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10:30 pm
March 14, 2011
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To cull my 2 black roosters from my flock. I've posted them on Craigslist (Free if you can catch them!) and have gotten responses from people who say they want them, but then don't show up! I'm so sick of carrying a "rooster beating stick" around the yard with me, and having to watch all around me when I'm in the coop or the chicken pen…. I never know when those sneaky devils 
are going to decide they want to show me who's boss (apparently not me!) So anyway, I've come to the conclusion that they are headed to the soup pot 
. I have a third rooster, a Polish Crested who has a matched female and I'm hoping to be able to sell them as a breeding pair, so that rooster will most likely go on to live a long life (but somewhere else!)
I've actually never….. ummmm…….. murdered……. anything before. I have watched countless YouTube videos on how to do the deed, and have a couple of friends who want to try to muddle through it with me. Any advice anyone can give (especially on how NOT to vomit while doing it!) would be greatly appreciated.
10:40 pm
February 22, 2010
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You probably won't vomit when you do the deed…that comes when you smell the wet feathers while dressing them! 
Word of advice…keep your eyes open. My mom closed her eyes when she tried to chop off a chicken's head…I'll just say that sight has stayed with me for over 50 years!
1:10 am
September 20, 2010
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jeana, I helped a good friend of mine dispatch some roosters last year and she used a killing cone, I did not do the actual deed, but I did do the dip and pluck. I also have never killed anything and it was hard for me to watch, I kept thinking of my Grandma on the farm and thinking I can do this!! My friend gave me two to take home and I made chicken and dumplings out of them, the hubby felt so bad for the roosters he had a hard time eating dinner that night. I know meat chickens are kind of ugly and this makes things a little easier plus I think they would die of a heart attack if not dispatched at a certain time. Good luck, I would not want to have MEAN roosters attacking me!!! I only have girl's and sometimes they can get very nasty when it comes to food, I am always threatening them about the stew pot!!!
6:39 am
September 16, 2010
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A killing cone works well. It helps to have someone hold the bird in the cone. We mounted one on the side of the shed. I used a SHARP knife to cut off the head while holding the neck out with one hand. To avoid plucking we just skin the bird since we remove the skin later anyway. We tied it by its feet and slit the skin on the legs and gently pulled the skin downward being careful not to tear the meat off. Use a loppers or similar to cut off the wings before you start skinning. You may need to slit the skin here and there as you pull using a knife. Hold the dull side next to the skin so you don't nick the meat. There are only a few little pin feathers left to remove. It comes off easily when the bird is warm. From there it is cleaned out. Generally you start at the vent, cut around it and slit up the skin toward the breast bone with the knife blade up so you don't nick anything inside. Then reach in and pull. Wash out the insides well and chill on ice. I vaccum seal and save for later when the memories fade :-)
You can do it! Mean roosters are no fun and makes the job MUCH easier.
9:23 am
June 12, 2011
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I did this to a few of my roosters last year. I don't think I could do it again (or at least, I'd have to be really determined). I was really pretty mad at those roosters at the moment of the deed. They were pretty delicous! The hardest part will be the first stroke… You'll stand there thinking, I can still turn back. This is a healthy animal. After this, there's no way I can stop….. Just don't listen to yourself. It's not so bad once you get started! We leave the skin on, because it adds flavor. It really doesn't matter how much good advice you get your first time though. This is going to be a huge learning experience, and by the next time you have to do this (if ever) you'll have formed your own opinions. Good luck!
10:38 am
March 14, 2011
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I'm thinking that I can do it if I picture my ex husband's head on the rooster's body
Gonna try to round up the friends and do it this weekend, I'll let you know how it goes! Thanks a bunch for the support!
10:38 am
October 31, 2010
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In our area we can take them to an Amish lady that does them for $1.00 each…Is it possible that you have someone in your area that will do them for you? That's a prety good price for what it saves!!!!!
That's one of those things I deninitely don't want to have to do unless there was no other way!!!! 
10:47 am
December 14, 2010
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A cleaver , an axe, or a .22 caliber rifle will all do the job or you can just grab them by the head and yank really hard . You get to hold the head and the bird loses it .
2:27 pm
September 2, 2008
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We had to do this all the time when I was a child, chickens were not fun, but I can remember the heartbreak of dressing out rabbits. Never again, when I eat meat, it is already packaged.
4:24 pm
June 12, 2011
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Just a quick question for those who have experiemented with methods of chicken beheadals…do you think pruning shears would do the job well? I have always used an axe but that made for a more prolonged procedure.
9:05 pm
December 14, 2010
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chickenherd said:
Just a quick question for those who have experiemented with methods of chicken beheadals…do you think pruning shears would do the job well? I have always used an axe but that made for a more prolonged procedure.
I should think that holding a bird by the legs and wacking off his head with an axe would be a quick as it gets. Pruning shears can be as slow as you want but they can't be fast as a hatchet. We used to have to kill by kosher methods which required a cone but it wasn't any quicker than the block and the axe.
3:00 pm
December 19, 2011
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oh my. that is one thing i am in NO way prepared for 
. i know it will be a necessity when i venture into sustainable farming, but i do not look forward to that part. i always though i would take them to someone. or maybe have someone come out and i help. but i dont want to do it. i have NEVER intentionally murdered anything. ( 3 by car ) i dont have my mini farm yet so we just have to see. GOOD LUCK 
6:53 pm
April 20, 2011
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Chickenherd, Ross is right. You are doing a kindness by using a sharp axe. Really the quickest way. Your chickens will be flapping their wings (that is why a butchering cone is helpful) and pruning shears would be difficult. There are people who can do this that know what they are doing. Ask around. Or if you know someone who has done this before have them show you. If it is bothering you so much help would be best. It is not for everyone. No one says you have to do it. Saying that, it is an accomplishment to learn. So you know you can provide food for yourself and your family if times get tougher.
1:51 pm
June 1, 2011
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Because I wasn't sure I could do the deed either, I took a class from our local Ag Extention office. It wasn't so bad, although the whole time we ate the bird I called it the "victim."
It was a step in the direction I want to go, be more self-sufficient, so it was necessary. Can I buy my chicken pumped full of chemicals and wrapped in more chemicals and held for (?) how long? Of course I can. Do I want to forever? NO!
Judi
8:13 pm
August 15, 2008
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I agree with the killing cone(think road cone with the top cut off a little more) and a really sharp knife. We have done hundreds over the course of a few years and this seems to be the easiest for us. Keeps the wings from flapping so much and actually very much cleaner. Homemade feather plucker is awesome and easy to make. When you are self-sustaining and gain the mentality that "everything on the farm has purpose", it makes it a little easier to deal with emotional. I thank each one for their service to our family. The mean ones are easier. Good luck!
3:02 pm
June 2, 2010
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Birdi,
Do you have plans for your homemade plucker? Hopefully by next summer I will need it.
10:23 am
August 6, 2010
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I use a big lopper to cut
the heads off my chickens. If I go slow, I can sneak the blades around their necks and quickly crush the spinal cord, and cut the jugular vein so they bleed out.
My aim with an axe is not good enough to do the job properly.
I recently helped a 'newbie' farmer with butchering rabbits. She was a little uncomfortable with the killing process–thought I was a bit callous, I suppose. Rabbits (and chickens) do not go gently into that good night–they kick and flap and twitch. Killing is not my favorite thing, but if you are going to eat meat. . . . .
(I don't use loppers on bunnies–just grab them by the flanks, hang them upside down, and one smack from a piece of iron pipe sends them on their way.)
12:23 pm
February 3, 2010
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kellyb. Once again, I like to offer the address of Herrick Kimball, the originator of the "Whizbang Chicken Plucker" http://whizbangbooks.blogspot.com/. He also has a blog with free tutorials on chicken butchering, apple cider making and other things. I have not bought any of his products but am rather impressed with his knowledge and philosophy.
Whizbang books is a side business of his. He also has a blog called "The Deliberate Agrarian" where he blogs monthly. I believe there is a link on the page linked above.
10:28 pm
January 17, 2011
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Just a word of caution on the age of chickens for the stock pot. Had a neighbor one time give me some chickens…didn't get any eggs so decided to butcher her. Put her in a pressure cooker for 4 hrs. & STILL couldn't cut her with an extremely sharp knife! I found out later that that old hen was about 7-8 yrs. old! Might have been able to use her for a basket ball…but not to eat!
8:19 am
October 19, 2011
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For me, with chickens…the first time..many years ago, was a little tough
Wild game..no problem, but with your birds you sort of get attached to your flock…
The "deed" gets much easier after tasting your farm raised free range Meal… 
There's no comparison…When I was a boy, my folks raised and sold chickens and rabbits both live and dressed…
And to this day…even at this moment..whenever the topic comes up…
I can still smell the newspaper we rolled up and used to singe the pin feathers off the birds.
We would usually have 18-20 to process at a time..
No whiz bang..just the old way..
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