Has anyone here ever used the Ballista Penetrating Bolt Gun from bunnyrancher.com?

[Kimi BK]

Has anyone ever used the Ballista Penetrating Bolt Gun from bunnyrancher.com?

Since most of the captive bolt guns we've found have been several hundred dollars, this $65 contraption sounds too good to be true... I think it would be easier for me to stomach than blunt force or broomstick, etc.. neck breaking methods. We have chickens and will be processing our first roos in a couple weeks, and are looking into getting rabbits (after we build ourselves a house -- maybe later this year).

It seems like a relatively easy method for beginners like us...

 

[Alasgun]

I have no direct experience with this tool however as a Machinist i will say, the illustrations lead me to believe it’s well made and the simple design should be user friendly. That’s a lot of Machine work for $65.00 too!

 

[promiseacres]

Looks much nicer than a broomstick. Let me know if you get one.

 

[Baymule]

I used a stick to the back of the neck. It broke their neck.

 

[Kimi BK]

We went ahead and ordered it. I'll let you know how it goes. We won't be using it on rabbits any time soon (don't have rabbits yet), so our first reports will be re: chickens...

 

[Baymule]

Just because we kill and eat the animals we raise doesn't mean that we do not care deeply for them. Of course we want to quickest most humane process for them. I use a killing cone for the chickens, it is quick and the most humane I found. I hope this bolt gun works well for you and meets your expectations. You may start something here and others may use one too.

 

[farmerjan]

I hope that the bolt gun works for the chickens.... but the fastest most humane way is to stick them in the cone and quick cut the throat for a good bleed out. The cone keeps them from flopping around and bruising the meat too. Are you going to put them in the cone then use the gun? Then cut the throat? They have too small a head/brain for me to see where it will be useable for a chicken.

 

[Alasgun]

Agree on the cone for birds, that quick bleed out is important. Back in the day, neck wringing accomplished the task handily if you didn’t mind watch them jumping around in the yard.
i can understand the squeamishness some may have about that!

 

[Kimi BK]

Thank you all. Yes, we are plannng to use a cone and use the bolt gun, quickly followed by bleed-out. We helped a neighbor harvest a few birds -- she is "certified humane" which required the bolt gun before bleed-out. Hers was a non-penetrating gun and the ones we looked at were hundreds of dollars.

This is a video of the ballista used on a chicken in a killing cone. BunnyRancher.com video

 

[farmerjan]

Interesting video. I cannot say that I find it any more humane than the simple quick act of cutting the throat and the bird bleeding out immediately. But, to each his own and to those that must follow the certified humane rules. I hate killing anything, but it is a part of life and raising animals for food.