culling- first time

[Nicos]

*DON'T read this if you are squeemish*

My OH culled the first 2 of our 5 boys last night. Bit young but they were really bullying the other 13 chooks.
Thankfully he didn't tell me he was doing it so I was happily cracking hazelnuts to put into Calvados.
It was his first time- and very nervous but determined to do it quickly and as calmly as poss
so this is what happened
( I'm sharing this so that other first timers can expect a variation of this)

After being put to bed , he quietly removed the 2 lads.
The first- (well away fro all the others) he tried with the pole method of snapping the neck . It was instant- but the head came off...but at least it was very quick
The second he decided to try a less potentially bloody method by snapping the neck. Worked a treat and was instant.
THEN he put it on the floor as it was flapping...and it jumped up and started running round with it's head lolling. Yup- it was definitely dead but it did that headless chicken thing.
Hmm...
Ah well I plucked and removed the head and feet- and OH gutted them.
So ...ready to go into the freezer...and 13 happier chooks running about outside

[FionaH]

Well done Nicos, sounds like an unpleasant job done well.

[Hilary B]

I never had the 'running around' bit, but then I never put one down after breaking its neck (pole or no pole); I always tied string to feet and hung it up somewhere it could flap safely (and started plucking immediately, wings first!)

[Nicos]

firmly fastened string for the next lot I think!

( I dunked mine in boiling water to help loosen the feathers before plucking- as one of our locals showed us)

[RedThorn]

It's not easy to change or challenge ones thoughts and feelings in such a manner. My OH will have nothing to do with it fullstop. I'm a vegetrian so I'll not be eating them so cannot really insist that my OH does. I will have to prep any boys for a friend.

done to both of you.

[Eco-Chic]

Well done M.Nicos, it must have been very difficult and unpleasant.

[Hilary B]

I never liked wet plucking. It's messy!
The sooner you start the easier they come out. Wings 'set' quickest. Once wing feathers become tricky, start on body feathers, taking care not to tear skin on breast.
The worst are always the small feathers on the 'leading edge' of the wing. Those I 'steam-ironed' off.
When we had 20 or so turkeys to have ready for the poultry sale day, it got quite interesting........

[Nicos]

We used to help out for a couple of hours at a friends farm in the run up to Xmas plucking turkeys- boy was it hard/cold work
Sore fingers for sure the next day!

[di]

Daisy announced last night that although she doesn't want anything to do with the culling/prep of our boys,she quite fancies plucking someone elses!!!!.....I shall warn all other chook keepers on our site!
I hadn't thought about doing them in the evening...Andi was worried how he was going to be able to manage a calm culling after hours of chasing them trying to catch them...they're not keen on being handled!Makes a lot of sense!
Did you starve yours for a period before culling them?(that's why we thought morning was best)

[Nicos]

Did you starve yours for a period before culling them?(that's why we thought morning was best)

Nope- they had a full crop( just a normal day in the life of a chook)- but you just have to be careful when removing it.
Mine fly out of their door in the morning- I'd find it really difficult to get in the room with them to sort them out
The less anxiety the better apparently- it's kinder- but also toughens up the meat if any adrenalin rush gets to the muscles. ( bit like Aberdeen Angus Cattle)

[RichmondHens]

We used to always dry pluck, then recently I had a go at wet plucking, and found it brilliant. I plucked a big bird in about 10 mins. Will definitely do it again. It is slightly annoying when the feathers keep sticking to your fingers, but I found it far quicker than the dry method, and cleaner, as the dander doesn't fly around everywhere and get in your hair!

[lesleygl]

Just been reading the above and have been thinking of keeping hens as pets. I would not be able to do the deed i am afraid, to me it would be like seeing off my cat or dog. I know it is just me and I know these things have to be done, but just wondered if you are keeping them as pets and if you do have the occasion when you have to do this for the sake of the animal can you take them to the vets and have them put to sleep like I would do with other pets? I know I am a big softie

[RedThorn]

the girls are definately pets! Steeling the heart to the boys that I hatched (one of the hazards of hatching chooks) as they will need to be culled

[di]

Lesley...I'm sure a vet would be thrilled to be able to charge a fortune for putting them to sleep...but I doubt it would be any better than breaking their neck...by all accounts it's very quick & done before they know what's going on!Also,I don't know about eating a chook that had been injected with whatever they use?

RT...I really didn't think I'd be able to distance myself from them,but actually I can honestly say that by keeping them separate from the others & giving them minimal care,I've actually lost the "pet" feeling that I thought would stay with me.(The Buff Orpington's the problem...he's still with the others & when we're about he & his sis are constantly by our feet!)....and we won't mention Boo!!!(although he's already starting to show he's not gonna be a particularly friendly chap!)

[Scottishnewbie]

our local cattleman uses a traffic cone - i think he might have widened the thin end a bit - and he put the bird (still alive) down the cone so it's head sticks out the bottom, then he uses a plant of wood or something similar i believe to kill the bird. he says that it stops any flapping about and makes it easier and quicker.

never done it myself but would be interested to know other grapes thoughts please? (as might have to do it ourselves if we hatch in spring)