Processing Day Support Group ~ HELP us through the Emotions PLEASE!

[Beekissed]

i am looking to process about 6 bantams but the thing is my gram's isn't going to be able to help me with the neck cutting so i was going to use an axe but i scared of missing the head if they move at the last second any suggestions?

Some people use large pruners to cut off the heads and that would certainly work well with bantams. Or you could just hang them upside down, either in a modified plastic jug nailed to a tree or fence or by loops of cord around the feet, and just cut the heads off with a butcher knife. Bantam heads come off very easily and all you'd have to do is hold the head in one hand, cut the neck with the other.

YouTube has many, many good vids on how to dispatch chickens and it may help you to watch them and get an idea of what method you'd like to try.

 

[winteree]

that sounds good i'll measure one of the necks of the bantams

 

[winteree]

yeah i don't think i would be able to do that i normally only help with cleaning the carcasses i don't think i could deal with having a served head in my hands

 

[BullChick]

I promise it isn't as bad as you think. Problem is, sometimes we do think too much about it. Once you're actually holding it, you throw it aside so fast that you hardly notice it. I can't say that it has ever registered for me more than five seconds later. You just get so into the other things you are doing.

 

[BullChick]

For me, it was the eviscerating that I did not think I was going to be able to do.

 

[winteree]

yeah i helped my grams a bunch when i was younger i just never got to the point where i was comfortable with touching the heads

 

[Beekissed]

yeah i don't think i would be able to do that i normally only help with cleaning the carcasses i don't think i could deal with having a served head in my hands

At that point, you are merely holding a dog treat in your hands. If you have a pooch, give it to him and he'll have it gone before you can count to 3. Same with the feet...lovely, crunchy dog treats that are better for them than any you could buy from the store.

A person just needs to flip certain switched in the brain to control the whole over thinking the butchering of chickens. Once the animal is dead it is then potential food and the switch needs to happen at the point that bird is given the fatal blow if you are to get through it with any level of confidence.

Another tip, if you are sentimental and squeamish, is to cut the throat/head and turn away immediately and fool around with another aspect of the job while you wait until the bird stops moving.

 

[winteree]

At that point, you are merely holding a dog treat in your hands. If you have a pooch, give it to him and he'll have it gone before you can count to 3. Same with the feet...lovely, crunchy dog treats that are better for them than any you could buy from the store.

A person just needs to flip certain switched in the brain to control the whole over thinking the butchering of chickens. Once the animal is dead it is then potential food and the switch needs to happen at the point that bird is given the fatal blow if you are to get through it with any level of confidence.

Another tip, if you are sentimental and squeamish, is to cut the throat/head and turn away immediately and fool around with another aspect of the job while you wait until the bird stops moving.

thats a good tip

 

[winteree]

At that point, you are merely holding a dog treat in your hands. If you have a pooch, give it to him and he'll have it gone before you can count to 3. Same with the feet...lovely, crunchy dog treats that are better for them than any you could buy from the store.

A person just needs to flip certain switched in the brain to control the whole over thinking the butchering of chickens. Once the animal is dead it is then potential food and the switch needs to happen at the point that bird is given the fatal blow if you are to get through it with any level of confidence.

Another tip, if you are sentimental and squeamish, is to cut the throat/head and turn away immediately and fool around with another aspect of the job while you wait until the bird stops moving.

thats a good tip but my dog is tiny hes only 15 lbs

 

[Beekissed]

thats a good tip but my dog is tiny hes only 15 lbs

Bantam as tiny chickens, so they match!

He could handle a couple of those heads and a few feet, I would say. My dogs are larger, so even the biggest rooster heads are downed within a few gulps, as are large feet...even with large spurs!

Don't forget to save all the softer organs you don't want for the rest of your chickens...they love the livers, spleen, the contents of the crop and gizzard, etc. It's good for them and converts a lot of the chicken back into food for others at your place. My chickens gather around the processing table, awaiting those good bits to be thrown down for them....some even get up on the table and try to snatch some for themselves.