Update - we did it anyway (was: Debraining knife)

[Skcup]

So the original person who was supposed to teach me to process my chickens has bailed on me and I've been forced to try calling around to various contacts to find someone else.

I found a lady who will show me BUT she has said she will not do it unless I have a "debraining knife." She said that my local feed store would carry it but when I phoned 3 different stores, they had never heard of a debraining knife. They might carry them but call them something else and since she didn't give me details about what they look like, I couldn't describe it. I tried to call her back for more information but she's not home till tomorrow.

I googled but didn't come up with any specific knife....can anyone tell me what she might be talking about? Different names? Pictures? Anything?

 

[mstricer]

I think this is what you are looking for. That kill sometimes doesn't go so well. If it doesn't you will never do it again.
http://www.meyerhatchery.com/get_item_s128_poultry-killing-knife.htm

 

[shellz131]

from what I have read before,it is just a long thin knife that is inserted through the mouth of the chicken and stabbed threw to the brain..I guess about any knife would do the job
I would not recommend this method..poor chicken

 

[mstricer]

Ditto

 

[Skcup]

Thanks. Actually, after my conversation with her in which she demanded that I get this debraining knife but refused to tell me what it was, I've determined that she's a little too kooky for me.

I'm going to explore other options. Thanks for the responses, though, it's pretty much what I thought.

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

Well, if you were close to me I would be more than willing to help you learn.



There are great videos on youtube and also fantastic instructions on this site.



It can seem overwhelming, but once the bird is dead, you really cannot mess up too badly.

 

[scubaforlife]

I posted some great videos from featherman on processing. Its very complete, you might just want to look for them.

 

[SallyF]

DH and I have decided to process three roosters tomorrow. He's going to chop the heads off, which is the way my dad always did the deed. I still remember having to "pith" animals in human physiology in college. (Pithing is cutting the spinal cord just below the brain so that the animal's tissues are still alive for the experiments). It was NOT a shining moment in my college career. A brain stick is just too close to that for my taste. I guess if you're used to it, it's ok, but for me, there's too much room for error.

 

[TNRIRRoo]

I did 5 roos this past Sunday. I have a part of an axe handle that I use as a club. I simply hold the bird upside down and calm it down. When the bird is nice and relaxed I pull the stick from behind me and SMACK! Right accross the back of the head. Bird doesn't feel anything and only twitches for a moment. I then proceed to hang, bleed and clean the bird.

YMMV.

 

[Ibicella]

I call this a pithing knife.

Pithing is a great method, but it takes practice. I also heartily recommend putting the chicken into a "trance" (where it goes still and as if it falls asleep) to do it and then immediately throat cut. Makes plucking ever so much easier and tender meat.