[suziequeue]

Oh yes - I see - once I had sorted on price then here are the £60 ones. Thanks

[john and helen]

dispatching can be a horrible experience the 1st couple of times, I always shot mine, but even this can get you worried when you see them shake...the bird is actually dead, but the nerves can make them look like they are injured...

i always do a clean head shot.... but if you do use this method..make sure the air rifle is zeroed in and make sure you can hit a spot the size of a 5p piece from 10 yards..and use a domed shaped pellet head (not pointed) as all the energy will impact on the surface..instead of going right through with is known as over kill

[chrismahon]

PCP at the legal limit is less than £80 (Crossman pre-charged air pistol using CO2 cartridges). Air rifle will go straight through and messy. We shoot at 1" range so pellet can be placed accurately. Missed today!!!! Used a round nose pellet instead of pointed and the pellet bounced off the skull. Bird was knocked out but not dead so had to use a second pellet behind the eyes -down the skull towards the beak.


Despatchers leave the head alive and the body dead -not good for the poor chickens head which then suffocates. The head knows what is happening but the body can't respond. Pretty horrific end really (just like 'madame la guillotine') and we've stopped using a despatcher. They are very convenient for the user, but not for the chicken. To be fair the user is completely unaware of the suffering caused -see the HSA (humane slaughter association) publications on the subject. The HSA doesn't like shooting either but as a complete cop-out offer no cost effective solution for the smallholder. Isn't that just typical!!!

[suziequeue]

PCP at the legal limit is less than £80 (Crossman pre-charged air pistol using CO2 cartridges)

English translation please?? 

[Mammyshaz]

PCP  ( Pre-Charged Pistol) is one that uses compressed air to fire. Usually the compressed air is formed from the use of a co2 ( Carbon Diodide )capsule designed to fit your size of pistol.

Edited to say
It is the Crossman PCP we now have after the dog chewed parts of the last one  ( last week )while it was  stripped down for maintenance  ( sorry OH    but you will leave things below shoulder height  ie:in  Obi's reach ).

[suziequeue]

Oh right - and that would be the 6ft lbs referred to earlier by chrismahon?


Now - on the website that I am looking at it doesn't say anything about the ft poundage on the specification.


How do I work that out from the spec?

[Mammyshaz]

There is an equation

(Ft per second x ft per second x weight in grains of the pellet) divided by 450240 = ft per lb

[suziequeue]

Oooh - I see a little spreadsheet coming on 

[lokismum]

ok ummm
dont want to caulse them pain
or mess up a shot
maybe ill try poltry slaughter house
its not their fault they hatch boys

antone used a slaughter house before?

[hughesy]

antone used a slaughter house before?

Good luck with that one! Seriously though, neck dislocation using the broomstick method or similar is the quickest, easiest and in my opinion the most humane method. If you're going to breed chickens you need to sort out what you're going to do with the males before it becomes a problem.
Don't want to start a fight here but shooting chickens with an airgun is just ridiculous.

[suziequeue]

Don't want to start a fight here but shooting chickens with an airgun is just ridiculous.

Don't worry Hughesy - this topic always results in a long thread which has to be locked eventually. 

I've yet to see a definitive answer emerge about the best way to despatch chickens but it's good to have all the views and opinions aired so that novices like me can see the range of possibilities and their pros and cons.

[hughesy]

Don't want to start a fight here but shooting chickens with an airgun is just ridiculous.

Don't worry Hughesy - this topic always results in a long thread which has to be locked eventually. 

I know. I just can't resist stickin' me oar in.

[suziequeue]

But it's really valuable to a newbie like me to be able to appreciate and consider all the different approaches and opinions.

These form a backdrop to my own experiences which help me to develop an informed position on the matter. 

[lokismum]

 " If you're going to breed chickens you need to sort out what you're going to do with the males before it becomes a problem"

don't have birds as yet hence sorting out what I'm going to do with the males before it become a problem

as i will also be a newbie to larger scale chicken keeping 

trying to collect as much info and tips as poss

[colliewoman]

I know it is ridiculed but I use my air rifle.
It might be over the top, but I know they are dead in an instant.
One pellet behind the ear aimed towards the beak has never let me down yet.
Until I have someone here to show me, in the flesh as it were how to do it otherwise, I'll stick with this method.


I have tried dislocating the neck of a freshly dead rooster and I can't do it   I KNOW it must be my technique but that is no comfort to a live bird should I wish to practice that method