At 7 and 8 years old I helped my mother's boyfriend do some slaughtering. Rabbit and chicken. The rabbit got a hammer to the head. One time I didn't hit right.. damn thing made the worse squealing cry sound I ever heard.

He used a plastic garbage back for the chickens. Cut a hole in the corner, put them in the bag with their head through the hole. When the head is cut off the body stays in the bag, blood doesn't get sprayed everywhere etc..