How to (humanely) slaughter a chicken (Part 1)

The Zenger Farm, near Portland, OR ^ | 9/17/2010 | Camas Davis & Levi Cole

[Bean Counter]

I stumbled across this very well done set of three videos the other day and I know a number of Freepers will be interested in viewing them.

There are a lot of urban legends and improper methods out there for what should be a simple and humane way of harvesting the food God gives us. I am putting this up strictly as an educational tool, and so I have a bookmark for it myself.

This young man is demonstrating the proper way to humanely slaughter a meat bird, and it is a handy skill to at least be familiar with.

Certainly not for everyone, but many will be interested in how to do this properly and humanely.

[conservativeharleyguy]

Now that I think of it, I have seen Cajuns outside the Grand Chenier, LA defeather ducks and geese by dipping them in a big vat of molten wax, then into a vat of ice-water.

They grabbed them and pulled most the feathers off in one pass, pulling “against the grain”.

Then a few seconds of clean-up and gutting and they were done.

Amazing to watch - the whole process took less than 30 seconds. A dollar a duck, three dollars a goose.

Guys had hunters lined up 5 deep in the yard.

[SamAdams76]

I remember the day I decided to become a vegetarian. It was on the day of Karen Carpenter's death. Now Karen Carpenter's death had nothing to do with the decision, it was entirely coincidental that she happened to die that day.

Anyway, it was in early 1983 and I was in the Marine Corps. I was in the mess hall eating chicken that was apparently undercooked and I got sick and thew up. I gave up meat then and there. I remember announcing to my fellow Marines that I had become a vegetarian and they all laughed at me.

So for the next few days, I avoided meat in all its forms. I even tried to give up eggs because technically, eggs were dead baby chickens. I do not remember much about the experience but I do remember the day I stopped being a vegetarian. I was off base with some Marines and we stopped at a Kentucky Fried Chicken. Being a vegetarian and all, I went to the counter and tried to order a meal that did not consist of chicken. Now bear in mind that this was Kentucky Fried Chicken.

With a lot of effort (to the amusement of those with me), I tried explaining how I wanted a meal without chicken. I managed to get some mashed potatos, corn on the cob and some cornbread and went to join my friends at the table. They were all joking about my rather insubstantial meal and asking me why I had decided to become a vegetarian how how dumb it all sounded to them.

Well I saw them all eating the fried chicken and I started getting so hungry. So I went back to the counter and ordered myself a bucket of fried chicken and thus ended my experiment at being a vegetarian.

Damn, that was fine chicken too. Over 27 years later, I can still taste how good it was.

[Errant]

LOL, that is a funny story. I had a friend who was a POW in Germany. One day, we were eating lunch at work and I happened to ask him what was the best meal he ever eaten. He told me that once in prison camp, they hadn't eaten for days and finally a truck came, and in the back was barrels of boiled potatoes. He said to that day, nothing has ever tasted so good as that single boiled potato he had eaten that day.

[dynachrome]

“Mike the Headless Chicken (April 1945 – March 1947), also known as Miracle Mike,[1] was a Wyandotte chicken that lived for 18 months after his head had been mostly cut off.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_the_Headless_Chicken

[Blood of Tyrants]

Wringing it’s neck is humane when done correctly. A quick snap and it’s neck is broken. A couple of swirls and the head pops off.

[kaehurowing]

Renee Zellweger demonstrates how to slaughter a chicken:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59ZNWGNoC4g

[skinkinthegrass]

Damn, that was fine chicken too. Over 27 years later,
I can still taste how good it was.

i hear ya...
...couple years ago...the Food Police Nazis / Health Dept.,
convinced forced them to change the Col. Original recipe

[calex59]

I know, my mother used to do it. I prefer the axe myself:)

[Squantos]

LOL..... I had same experience with water.....;o)

Swore off it.....nuthin but beer, bottled fruit juice, energy drinks and or diet sodas. Only actual drinking water consumed was run through my Katadyn water filter I packed EVERYWHERE with me. Got sick as a dog in Thailand and went from 210 pounds to 145 before they fixed what ailed me .

Doc said it was waterborne..... I was always boiling or filtering and boiling my water afield and on trips after that. My homes drinking water and ice makers has to this day reverse osmosis and other filters I replace with reverence. Phobia ? Yep....bad water almost kilt me but good !

[GonzoGOP]

OK first get yourself a 540 mm self propelled mortar, and a chicken.

Insert the chicken, followed by the shell and powder charge. Point in in the general direction of the nearest jhidi, or that guy down the block that never cuts his grass. Then pull the lanyard. The chicken will never know what hit it

[Arthur McGowan]

Is there a way to humanely split an infinitive?

[Flag_This]

"Is there a way to humanely split an infinitive?"

The last time I split my infinities, my participles were left dangling. It was pretty embarrassing.

[barb-tex]

Love to have one for a carry piece, but back to chickens.

I have an interesting story about chickin Killing. Once upon a time when I was about 12, I was helping my granny kill chickens. She used the neck wringing method where the bird is dropped on the ground and flops around like a chicken with it’s head cut off.
We had a lady working with us, and before my next chicken, she asked me why I let my chicken flop around like that? I replied they always do. She said hers didn’t. and she drew a circle on the ground and made a cross in it. After I did the wring thing, I placed it in the circle and sure enough it didn’t flop, She had a reputation of being a witch, and maybe she was.

My Grand father was a butcher and he killed them by tying them by the feet to a fence and sticking the brain with his Pocket knife nd slitting the throat. while the bird quivered he stripped the feathers dry with no scalding. We got paid a dime a bird to pick the ones we killed and scalded. We then parboiled them and put them in cans and pressure cooked them. This was before freezers.

So much for my chicken killing experience. Now I get them from wal-mart;
barbra ann

[barb-tex]

Now that is criticism, up with which I will not put!

[Lurker]

Bad water has killed more humans than almost anything in history. Most folks think the medical profession has had the most to do with the increase in the human lifespan.

They're wrong. The profession most responsible for the good health and long lives we enjoy today is: Plumbers.

Hands down, no doubt about it.

[Squantos]

Agree 100%....... As stated , I pack my water from home or drink a diet soda or beer when out and about or filter (literally) the piss out of it. We have well water here, I get it tested etc each year yet , as stated have home systems installed for the better than warm and fuzzy feeling of “clean-er” water........:o)

Sorry for late response.......it’s movie night after our local homecoming game, we got whupped good BTW.....LOL!

All fun !

Stay Safe !

[Lurker]

Brita filters are on sale at Costco. I know, we just stocked up. LOL.

Best to you my friend.

[Tagurit]

Ping

[goat granny]

Years back when we raised meat chickens on the farm, we had them butchered by a professional, because we would do 25 at a time.....most human way by a pro......a cone nailed to a board with the bottom just open enough to let the chickens head drop into the hole, cut the head off, let it bleed and on to dropping the dead chicken into water just blow boiling point to wipe off feathers....then singe the hair over a fire, drop immediately into barrel of ice water to cool down. When all 25 have been cooled down, bag and call owner to come pick up their birds....freezer ready...