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How to Humanely Kill a Chicken

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Bacteria that cause foodborne illness reside on raw poultry carcasses. Always wash your hands, equipment and working surfaces after coming in contact with raw carcasses. This is especially important before handling or preparing other foods.

Raising backyard chickens can be an incredibly rewarding experience From fresh eggs to fun, feathery companions, chickens make great additions to any homestead However, there may come a time when you need to humanely end a chicken’s life. This could be due to old age, illness, injury, or even for meat.

Killing an animal is never easy But when done properly and humanely, euthanasia can minimize pain and suffering Here are some of the most humane methods for humanely killing a chicken

Cervical Dislocation

Cervical dislocation means quickly moving the chicken’s neck out of place to cut the spinal cord. When done correctly, unconsciousness occurs within 2-5 seconds. By cutting off blood flow to the brain, it kills quickly.

To perform cervical dislocation:

  • Grasp the chicken’s legs with one hand and hold it firmly against your body to restrict movement.

  • With your other hand, grasp the base of the head where it meets the neck.

  • Pull the head down to extend the neck fully.

  • Take a firm, quick pull on the head to separate the spinal cord from the brain.

  • Check for limpness and lack of reflexes to ensure death.

Cervical dislocation requires some physical strength and confidence. But when done swiftly, it is extremely humane. Be sure to pull the head backward, not just downward to break the neck.

Decapitation

The head is cut off from the body with a sharp blade during decapitation. Unconsciousness normally occurs within 10-15 seconds. It kills by taking out the brain and stopping the flow of oxygenated blood.

To humanely decapitate a chicken:

  • Use a sharp hatchet, axe, or butcher knife to ensure a clean cut.

  • Restrain the bird firmly in a cone or your hands.

  • Identify the soft joint between the skull and spine.

  • Position the blade above this joint and cut down in one swift, forceful motion to remove the head.

  • Avoid simply cutting the throat without removing the head.

For safety, you can use a stump with nails to hold the chicken’s head in place while you swing the blade. Just be sure your tool is razor sharp for a quick, humane death.

Exsanguination

Exsanguination involves cutting the jugular veins and carotid arteries to bleed the bird out. This method is common for butchering chickens to preserve meat quality.

To bleed a chicken:

  • Restrain the bird upside down in a cone to restrict movement.

  • Feel for the large arteries on either side of the neck.

  • Make a deep cut across the arteries to sever them completely.

  • Cut the blood vessels on one side only.

  • Death normally occurs within 90 seconds from blood loss.

However, cutting the throat alone is not acceptable. The bird is awake for up to four minutes, or until its brain runs out of oxygen. So bleed out must be immediately followed by:

  • Pithing – Inserting a knife into the brain via the roof of the mouth.

OR

  • Decapitation – Removing the head after bleeding.

This ensures the chicken loses consciousness quickly for a humane death.

Other Acceptable Methods

There are a few other methods considered humane when performed correctly:

  • Blunt force trauma – Striking the back of the head with sufficient force to destroy brain tissue. However, this requires precision and can be emotionally difficult.

  • Captive bolt stunning – Using a captive bolt gun to fire a rod into the chicken’s brain to cause immediate unconsciousness before killing. But this requires specialized equipment.

  • Electrocution – Using specialized pliers to pass an electric current through the brain. This causes immediate unconsciousness when done properly.

  • Gas methods like carbon dioxide and nitrogen displacement can humanely render a chicken unconscious before death. But these also require extensive specialized equipment.

Unacceptable Methods

Some conventional killing methods are very inhumane. Avoid these techniques:

  • Cutting the throat without decapitation or pithing afterwards.

  • Suffocation.

  • Freezing.

  • Poisoning.

  • Drowning.

  • Twisting or breaking the neck without decapitation.

  • Hitting the head without sufficient force.

  • Spinning or throwing the chicken.

Any method that does not immediately destroy brain function will likely cause unnecessary suffering.

Things to Consider

Here are some other tips for humanely killing chickens:

  • When in doubt, consult your veterinarian to euthanize the bird for you.

  • Handling the bird gently and calmly reduces stress.

  • Act decisively once you’ve decided euthanasia is needed.

  • Dispose of remains properly by burning or burying.

  • Be prepared for involuntary muscle twitches after death. The chicken is not suffering at this point.

  • Have a sharp backup method like pithing ready in case your technique doesn’t succeed.

  • Euthanize a sick or injured chicken sooner rather than later to prevent further suffering.

Killing an animal is intensely emotional. But humane euthanasia minimizes pain and distress when a chicken’s quality of life declines. Perform cervical dislocation, decapitation, captive bolt stunning, or exsanguination swiftly, decisively, and with respect to reduce suffering. Avoid unnecessarily drawn-out methods at all costs. With the proper technique and mindset, you can give your beloved chickens a peaceful passing.

how kill a chicken

Killing and dressing birds

  • Carefully remove birds from coops and crates to reduce bruising.
  • Put an animal in a killing cone or hang it from a chain. The feet of the chicken can be hung from a clothesline or another support if you don’t have one of these. Attach a small square of plywood to the end of a short piece of rope with a knot.
  • To keep the bird steady, hold the head in one hand and pull it down a little.
  • Cut the bird’s throat from the outside, just behind the lower jaw, with a sharp knife. Hold on tight to the front of the head to keep your hand from getting cut. This should cut the big and cross veins and let them bleed freely. To reduce carcass contamination, don’t cut the esophagus or windpipe.
  • Hold the bird’s head for a while until it stops flapping and bleeding. This prevents excess blood splatter.
  • Catch the blood in a container.

Other farm slaughter methods include wringing the birds neck or chopping off the head with an axe. Those ways might not be able to drain as much blood from the body as a good throat cut.

Dry picking usually only occurs for some waterfowl processing. Pick these birds right after they have been bled.

Keep boiling water nearby to keep the scald water hot enough during the entire processing period. Always monitor the water temperature with a thermometer.

  • Burn young birds for 30 to 75 seconds at 125 to 130 F. The time needed to get rid of feathers properly leaves the top layer of skin alone.
  • Scald older birds at 140 F for 30 to 75 seconds to make it easier to take off their feathers. When it gets this hot, the skin’s cuticle layer usually comes off.
  • Cook duck and geese for one to two minutes at 160 to 170 F. Waterfowl are harder to remove feathers from.

Adding detergent to the scald water helps water go through the feathers, especially on waterfowl.

The time and temperature of the scalding method affects the appearance of the dressed carcass and how easy the feathers come out.

Lower temperatures require a longer scald time. Higher temperatures require a shorter scald time but increase the risk of over scalding. Higher temperatures also result in the loss of the yellow cuticle skin layer, which makes the skin easier to tear when removing feathers.

  • Hold the bird by its shanks and put its head first into the boiling water.
  • To get a more even and complete scalding, move the bird around in the pot as you heat it. Once you have a good scald, it’s easy to take off the tail and wing feathers.
  • If there are feathers that are hard to get off, dip the birds again for a short time.
  • Once the bird is cool, hang it back up on the rope or shackle.
  • Gently rub the body with a little pressure to get rid of the feathers quickly and easily. Don’t delay picking after the scalding.
  • Develop a picking procedure. First, pull out the big tail and wing feathers. Then, make a plan for getting rid of the rest of the body feathers.
  • After taking off most of the feathers, wash the bird with water.
  • Rub the body with light pressure to get rid of any small feathers and pinfeathers that are still on it. Sharp or dull knives can be used to cut off the small pinfeathers.

Dipping waterfowl in paraffin wax removes small feathers and down after you’ve removed most feathers.

Follow the wax manufacturer’s directions. A fairly dry body should be dipped at least twice in a 135 to 160 F wax bath and then in cold water to form a wax coat that can be used to remove feathers. Some instructions say to use a hotter wax dip and let it cool in water or air for a short time between dips.

Remove the wax when it’s at the flexible stage and isn’t cold enough to be brittle. You can reuse the wax by heating it and straining out the feathers. Dirt, blood and water will separate from the melted wax.

Singeing usually isn’t needed for young birds. More mature chickens and turkeys may have a few hairs remaining after you remove the feathers. Use a bottle gas torch or an open flame on a gas range to singe these hairs. Be careful you don’t burn yourself or the bird’s skin.

Cut off the head between the head and first neck vertebra. Use a twisting motion to cut through the joint. Don’t try to cut through the bone.

Remove the neck and skin with a shears or knife if you plan to cut up or split the bird for frying or barbecuing. Make sure you cut close to the carcass.

  • Cut the skin around the neck and put the knife through it at the shoulder point. Move the knife up the back of the neck as you cut forward.
  • Pull the skin loose from the neck.
  • Remove the gullet (esophagus), trachea (windpipe), and crop from the skin of the neck. Cut them off where they enter the body.
  • Cut off the neck. You may prefer to do this after chilling the carcass. Cut the muscle around the neck into the bone at the shoulder, and then twist it off.
  • Before putting the neck in the container to chill, wash it.

With the bird breast-up on a table, hold the shanks with one hand. Apply upward pressure on the hock joint. With a sharp knife, cut through the hock joint starting on the inside of the joint. Pull the joint into the knife while slightly moving the birds feet to help you cut through the joint.

With the bird breast-down on the table, start the cut 1 inch forward from the oil gland nipple. Cut deep to the tail vertebra. Then follow the vertebra to the end of the tail in a scooping motion to remove the oil gland.

The “J” cut and the bar cut are two cuts for opening the body cavity. Producers often use the “J” cut for broilers and other small poultry not trussed when cooked. Producers desire trussing for roasting turkeys, capons or other large fowl. Thus they use the bar cut for these birds.

  • Pull the skin on the bird’s stomach up and forward, away from its tail.
  • Cut through the skin and body wall. Cut from the right side of the keel point to the tail next to the vent with the knife point. Make the cut slowly and don’t cut into the intestine. Only let the point of the knife go through the skin and body wall when you make the cut.
  • Finish the cut around the vent, making sure to keep the knife’s back close to it and its tail far away from it.
  • Cut all the way around the vent and pull it and the end of the large intestine away from where the body cavity opens. This will prevent contaminating the inside of the carcass.
  • Cut in half around the vent next to the tail.
  • Use short, slow strokes and avoid cutting the intestine.
  • Through the hole you made, put your index finger up over the intestine.
  • To finish the circle and get the vent free, use your finger as a guide and make the cut wider with a knife or shears.
  • To keep the inside of the carcass from getting dirty, pull out the vent and a short section of the intestine.
  • At 1. Cut the bird in half lengthwise, about 3 inches long, 5 to 2 inches below the keel point. This will leave a bar of skin about 1. 5 to 2 inches wide between this cut and the vent-free opening.
  • Put the end of the intestine over the skin bar and leave it sticking out of the body cavity.
  • Stretch the opening in your abdomen and put your hand as far forward as you can in the body cavity. Detach the organs from the wall as you go.
  • Pick up the heart between your index and second finger.
  • Cup your hand and gently pull out all the organs. As you pull the organs out of the body, give them a little twist.

You should remove the gizzard, liver and heart from the other organs.

  • Separate the gizzard from the stomach and intestine, and then remove any extra fat from the outside.
  • Remove the heart. Cut away the heart sac and the heavy blood vessels that are around the top.
  • Cut out the liver, but be careful not to cut the gallbladder. The gallbladder can be cut or pinched off from the liver.
  • Cut the gizzard in half and open it up under running water to get the food out of it.
  • Put your thumbnail under the lining at the edge of the cut surface and pull it away from the muscle to peel it off the gizzard. It’s easier to do this after the gizzard has cooled a bit. You might want to cut the gizzard down the middle to get to the lining and try to remove the lining and its contents without breaking it. This will avoid contaminating the muscle with the gizzard contents.
  • Clean the giblets well and put them in a pan of cool water.
  • To get to the lungs, put your hand inside the body.
  • To find the lungs, start next to the ribs and roll your index finger toward the backbone on each side of the bird.
  • If there are gonads (ovaries or testes), pull them out of the body.
  • Make sure you’ve taken out all the parts you want by checking the body cavity. Use a hose or a faucet to wash the inside of the carcass very well.
  • Clean the bird’s outside and rub off any blood, dirt, nails, or loose cuticle.
  • Place the carcass in the chill water container.

You can pre-chill carcasses by placing them in a container of cold tap water continuously overflowing at a slow rate. This will cool the carcass to water temperature and further clean the carcass.

Chill poultry carcasses in ice and water to lower carcass temperature to 40 F before packing. You can chill smaller birds in a couple of hours. Turkeys and large capons or roasters will need to chill a few hours before reaching this temperature.

Remove the chilled carcasses from the ice water. Hang them by a wing and let them drain for about 10 minutes before placing them in bags for transport or storage. Make sure that you drain all the water from the bird before packing them.

After chilling the giblets, wrap the heart, liver and gizzard in a small square of plastic food wrap or in a small plastic bag. Place the giblet pack and neck in the body cavity of the cooled carcass before packing.

On carcasses with a bar cut, cut the tail from the top of the bird down through the vertebrae. Don’t to cut the tail all the way off. Turn the tail down and tuck it under the bar strap. Flex the legs tightly against the carcass and work the legs under the skin bar to truss the bird.

  • Place the carcasses on a table.
  • Spread the skin from the bird’s neck out over its back.
  • Place the bird’s head first into a trash bag that is the right size.
  • Put the end of a flexible rubber or plastic hose in the bag to make it better. Suck air out of the bag while keeping it tight around the hose. Take off the hose, twist the bag a few times, and tie it off with a wire tie.

Birds can also be frozen in locker wrap paper or aluminum foil. Refrigerate birds or freeze promptly after packaging them.

Don’t freeze birds until you have chilled them to 40 F or below. Only place a small number of unfrozen birds in home-type freezers at any one time. Placing a large number of unfrozen food in the freezer puts too much load on it and causes slow freezing of the unfrozen birds and partial thawing of already frozen products.

Chill birds thoroughly or freeze them before transporting them. Make sure you wrap packaged birds in several layers of newspaper or other insulating material. This will keep them cold during transport until they can be refrigerated or frozen again.

Selecting birds for slaughter

High quality poultry carcasses come from live birds with the following traits at slaughter time.

Thus, good care during the growing phase is key to producing poultry meat. Different strains and breeds of poultry vary in growing time to reach the best size and health for slaughter.

You will normally process all the healthy birds from a flock. Don’t use birds that have any of the following when processed:

  • Any size of bumps or spots on the liver’s surface
  • Any measurable amount of fluid in the body cavity.
  • Orange fat, not yellow or white fat, is found in birds with thin meat.
  • Any one organ inside the body that is two or more times its normal size (look at a bird of the same size). Ignore gallbladder size.
  • The meat on the breast is the same color as the meat on the thighs and legs.
  • Meat that has white lines or a bigger area than the same area on the other side of the bird

Select your best birds for marketing. When showing, youth will want to pick healthy, well-fleshed, well-finished birds that are free from defects such as:

  • Breast blisters
  • Bruises
  • Skin tears
  • Other similar defects

You can process birds with defects by trimming damaged tissue and still have a good carcass for meat. Don’t attempt to dress pin-feathery birds. Wait a week or two until these feathers grow out and are easier to see and remove during processing.

Don’t feed poultry 6 to 8 hours before slaughter but allow access to water. Fasting reduces the feed content in the digestive tract. This helps prevent contamination during processing.

Have a wire-bottom holding cage or crate to help keep birds clean during fasting. Dirty birds contaminate the scald water, and thus contaminate poultry meat during processing.

How to humanely euthanized a chicken (no tools)


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