The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: Mrs Pea on December 21, 2014, 12:33:37 pm
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We have 4 geese and 10 drakes that were booked into a local centre for dispatch tomorrow but unfortunately part of the equipment has broken and now the guy isn't able to do it.
Does anyone know of anywhere else that might be able to do it (we're near Carmarthen) ? Dave can dispatch cockerels but isn't confident about doing these bigger birds.
It's not an absolute emergency as he can go and buy an oven ready bird for Christmas for himself and our boys and myself and daughter are veggies anyway. Luckily we hadn't promised any to family this year either.
Lisa
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If Dave is not squeamish about dispatching other birds then I'm sure he can handle these. From what I've read you can use the broomstick method or hold them upside down and whack them with a truncheon
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The lady who taught us the broomstick method runs courses in dispatching poultry. She said not to use the broomstick method on ducks as their necks are tougher. She had a hook fixed to a wall that she used for ducks. She's in Somerset, though.
There is a Carmarthenshire address listed on this page, maybe they can advise you over the phone or you could take your birds there. Can't get the link to work but search for this:
http://www.smallholding-skills.co.uk/courses/kill-pluck-gut-and-bone.php (http://http://www.smallholding-skills.co.uk/courses/kill-pluck-gut-and-bone.php)
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We have used the broomstick method with ducks, cockerels and turkeys no problem. However, we found it very difficult with a tough old goose once, so now use an air rifle for them. One person holds the goose gently over soft ground, whilst another shoots it in the back of the head twice at very close range. We then hang it by its feet and cut the neck so it bleeds out fully.
There are other ways of course, but having done about a dozen geese this way, it's the quickest and most humane method we've found so far.
Eve - how did the hook-on-wall method work exactly? ???
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I use the broomstick for ducks but it is harder because they can turn their heads more easily so I've had a couple which haven't been the quick, easy dispatch I prefer. Never done a goose.