Should chickens be bled?

We bleed our chickens Harry, as once hubby didn't do it with a couple, and the neck wasn't long enough to collect all the blood, so you had the black veins all through the bird where the blood had stayed and then cooked!  looked horrible, luckily they were only for our consumption.  We don't wring necks as its illegal here now, although okay if you only do it for one or 2 birds for yourself!  So hubby stuns them then cuts their throats.

That still leaves the question as to which method (for the smallholder) is best.  Stun (with a priest) and bleed, wring and bleed or straight bleed using a cone or similar?  I don't usually worry but this will be the 1st home grown bird to join us for dinner and I don't want turned up noses!!!

Have you ever killed a chicken Hawthorn Mary???
Might be worth getting someone to show you properly, personally neck wringing is a skill, I wouldn't recommend, nor the stunning method unless you have the proper electrical equipment like Grannie has. The most fool-proof way for a beginner is probably the "broom method" or a good quality wall mounted dispatcher. Ascott do a good range of wall mounted despatchers I am not sure how good they are for large birds, Grannie will know though

Oh Hawthorn Harry, that's not the cream legbar rooster you offered me the other day?  Sorry to hear it will be departing and being served as Sunday lunch!   My husband asked me if  I would be prepared to eat our hens and I had to say no.  I know there's nothing wrong with doing that but I get too attached.   

Carolbriar