning .. kill and pluck..

the evening before your going to cook it  gut and clean etc singe the fine hairs off with a flame if you cant do that dont worry the oven will  
.then wash out well refridgerate   wash again before cooking .cook eat  :wink:

 to cook it  shove smoked garlic up its bum put the whole bird in a  baco foil pocket / bag  with some herbs etc on its breast  on a 100c setting  for 2 hours  then half hour before you want to serve uncover turn the bird over on its back brush smoked garlic butter on it add a few more fresh herbs and put heat on high to crisp it .....KEEP AN EYE ON IT so its does'nt burn .. serve whole cut n eat  :lol: ...,DONT FEED THE BONES TO PETS  :shock:
Title: KILLING A CHICKEN this post includes graphic images
Post by: DD. on December 18, 2007, 09:03
Quote from: "muntjac"

 to cook it  shove smoked garlic up its bum put the whole bird in a  baco foil pocket / bag  with some herbs etc on its breast  on a 100c setting  for 2 hours


I know Munty's not around to answer this, but surely it needs a higher temp than 100c - that's only the boiling point of water. I suspect a typo.
Title: KILLING A CHICKEN this post includes graphic images
Post by: Aunt Sally on December 18, 2007, 09:50
Quote from: "DD."
Quote from: "muntjac"

 to cook it  shove smoked garlic up its bum put the whole bird in a  baco foil pocket / bag  with some herbs etc on its breast  on a 100c setting  for 2 hours


I know Munty's not around to answer this, but surely it needs a higher temp than 100c - that's only the boiling point of water. I suspect a typo.


I think he means what he said DD.  

Protein denatures (cooks) at 80c as evidenced by slow cookers.  He is in fact using his oven as a slow cooker as he cooks his bird for ages.  This has the advantage of really tenderising the meat, which would not be necessary for your average tesco's  bird who have only lived a few weeks and not had much exercise to toughen them up, but an older free range bird would be tough if fast cooked.

If there's a typo it would be the time.  I think on other occasions he has said longer.
Title: KILLING A CHICKEN this post includes graphic images
Post by: pegs on March 26, 2008, 20:27
hi there - that is really helpful to see. We are about to kill our two male ducks. They have much thicker and more muscly necks than chickens and I have recieved advice to use an axe and a bag over their bodies. Our ducks aren't tame either and just roam around our garden as they will. Does anyone have any advice on remaining calm (even if they are being panicky)? :?  :shock:

Muntjac you also mention about hanging or plucking first. I am advised it is better to pluck first but is there a minimum amount of time that you should hang a bird (before eating it)?

Looking forward to any advice forthcoming as this will be our first time.
Title: killing a duck
Post by: muntjac on April 06, 2008, 10:17
:shock: sorry but ducks are not hard to kill with the hands  .it just takes a little more effort and the axe scenario is a NON starter .if you follow this simple advice you can do all birds up to turkeys if your unable to do it with the bird in your hands  use a sheds roof truss and take a length of rope allow sufficient rope 1/4 inch nylon will do the job to hang the rope over the beam and make a loop at the top secure it,  bring the loose end and make another loop and secure this over the ducks feet below the knee joint .tighen the loop so it does not slip . now take the ducks neck as shown in previos dispatching pictures apply a downward pressure with the fingers behind the head as shown and lean on the neck applying your body wieght ,this will seperate the neck killing the bird quickly and .,more humanly than an axe .this method would or could also result in your fingers joining the duck in the cooking  :roll: