Author Topic: Dispatch of cockerels (Read 13022 times)

Pedwardine · « **on:** July 02, 2012, 11:23:52 pm »

OH did two this morning. We have far too many and have been putting off the evil day as we love our boys. They're so easy to handle but they are adding a burden to increasing feed costs and obviously inflict a bit of damage to the girls here and there plus the occasional scrap between them. Added to all this we have six dogs and the cockerels are an obvious option re feeding the pooches. You know that it's definately not 'animal derivatives' you're putting in the food bowls with the mixer biscuits!
OH was a bit distressed. He has dispatched before but it has never proved easy, mostly down to the fact that our 'humane dispatcher' is a pile of crap but also because the boys have tough necks which aren't easily pulled which is always the case when the gadget inevitably fails. Has anyone any practical advice on the matter with the kindest regard to the cockerels' welfare? We have a good 18 more to go yet

Beewyched · « **Reply #1 on:** July 02, 2012, 11:48:45 pm »

Hiya

It's never an easy task, especially if you've hatched them out yourself. As you, I cannot do the final task, my OH has to do it.
We have a dispatcher mounted on an old door-frame in an outbuilding, it's a very quick job - if you are holding the body, pull back slightly as you yank the dispatcher down - instant kill, though they do flap about for about a minute afterwards, we know this is only a nerve response - someone showed me this to be true by chopping-off the head of a cockeral & the body still thrashed about for over a minute afterwards.
My OH was full of bruises after dispatching 5 turkeys last Christmas.
Remember to adjust your dispatcher, depending on the size of chuck you are wanting to cull.

jaykay · « **Reply #2 on:** July 03, 2012, 06:54:32 am »

I do mine with a broomstick.

Lie cockerel on a hard floor somewhere (well way from the others), put broomstick over neck, stand with feet on broomstick either side of cockerel's head, hold the cockerel's feet firmly and pull hard upwards.

It takes long to type than to do, it's quick and sure.

Killing anything isn't easy and neither should it be, but I find this works when you need it to.

suziequeue · « **Reply #3 on:** July 03, 2012, 07:06:08 am »

When the time comes we are planning to place ours upside down in a traffic cone, shoot them in the head with an air rifle to stun them and then cut their heads off to bleed them. We plan to do this over a wheelbarrow containing sawdust/wood shavings which will then go on the compost heap.

Ha ha - easier said than done. We shall see.......

jaykay · « **Reply #4 on:** July 03, 2012, 07:10:13 am »

Noooooooo.

Honestly, you'll do more hurt, fright and damage with the air rifle than by just chopping off their heads or pulling their necks. What you want is one stage, sure and fast.

Sylvia · « **Reply #5 on:** July 03, 2012, 07:21:13 am »

Better to have a short bladed knife, razor sharp and cut the artery in the neck. If the knife is sharp enough they won't feel it. Hold the head gently but firmly downward for a quicker bleed. They will flap a bit in the last few seconds but soon over.

Pedwardine · « **Reply #6 on:** July 03, 2012, 07:30:37 am »

I think you have a point there Beewyched, perhaps the dispatcher gadget has never been set right. It's hard when you've not been shown how to operate a thing to use it correctly. I don't know if OH knows about the pulling back of the body so shall pass all that on. SQ, that's sounds terrifying, don't think we could do that method

What we want is quick and effective. I think I ought to try personally but OH doesn't want me to have to. I don't want him to have to either. As you say Jaykay, it shouldn't be an easy thing ever to do but hopefully it can be done as well as such a thing is possible. Thanks everyone.

Castle Farm · « **Reply #7 on:** July 03, 2012, 08:40:57 am »

Shame you don't live closer I'd do them for you.

suziequeue · « **Reply #8 on:** July 03, 2012, 09:23:33 am »

Oh - that was the method that was described on a previous thread on this forum..... by our esteemed leaders if memory serves me right....... I thought it was the law/welfare that the birds had to be stunned before they we're bled

Bionic · « **Reply #9 on:** July 03, 2012, 09:36:29 am »

With the broomstick method can you pull too hard? i.e pull their head right off and if so is it an issue?

Sally

Fowlman · « **Reply #10 on:** July 03, 2012, 09:45:08 am »

Cull, pluck, dress and rest in fridge for 2/3 days, no need to bleed chickens. Broomstick method is the most effective for LF cockerels, for bantams i do it by hand.

If you pull the head right off i can guarantee they are dead.

manian · « **Reply #11 on:** July 03, 2012, 09:47:01 am »

hi its definately worth having a dispatcher
not pleasant to do but I find this ok (as much as the process is quick and no flapping and chicken/turkey is very calm

) their neck goes in the bars (has a curve for the neck and just pull. it has a spring on it
we were given one by a friend/farmer
didn't realise they were so dear...... we have a cone for the turkeys and i'm sure you could make one
Mx