Mixed feelings about my first butcher

[Harrelltn93]

I’m overall pretty satisfied with the results, but I do feel kind of bad that the cut wasn’t as quick and clean as I wanted it to be. I honestly wasn’t expecting the skin to be so tough. With a swift second cut though it was enough to get a good clean cut and the blood flowing. I’m really hoping my rooster still went peacefully. I knew there would be shaking and spasms but I wasn’t expecting it to be quite as much as I had experienced. I’m confident he had fully bled out and passed out due to amount of blood flow but it made me second guess myself at first. I’m also worried I didn’t get the lungs... I know I felt around in the cavity and felt nothing but I didn’t see lungs in my pile of “insides”. Is it possible to pull the lungs out in pieces or chunks? I’m positive on all the other organs being removed but I didn’t get the definitive visual on the lungs. I did have a thick, fatty like tissue that came out in chunks but it was more creamy in color as opposed to the yellow fatty coloring. Could that be lung tissue?If not I’d love to hear y’alls thoughts. Any advise or tips are appreciated.

 

[snow5164]

The lungs can stay stuck to the rib cage, if you’re sure there’s nothing left inside then you got them ,

Also we cut off the head and hold hen inside a garbage can the flailing around is disturbing,

We’ve used the cone with less mess and no flailing around .... axe or knife you have to choose ....

Good job , not my favourite day but we do what we have to do

 

[Harrelltn93]

The lungs can stay stuck to the rib cage, if you’re sure there’s nothing left inside then you got them ,

Also we cut off the head and hold hen inside a garbage can the flailing around is disturbing,

We’ve used the cone with less mess and no flailing around .... axe or knife you have to choose ....

Good job , not my favourite day but we do what we have to do

I’ll have to remember to place in a can next time. We used a cone but left him in the cone until all the flailing was over then finished cutting off the head. I had a sharp knife but didn’t apply the pressure I should have the first time. I’m positive my next butcher will go much smoother though. I’m excited to cook him up now and see how it tastes

 

[trudyg]

You've got to be sure to get past the feathers--they're like armor! I've had bad cuts, but give it a break between tries for the bird to calm down and try again.

 

[Harrelltn93]

You've got to be sure to get past the feathers--they're like armor! I've had bad cuts, but give it a break between tries for the bird to calm down and try again.

Yes that was also a problem I didn’t have the feathers pulled back enough the first cut

 

[Mosey2003]

It gets better as you get more confident. You really have to work to get the lungs, have to get your fingernails into the rib spaces on the back, they should be a bright pink. Just cut it apart when you cook it, or look again and really shove your fingers into the spaces between the rib bones.

Also, check out the thread going on now about culling and see if you wouldn't like to try the broomstick method (cervical dislocation) too, I started out cutting and moved onto CD and I find it preferable, myself.

 

[Harrelltn93]

It gets better as you get more confident. You really have to work to get the lungs, have to get your fingernails into the rib spaces on the back, they should be a bright pink. Just cut it apart when you cook it, or look again and really shove your fingers into the spaces between the rib bones.

Also, check out the thread going on now about culling and see if you wouldn't like to try the broomstick method (cervical dislocation) too, I started out cutting and moved onto CD and I find it preferable, myself.

Awesome thanks so much for that, I’m gonna go check that out. What’s the name of the thread?

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

I was going to post the same thing about the feathers being like armor. It helps me, particularly with a rooster to use the blade of the knife to part the feathers and be sure your knife edge is against the skin before you make that cut, and then cut HARD with a long stroke. I'd rather over do it than under do it.

 

[Harrelltn93]

I was going to post the same thing about the feathers being like armor. It helps me, particularly with a rooster to use the blade of the knife to part the feathers and be sure your knife edge is against the skin before you make that cut, and then cut HARD with a long stroke. I'd rather over do it than under do it.

Thank you that definitely makes sense to have overdone than underdone

 

[BantyChooks]

It gets better as you get more confident. You really have to work to get the lungs, have to get your fingernails into the rib spaces on the back, they should be a bright pink. Just cut it apart when you cook it, or look again and really shove your fingers into the spaces between the rib bones.

Also, check out the thread going on now about culling and see if you wouldn't like to try the broomstick method (cervical dislocation) too, I started out cutting and moved onto CD and I find it preferable, myself.

X2. The lungs don't shred easy. If you don't know if you got them, you didn't get them; but it's not a huge deal.