How to Make Killing Cones for Chickens

Using a killing cone to kill chickens is purported to be a more humane method of slaughter. When the chicken is placed upside down in the cone, the blood rushes to its head and it becomes drowsy. It takes about one minute for the chicken to bleed out and die. Cones cost over $20 to order, but you can make a home-made cone for just a few dollars. And by making your own cone, you can size it appropriately for the bird you are slaughtering.

Draw a trapezoid on the flashing. Draw the first side 24-1/4 inches long. Measure 8-1/2 inches from each end of this line and make a mark.

Measure 16 inches perpendicularly from the first line at each of the marks and make a second set of marks. Draw a 12-inch line between the second set of marks.

Draw a line from the right endpoint of the 12-inch line to the right endpoint of the 24-1/4-inch line. Draw a line from the left endpoint of the 12-inch line to the left endpoint of the 24-1/4-inch line. This is your trapezoid.

Cut the trapezoid out using the tin snips.

Roll the flashing into a cone, overlapping the edges by one inch. The narrow opening of the cone will be the short 12-inch side you drew, and the wide opening of the cone will be the 24-1/4-inch line.

Roll the top of the cone over to the outside by gently tapping with a hammer or bending with needle-nose pliers.

Attach the rolled-up cone to a 6-foot two-by-four, narrow opening down, 4 feet from the bottom. Place the overlapping seam line over the board and screw through both layers of metal in the 1-inch overlapping area and into the wooden board below, using a stubby Phillips screwdriver and 1-inch self-starting screws. Start the screw hole using a hammer and an awl. Attach the cone in at least two places.

Dig a narrow 1-foot hole and set the two-by-four in it. Fill back around the board to hold it upright.