Processed a silkie X LF cochin.

[mystonedgarden]

This past Thursday my DH and I processed our first rooster from our own flock. We have a lot of roosters this year and not enough space for all. I work my a** off making sure my birds are healthy and happy, why not reap the rewards? It was an importat learning experience that I think every meat eater should do at least once. He was a silkieX, so we were not expecting much, but we were pleased with what he provided for just two. I plucked by hand for the first time, and I did miss some. I will remove them all before cooking. I was more concerned about chilling the bird at the time. The skin is not black, but blue, probably because he is a cross. I think its cool. He has been sitting in the fridge since Thursday, is that long enough for a 6 month old bird?

Thank you so much little bird.

 

[rebrascora]

Hi

I can't offer any advice but I have young cross bred cockerels that I said from the start would have to be processed for meat. I'm very soft... struggle to kill anything bigger than a fly... so it will not be an easy task for me. There are people who have offered to do it for me, but I think it is important that I take the responsibility myself because I am a meat eater and it's too easy to shirk the "dirty work" in modern day society. I've been doing quite a bit of research and I'm probably going to go with decapitation, but just wondered what method you used to dispatch it and how you found it.... ie would you do it that way again or try a different technique? My worry is that with pulling their neck, I wouldn't get it right first time and I'm not comfortable with bleeding them to death.
I plucked chickens at my aunties farm as a child and I've done a post mortem on a few of my own chickens that have died, so it's the killing that most concerns me and so, another inexperienced person's views on how they found it, will hopefully be helpful.

Thanks

Barbara

PS. It looks like you did a really tidy job of the plucking and dressing and I think the colour is actually rather attractive.

 

[mystonedgarden]

Hello
It was very hard on both of us. After it was done I cried before plucking. I'm only human. What people seem to forget is that when we eat our extra roos, we dont do it for fun. Its part of owning livestock. Even if you rehome them, they will probably still end up in a pot, why not yours.
My family used to break necks, but i just cant do that.
We used a cone, and bled him out. Before we sliced, we got him used to the feeling of the knife on the neck, the moment he relaxed we cut. Thrashed for a bit in the cone but thats all. What i liked about the cone and bleeding him out, is that it was easier to control the blood. After slicing I just hold the neck as it bleeds out. I also like that i dont have to hold the bird over like a stump or something, I have bad aim... I say go with what youre comfortable doing. I think that if I had something sharp enough to cut straight through the neck to decapitate in once slice while the chicken is in the cone I would go that direction, I mean you cut off the head eventually anyways. I hope that was somewhat helpful
Thank you! I was worried that I would just completely fail at plucking and dressing... I also really like the blue hue

 

[rebrascora]

Thanks so much for your reply. I really appreciate it, especially as it is such a delicate and emotive subject. I didn't mean to be critical of bleeding out, just, as you say, you have to find what you are least uncomfortable with, which is why I'm doing as much research as possible first.
I agree entirely with your reasons for processing them and I personally think it is the honourable thing to do with surplus cockerels. I had a surplus drake when I was younger, who was raping my hens. My friend and I ended up turning him loose on the river, thinking he would love all that clean running water. He was actually terrified, but we were unable to get him back as he got swept down stream. I feel very bad about that and it would have been kinder to kill and eat him. In the end all my other fowl got eaten by the fox before I had the chance.
This time I am taking responsibility for my unwanted males, but I know it will be very difficult and like you, I will shed tears. All I can do is make the best job of it that I can. It is helpful to know that your cockerel got to the stage of relaxing in the cone before you did it. I think the temptation might be to rush it to get it over with quickly, both for him and me and I would guess that might be where things can go wrong.
Again, it's really kind of you to share your experience and it may have made me change my mind on how I do it.

Cheers

Barbara

PS. Will be interested to know how it tastes compared to store bought chicken. Do you plan to eat it now or freeze it until the episode is more of a distant memory?

 

[mystonedgarden]

Of course! Ill talk chicken with anyone who will listen! Most people in my area think I'm cruel, or weird, but I dont see them stepping up to pay my feed bill or take a roo off my hands. I had a beautiful SLW (ithink?) rooster that ended up being an egg eater. He would wait for the hens to finish laying then he would go search after the eggs. I got tired of it and posted him on Craigslist for free, he did come with an egg eating warning, so I knew he was destined for someones pot. I wish I couldve eaten him insread since then I decided to keep my roosters for the freezer. Although, I will give them a chance at a new home, but thats only if they're bantams, if by 5 months they havent found a home they will go to the freezer, and I will no longer list them for free. Let me know what you decide to do! I think its awesome that you want to take responsibility, I really think more people should. He has been resting in the freezer since Thursday, I wanted to know how long I should let him rest until I could cook him up. I'm really excited about this

Esmeralda

 

[Bossroo]

We all see murders, violence, and the news people caution everyone that they may see some violence but still watch it, etc. at the movies and TV every day of the year and think nothing of it ... so what is the problem with butchering a chicken or any other barnyard animal ??????????

 

[rebrascora]

I guess the difference for me is that I am still horrified by the violence I see on the news and in films for that matter, although I can differentiate with films because obviously it is not real.

The difficulty for me is the taking of a life with my own hands by my own choice. I am never going to be comfortable with that, but I eat meat and I raise chickens of which the males are surplus and have no other purpose than passing them on for someone else to kill, whilst I buy chicken that has not had nearly such a good life or death probably. And I rely on someone else getting blood on their hands for my benefit.... It's a moral cop out, so I feel now is the time to stand up and get my own hands dirty. And if I can't hack it, then I need to consider being a vegan and give up my chickens..... and I'm pretty sure that is beyond my ability.

 

[mystonedgarden]

We all see murders, violence, and the news people caution everyone that they may see some violence but still watch it, etc. at the movies and TV every day of the year and think nothing of it ... so what is the problem with butchering a chicken or any other barnyard animal         ??????????   

Theres no problem. It's part of owning livestock. Many people are aware of the injustice that goes on in this world. I know some people that are tired of the violence and refuse to be apart of it, but they are vegitarians now. Thats okay! If you cant cant do it thats fine. What makes me furious, is seeing people being judged for their choice. I'm not judging you for deciding to be vegan or whatever, dont you dare judge me for consuming my own livestock.That being said, I think we have been spoiled by the grocery stores. In this day and age theres no need for someone to kill their food. It's available. We are slowly becoming aware of where our food comes from, and most of us are disgusted. It takes some of us a little longer to do the deed, but the point is theyre TRYING.

 

[Bossroo]

Theres no problem. It's part of owning livestock. Many people are aware of the injustice that goes on in this world. I know some people that are tired of the violence and refuse to be apart of it, but they are vegitarians now. Thats okay! If you cant cant do it thats fine. What makes me furious, is seeing people being judged for their choice. I'm not judging you for deciding to be vegan or whatever, dont you dare judge me for consuming my own livestock.That being said, I think we have been spoiled by the grocery stores. In this day and age theres no need for someone to kill their food. It's available. We are slowly becoming aware of where our food comes from, and most of us are disgusted. It takes some of us a little longer to do the deed, but the point is theyre TRYING.

I am a OMNIVORE ... I know where my food comes from as I provide the livestock will all of their needs through proper protocols of husbandry , then I butcher all classes of livestock myself to provide my family and myself with nurishment. I hunt and fish so I and my family eat what I kill. This is what our ancestors did to survive and I do it too. I do NOT judge anyone for consuming their livestock, far from it as I encourage everyone to raise and butcher their own and consume it. Livestock are NOT pets, they are our source of food , As for the vegetarians and vegans that are reviled by meat consumption ... every time they consume a carrot or celery or some other plant or grain , they first have to first pull it out of the ground, tear or cut it to pieces and then consume it while it is still alive. ( one can take any portion of the vegetable or grain after it is harvested , give it proper conditions and it will continue to grow ). How is that for being cruel ? Yes, I too consume fruits and vegetables along with grains and meat so that I get a balanced diet, we are omnivores after all . And yes , I know where the fruits and vegetables and grains come from too !

 

[mystonedgarden]

I think there is some confusion.