Ruling on putting the chicken into a small vessel immediately after slaughter so that the blood does not go everywhere

Praise be to Allah.

Muslim narrated in his Saheeh (1955) from Shaddaad ibn Aws (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Allah has prescribed proficiency in all things, so if you kill, kill well, and if you slaughter, slaughter well. Let one of you sharpen his blade and spare suffering to the animal he slaughters.”

Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

This indicates that proficiency (ihsaan) is obligatory in all matters, even when killing a soul, whether human or animal. So the individual must be proficient when executing humans and slaughtering animals [so as to spare them undue suffering]." (Al-Fataawa al-Kubra  5/549).

Ibn Hazm (may Allah have mercy on him) said: [The scholars] are unanimously agreed that it is obligatory for the slaughterman to be proficient in what he slaughters." (al-Furoo‘  6/318).

It says in al-Mawsoo‘ah al-Fiqhiyyah (10/221):

The fuqaha’ are unanimously agreed that it is recommended to slaughter the animal well in a manner that will lead to the slaughtered animal being as comfortable as possible. End quote.

That includes letting the animal move and trembling after slaughter.

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

If the animal is laid down for slaughter, then the slaughterman should place his foot on its neck and hold its head with his left hand if he is slaughtering it with his right hand. Then he should slaughter it, saying Bismillah, with force and speed, cutting the two veins, which are the ones from which the blood flows. Then he should let its feet tremble, and not hold them down, so that it will have the freedom to move and so that most of its blood will be poured out.

As for what some people do of tying the animal’s legs or sitting on it so that it will not move, although this is permissible, not doing it is better, for the two reasons that we have mentioned, namely: because that is more comforting to the animal and, secondly, this will help the blood to be poured out quickly." (Fataawa Noor ‘ala ad-Darb  11/175).

A five-litre jug is too small for the slaughtered animal and prevents it from moving, so it is better to put it in a larger vessel (such as a barrel) so that it will be easier for it to move and tremble.

And Allah knows best.