Bee~ Journal of then...

[Farmfresh]

I break the neck without tearing the skin ... let them flop ... then use sharp SCISSORS for most of the processing. SO much easier than using a knife. I use cooking scissors that come apart in the middle and are heavy duty enough they will cut through small bones (like ribs).

 

[Javamama]

I'm not sure I want to try breaking the neck. My only experience has been with huge unruly rooters who are hard enough to get ahold of. I told DH I would do it myself if he would set me up with a cone station.
I like to use scissors too. I am not good with a knife, and I cannot seem to get my knives sharp enough.

 

[Farmfresh]

Definitely the older the bird the harder their neck is to break.

Another advantage of the killing cone is there is NO flopping about. I use a pickle bucket to contain them while they are flopping. If you just let them flip everywhere they sometimes break their wing bones or bruise their meat.

You will end up with a higher quality bird I am sure with the killing cone. I just do not have one and have been a neck breaker for about 15 years so this is my routine. I will probably be getting a cone in the future ... my arthritis will make it necessary. Plus really big birds like turkeys usually require assistance or being bound (an old pillowcase with a hole in the end for their head to go through works to help hold them still). A properly sized killing cone would make the job easier.

 

[freemotion]

The turkeys my dad processed for me were quite easy. OK, easy for me, I stood back and watched! He tied a piece of baling twine to a tree branch and made a slipknot in the hanging end. Then he held the turkey upside-down, put his feed in the slipknot, and let it hang. It went quiet right away. He cut the coratid and we just backed up and let the turkey bleed, then flop. Not much, it was all very gentle and easy. For me. I just watched!

 

[Beekissed]

BB, you are the cutest thing in the world I have to say!! Cyndi Lauper!! I am secretly adopting you, don't tell yo mamma!

Ditto!

Farm, I really like the breaking the neck on young broilers but I learned my lesson on that for older birds. I've been horribly ashamed a time of two to ring and ring the necks and the bird get up and run away with their head on sideways!

Now, the cone allows me to slice and walk away while the bleeding is going on. That way I can process a bird while one is bleeding out and I can get some routine going on in my processing.

 

[Blackbird]

We use the stick, step, and pull method, then set them in buckets to flop around. When we did the older roosters this year a couple would flop out of their buckets and flop at me. I guess thats my pay back for killing them.

We thought about doing the cardboard cone that someone had posted about, but we couldn't find enough.

I think we've got 7 more broilers left to butcher that were too small before, and then about 10 Light Brahma roosters to do in the fall.

If you say so BBH, you might have to fight off my mother when she hears that.

 

[big brown horse]

If you say so BBH, you might have to fight off my mother when she hears that.

Yeah, I already figured that! I'll bet when it comes to you, your mother can turn into a mama bear!

That is what I tell my daughter when I warn her not to talk to strangers etc. She always asks "what if?" after the lecture. I tell her if something bad happens, I will fill my purse with bricks and unzip my mommy suit. Then out comes the big mama bear teeth and all!

 

[Blackbird]

I have to say.. good luck to you! My mom is only 100 pounds, but she's the strongest woman I know. Until recently, she could easily break the neck off a full grown deer, she can't anymore because or her wrists though. When she did that she always joked not to tick her off or we were next.

Perfect criteria for a female serial killer.

One time in the middle of the night it was storming really bad, so I got up and stood in the doorway of my room, my mom and I usually wake up when it storms so I was wondering if she would get outta bed soon. She went out and didn't see me at first but then flipped out on me because she didn't know who it was. She started punching me until she realized it was me. I went to bed aching with bruises.

Moral of the story: don't tick mother off!@

 

[Beekissed]

A good lesson that will serve you well all your days.

BB, I am using a 2 gal. bleach jug nailed to a tree for my killing cone and it is perfect for the job. Big enough for my biggest roos but still comfortable for my smallest hens. And sturdy, nigh indestructible and washable if one is so inclined.

 

[Blackbird]

Thats probably true, I know it served my brother pretty well. My mom tells of a story that when she was cleaning out a bird she said something similar to my brother as a joke and he hid from her the rest of the day. Poor traumatized kid.
She also says 'you may be taller than me, but I'm still stronger than you'

But really, my mother is quite loving.





Who am I kidding?