Hi, all -- in the past I've just done the old chop the head on a block when we've processed excess roos and old chickens for stewing. This year, we're selling broilers and will be processing more than a few at a time, so we'd like to be a little more streamlined about it (and less messy). Anyone know where to purchase a kill cone?

Thanks

-- Andrea, Big Flats NY (andreagee@aol.com), April 18, 2002

Answers

You can make them out of bleach and vinegar bottles, the gallon size. Cut the bottom out, and then cut a hole around the top big enough to fit the head through, nail to a post.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), April 18, 2002.

Lehman hardware carried them in the last catalog that I had from them. Here is their web site url: http://www.lehmans.com

I would like opinions on the killing cones, do chickens bleed out as well as a chicken running around with their head cut off? I figure the extra flopping around of the wings, etc. helps to pump the blood out of their system.

-- Notforprint (Not@thekeyboard.com), April 18, 2002.

Funny you asked this question. I have one coming this week! Cheapest place is Nasco. They have a wonderful big livestock and farm catalog. Great prices, shipping within 48 hours, and very friendly service. They also have a homeschool and teacher's catalog, craft materials catalog, as well as lots of others. Be sure and visit thier website!

-- Karen (mountains_mama2@hotmail.com), April 18, 2002.

We butchered our own batch of broilers this year for the first time, and we used a homemade killing cone (vinegar bottle). Some friends came to help us and they used the axe. I have to say that I thought that the meat was much cleaner on the chickens that my husband killed in the cone. Our chicken book says that when you sever the windpipe and the jugular and the spinal cord at the same time that the bleeding out is actually inhibited... something about blood getting into the lungs from the windpipe being so close to the jugular and that severing the spinal cord inhibits bleeding. This is just what Storey's Guide to Raisng Chickens says, and my opinion of the meat that I processed. It all turned out pretty good; we are doing our second batch this weekend.

-- Leighanne T. (robertt@click1.net), April 18, 2002.

We don't like them to flap around because they break wings that way. The cone works great. Actually, we use a 5 gallon bucket with a hole cut in the bottom. They do flap some, but not enough to break wings.

-- Mary (kmfraley@orwell.net), April 18, 2002.

Cool Rebekah! I needed a couple of killing cones and didn't like the prices of them, but I did have two empty gallon vinegar jugs sitting on the porch.

Now I have two plastic killing cones mounted on the post and they work very well. Thank you.

-- Laura S. (LadybugWrangler@somewhere.com), April 18, 2002.

I've been using old pant legs from worn out jeans. I hog ring the bottom cuff at the seams and cut the legs about 12" to 18" long. I then tie a piece of twine through the top by another hog ring. I insert the chicken, pull the head through the bottom, and tie the pant leg and the chicken's feet in a loop and tie this to a fence post.

I like the gallon jug ideas. I'll give it a try this year. I am also on the watch for old highway traffic cones which I will convert to killing cones.

I use a curved scalpel to sever the jugular vein. The scalpel is very sharp and the bird feels little pain (similar to cutting yourself with a razor). The bird then pumps the blood from its body.

-- dave (d@d.net), April 19, 2002.

We use a traffic cone. It has been trimmed a little bit. :)

-- Jacki (rambrozaitis@snet.net), April 22, 2002.