[Cams Mum]

Am sure this has been asked many times, but am interested to know how some of the experienced poultry keepers cull their birds. We have had to cull 2 so far due to illness and an injury. Well, when I say we,  I mean my poor other half  . He has used an axe both times as he felt unsure how to do it by breaking the neck by hand and wanted them to go as quickly as possible. We are planning on breeding and will likely have to face culling cockerals, preferably for meat.

[DJ_Chook]

For me it depends on the size or bird and who it is.

For lighter weight meat birds I do a sharp pull and twist wrist action on their neck. For heavier birds I use a broom handle or stick over their neck.

For young chicks it's a pair of garden handheld pruners.

[bamford6]

i carnt do it ether i have 2030 birds gas is the best make nice box saw dust heat etc give the bird a chance then put the pipe in the side just goes to sleep takes 20 minites makes me feel better

[Wizard]

Wringing their necks is an approved way but if the other half holds it over a log and you chop its head off its dead straight away all the flapping is nerves twitching.Thats why they are stunned at the factory.They tend not to flap if they are stunned first

[bamford6]

i think you are right 3 seconds all over i have to agree

[Declan]

In my vast experience of doing it twice- used the hatchet. First time i did it- it took me about 2 weeks to get over the shock of seeing all that flapping around the garden as i held the neck over a fallen gatepost with my right hand and the hatchet in the left.  Next time i think i might use an inverted road cone- stick its neck down through the "top hole" and cut its neck right through with a good sharp knife. This way the brid is restrained in the cone- no flapping- and if there is a bit then i won't see it. Then the blood will drain out below- and if i get the jitters watching the whole palava i can just walk away until the blood if finished running.
Call me a wimp- i dont care!!!

Unless i can get rid of my four Light Sussex cockerals in the next week or so this is what will be happening in our house so i wil let you know how i fair out.

Declan

[Rosemary]

I suggest you have a look at publications from the Humane Slaughter Association.

We shoot ours in the head with a 22 airgun.

[shetlandpaul]

Declan that method without stunning would caise unnessery suffering. you have the choice of breaking there necks or decapitation. you need special training to stun before cutting throats. if your planning to do this method because you don't like the flapping then get someone to hold the cone and chop its head off. have a look at the yanks killing turkeys with that method they are aware for quite sometime.

[northfifeduckling]

I bought an Defra approved dispatcher just not to be in the situation again having to ask someone else to do it. Looks like we'll have to use it on one of our boys as nobody wants him.
The thing looks like plyers, apparently it snaps the spinal cord in 2 seconds. Good thing is you can have the bird on your lap and trap the wings under your arm (no flapping). I still have to work myself up to it, will keep you informed how it went (one day...).

[Cams Mum]

Thanks for all the replies. The other half had already mentioned getting a .22 air rifle and shooting them in the head as an option. Let me know how you get on with that dispatcher.   

[Declan]

Shetland Paul- now theres a point. I am all for the hatchet as it was quick so I take your point to be very good. with the whole shooting thing I dont fancy holding its head out whilst the OH takes the shot. Fair degree of trust ( and accuracy) needed there!!!

Yep- hatchet and cone might be the way to go.

 

[shetlandpaul]

Thanks for all the replies. The other half had already mentioned getting a .22 air rifle and shooting them in the head as an option. Let me know how you get on with that dispatcher.   

make sure you understand the size and location of your target its very small. place a softwood plank on the floor hold the chucks head down with another piece and shoot it. if in doubt repeat. you can get a fair bit of blood so make sure you have a bucket. i usually shoot them and the cut the heads off. you know you have got it right because there is no blood spray. dont let go of the chuck if your holding it you will get damaged wings. it also looks horrid a dead chuck flapping everywhere. i have done geese and turkeys the same way. but do have a second method at hand just in case something goes wrong.

[chickenfeed]

  we use a dispatcher that looks like a upside down cone drop the chicken in place the two metal bars each side of the birds neck and pull down until you feel the neck break, no flapping and quick.

you can also use the broom on the floor method also quick and clean.

what ever method you use remember if you are eating the bird after a quick and as less stress as possible will produce a better table bird.

[Wizard]

Sorry to disagree with you Shetland but the things are grown to lay eggs and be eaten or be eaten any way.If you cannot bear killing them don't grow them.How many small holders do you know that can afford a stunner to kill a dozen or less birds a year.Yes there are all sorts of things to do the job but I don't think any one wants them to suffer unduly.Stretch its neck is the approved way if you drop them in a cone it stops the flappin as you can see but the nerves still work same as if it was free.

[shetlandpaul]

i agree. i have no problem culling and eating them. i do have issues over how they are killed. i can't be sure that i can get a clean kill with the nrck breaking so i prefer to be sure hence my prefered option is the axe but i can use the despatcher but i find shooting stuns them enough to either behead or break there kneck.. i would give up keep them if i could not insure a quick and reasonably pain free death. i would be very unhappy to see folks just cutting the chucks throats. thats why i mentioned stunning.