You want a razor blade sharp knife. They make game processing kits with replaceable razor blade knife blades. I tie my chickens up to a tree with wire on the feet, the wire you use to secure chain link fabric to topline poles. Use a cut-proof glove or chain mail gauntlet like they use in the...
Sounds like you got the job done very well, all things considered! There is a learning curve, and next time will probably go a lot smoother. I always recommend cut proof gloves for at least your opposing hand, or those chain-mail gloves they have for keeping you safe in commercial kitchens...
I'm glad you were able to rehome your roosters.
You can tag my post if you like, but please be aware there are definitely more knowledgeable members on here than myself. If it weren't for them, I'd be a lot less confident in my processing, and the learning process would have been quite a bit...
Some folks eat the hens when they have too many. Other folks let them live until they're over 2 years old and their best egg making days are behind them, then they eat them. Others rehome hens at point of lay or at 2 yrs old. Others let the hens live out their natural lives and cull when they...
I'm so sorry about your favorite hen! That's so hard! You can rest easier knowing it was much more traumatic for you than for her.
If you're not going to eat or cook with the skin, you can hang them up on a tree by their feet, give them a post-mortem bath (if needed, I use dishsoap and scrub...
If you're using a sharp knife, use a cut proof glove on at least your opposite hand. Hold chicken head and restrain body firmly.
I wrap them in a large bath towel and either hold them on my lap or put them in a kill cone. Grab the head, and slice both sides, drain into a 5-gallon bucket. No...