Culling chickens growing food

Discussions about The Off Grid Project and The DIY World Youtube videos. Feel free to chat here with one another and share anything you like.
MotherLodeBeth
Posts: 24
Joined: Sat Nov 02, 2013 12:50 pm
Location: California Nevada Sierras

Culling chickens growing food

Post by MotherLodeBeth » Tue Jan 14, 2014 8:42 pm

Am curious why anyone would allow a chicken to run around with its head cut off. So much for not wanting to show the gory details.

While I am trying to be more vegan, I have butchered chickens and it was quick and we used a cone set up so there was no massive flapping of wings etc. We also quickly gutted and cooled down the meat. We also paused and said a prayer of thanks for the animal giving us food.

Do you guys raise the food you guys eat in Australia?

techman
Site Admin
Posts: 1329
Joined: Thu Dec 22, 2011 11:49 am

Re: Culling chickens growing food

Post by techman » Tue Apr 01, 2014 9:12 am

Sorry, I was not able to answer the forum while in Australia due to low bandwidth and pay per MB internet.

It is common on a farm to let the chickens around and bleed out. It is dead already so no harm is done. They only raised some chickens for eggs but they were not laying anymore.

MotherLodeBeth
Posts: 24
Joined: Sat Nov 02, 2013 12:50 pm
Location: California Nevada Sierras

Re: Culling chickens growing food

Post by MotherLodeBeth » Tue Apr 01, 2014 8:05 pm

Actually letting a chicken run to bleed out isnt always wise, simply because it can make the meat toughter because the chemistry in the chicken alters and tightens the meat structure.

techman
Site Admin
Posts: 1329
Joined: Thu Dec 22, 2011 11:49 am

Re: Culling chickens growing food

Post by techman » Wed Apr 02, 2014 10:31 am

Interesting. I never heard of that before. Thank you. Its just the way I always saw it done so that is the way I did it.

megahypercat
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Apr 03, 2014 6:57 am

Re: Culling chickens growing food

Post by megahypercat » Thu Apr 03, 2014 7:03 am

I think you should maybe find another way to slaughter them. Back when I lived in a farm we used to put a black pouch on the so the where calm, and then hit them in the head before cutting their head off, apparently the didn't run or flap too much.

We also let the meat hang to tenderize, maybe you'd like to try that?

MotherLodeBeth
Posts: 24
Joined: Sat Nov 02, 2013 12:50 pm
Location: California Nevada Sierras

Re: Culling chickens growing food

Post by MotherLodeBeth » Fri Apr 04, 2014 1:06 pm

When we ate poultry which we culled, I used blindfolds and wraps which soothed the birds and kept them calm. In fact they didn't make much of any movement.

It is my belief (am a Christian) that if one chooses to eat meat, one must raise meat animals in the most humane way and cull in the quickest and most humane way. In fact we never culled a bird where the other birds could see.

Am vegan/vegetarian mode now, simply because I feel better. Still have hens for natural bug control and do eat eggs on occasion.

techman
Site Admin
Posts: 1329
Joined: Thu Dec 22, 2011 11:49 am

Re: Culling chickens growing food

Post by techman » Sat Apr 05, 2014 9:31 am

I fully agree with you on how you handle your animals. I also keep the others from seeing what is happening. I respect all live and do not want them to suffer at all.

Thank you for sharing your suggestions. It is a good idea.

MotherLodeBeth
Posts: 24
Joined: Sat Nov 02, 2013 12:50 pm
Location: California Nevada Sierras

Re: Culling chickens growing food

Post by MotherLodeBeth » Sat Apr 05, 2014 2:16 pm

Back in 2006 I helped my friend Andrea cull two big turkeys, which I actually made red blindfolds with sequins for. She is holding one of the big turkeys, blindfolded, around 9 am on a cold December 23rd morning, and she loses her balance, the turkeys falls to the ground undhurt, but its next to a small hill, and as we go to pick the turkey up it gently rolls down the hill, and lays there. She runs down picks it up, pets it and makes sure its ok, and its fine.

Thing is, the blindfold was awesome because since the turkey could not see anything it had nothing to fear. One reason many people use a 'cone' is it allows for the blood to go to the chickens head which acts as a natural calming agent, so that when the head is removed quickly the bird not only does not flap and move but you have a faster bleed out that makes for tender meat.

I have became more vegetarian around three years ago and now more vegan, although I do eat eggs my girls lay. This property have ticks and fleas when I moved here in 2007. Within a month ticks and fleas were gone. The hens like guinea hens at the ticks and because they free range the stir up the ground, keep the weeds and grass down, which means fleas cannot create nests in the grass/weed areas.

I also rave all the time about food grade Diatomaceous Earth which I get at the feed store. Food grade because I use it in the coop, nests, inside my wee place, pet bed, etc because fleas, ticks and other insects eat the stuff and within a few days, die. Have friends who get their DE at the health food store and they take 1/4 teaspoon daily and give 1/4th teaspoons in their cat/dogs food and it seems to help them as well. But...it must be food grade Diatomaceous Earth.

techman
Site Admin
Posts: 1329
Joined: Thu Dec 22, 2011 11:49 am

Re: Culling chickens growing food

Post by techman » Wed Apr 09, 2014 10:51 am

Ok, now you have me convinced. Yes a blindfold does calm a bird down totally. I know that when a chicken is in the dark it gets passive.

I also do not eat a lot of meat but I think that is because I have killed so many animals in my life that I do not enjoy it as much now

MotherLodeBeth
Posts: 24
Joined: Sat Nov 02, 2013 12:50 pm
Location: California Nevada Sierras

Re: Culling chickens growing food

Post by MotherLodeBeth » Wed Apr 09, 2014 4:20 pm

I no longer eat meat, but when I helped my friend with her chickens and turkeys I also remembered not to feed the birds for twelve to eighteen hours before slaughter. Only water. This is important I was told because it helps keep the bird hydrated and meant the birds system wasn't working hard at digesting food.

~Beth~

Post Reply