# Slaughtering with the debraining technique



## chamoisee (May 15, 2005)

So I butchered my first turkey yesterday. After I got the thing killed, all went smoothly enough. 

So, about the killing part.....I tried to use the technique shown here: http://howlingduckranch.wordpress.com/2008/10/26/butchering-day-turkeys-warning-graphic-photo-documentary/ The new utility knife I was using turned out to be surprisingly dull (with new blades!!!), a fact which I didn't discover until I was hacking away at the skin on that poor turkey's neck. I thought I'd finally found the jugular vein and blood came spurting out energetically. The bird was calm, but it was still fully conscious so I tried to cut the jugular vein on the other side, as the directions said to. It still didn't die, just stared at us and blinked....and stopped bleeding. Panicking, I finally chopped its head off with a hatchet. 

I didn't think I had the __ to try the debraining technique, but after that, if it's faster, more foolproof, and more humane, I would like to learn it. If you have done this successfully, please give me the nitty gritty details and how not to go wrong with this. I do NOT want to try it and muck it up, causing the bird excessive pain.


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## LFRJ (Dec 1, 2006)

Can't give you any suggestions on the de-braining technique, but can sympathize with what you went through. I've been there. It was horrible, horrible HORRIBLE. ---- duck wouldn't die. It got loose three times and ran around the garage with a bleeding neck. I tried hacking at it with a hatchet, blasting it over the head with a bat. I'm not sure how i finally got it down, but it was one long, bloody mess. I was so traumatized, I went to talk to a priest the next day. (I'm not even Catholic!)

We broom stick now. It's not the preferred method, but it works fast and fool proof. I'll never put another bird through that again. 

Kudos to you for your courage. Sounds like YOU were the one who deserves credit for remaining calm, as much as the turkey. I hope it's the best bird you ever eat!


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## Sabrina67 (Mar 24, 2008)

I wish I knew more about it as well. I tried to put a goose out of its misery after a turtle attack(yea..odd, I know) and it was awful...Tried the broomstick, fail! Finally managed to do it right..and was further traumatized by the flapping. I guess I just was not doing it right, but it took forever and I was bawling by the time it was over. 
LFRJ, sounds like we had a similar situation..


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## Wingdo (Oct 5, 2002)

I still use the pellet gun method, which seems to do us well:

Suspend said bird by its feet from a limb/fence and let it relax for about 5 minutes. Load pellet rifle with a target round (flat nosed pellet, aka wad cutter) and place barrel against the back portion of the side of the head, pull trigger and the bird is dead and will bleed out from the wound... cut the throat afterwards and it will bleed out even quicker. Let it hang for about 2-3 minutes and all that is left to do is butcher.


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## MARYDVM (Jun 7, 2004)

I use the brain stick method before cutting the throats of the chickens and turkeys I butcher. You absolutely have to have them securely suspended upside down before starting. I have a killing cone for the chickens and a turkey gambrel (think I got it on ebay, or maybe a poultry supply place?). Once they're hanging quietly upside down, I grasp the head with my left hand, applying pressure at the hinges of the jaw to open the beak. Once the mouth is gaping wide, you angle the knife towards the roof of the mouth, as far back as you can reach. Puncture the brain case and twist. They usually jump once then pause for a couple seconds. Cut the neck then, before the wings start flapping and leave the bird hanging for a number of minutes to completely bleed out. They will move quite a lot, but it's muscle contractions only. Consciousness is definitely gone.


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## chamoisee (May 15, 2005)

Thank you Mary. How much force does it require to to puncture the brain case? Does the blade need to be oriented a certain way? 

Wingdo, the pellet gun, and the hatchet method, and the others do not have the advantage of loosening the feathers, allowing the bird to be dry plucked, which preserves the quality of the meat. For some reason, sticking the brain makes it easy to pull the feathers out. 

Mary, will the bird still look at me after it's been brained? :-/


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## MARYDVM (Jun 7, 2004)

It requires only a little force to pierce the brain from inside the mouth. The bone on the roof of the mouth is much thinner than the outer skull. I just hold the knife in the usual way, sharp edge down. It's the point of the blade that does the work. And it is important to twist the blade once you've punctured the brain case. You want to destroy as much of the brain tissue as possible, very quickly. The bird's eyes will be open, but he's hanging head downward, and won't lift his head and look at you. You will still get a minute or two of thrashing before he quiets down.

The one time I dry plucked a turkey, I don't know that the wing feathers came out any easier after the brain stick.


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## GrannyCarol (Mar 23, 2005)

When I have to slaughter, I do it with a partner, usually my daughter. She holds the duck (never did a turkey and now I'm scared off of it!) and I take the bill, gently pull the head and and stroke it. When it is quiet, I use a small club to stun it before I put it in the cone. I hit it right behind the skull quite firmly. Ducks really fight going upside down into a cone. 

Then I cut the throat with a sharp utility knife, I hold the head and stretch the neck back to access the throat. I feel for the jugular vein and cut away from myself, starting with the knife on the spine side of the vein and cutting firmly and quickly through it. When I do that right, the duck is stunned and I can kill it quickly and they don't look at me. I had one do that early on, it was awful.


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## HillRunner (Jun 28, 2010)

So is just cutting the head off not a valid slaughter option?


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## GrannyCarol (Mar 23, 2005)

HillRunner said:


> So is just cutting the head off not a valid slaughter option?


Sure it is, but I tried with an axe and I'm just not good at it myself. I'm afraid I'll cut my hand off before I hit the duck's neck.


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## Lada (Jun 7, 2008)

If you slit throats, it does take a while for them to die. But you get the best bleed out that way, since the heart is still beating. I don't get a very good bleed out using the broomstick method, though it's a faster kill. It was a little disturbing that the bird is still looking at me while it's dying, but it doesn't squawk or anything. And, I know they squawk anytime they're uncomfortable, so I assumed it didn't hurt. The bird didn't seem to be traumatized at all, they just hang there and kind of fall asleep.


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## chamoisee (May 15, 2005)

Yeah, but this one didn't fall asleep, which is what I was waiting for. Instead, it stopped bleeding.


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