Accidentally cutting bowels

[Eckielady]

We are butchering our first chickens today and we're having a hard time with the butt. We've watched videos till we're blue in the face but we've messed it up twice. Is that when you have to throw the meat away?? We took the good stuff off the second one and through the carcus. First one we kept because nothing got on it. Advice??

 

[Egghead_Jr]

You're only talking a small amount of excrement right? Just wash immediately. There is actually a science behind the 10 second rule.

Make a larger circle around the pucker (butt hole) and using an exacto knife is handy so your not penetrating deep. I use an exacto for entire butcher and hatched to chop the neck short.

Half circle cut then cut far up toward the legs. That area is mainly fat and can be cut out so with short blade it's easy.

 

[Eckielady]

You're only talking a small amount of excrement right? Just wash immediately. There is actually a science behind the 10 second rule.

Make a larger circle around the pucker (butt hole) and using an exacto knife is handy so your not penetrating deep. I use an exacto for entire butcher and hatched to chop the neck short.

Thank you for responding. I can't find any info online and I'm getting a bit stressed out. We are trying to learn the pieces as we go and it looks like it's just the entire intestine area that is bowel and needs to be kept together? Correct? For some dumb reason (call it a science fail) I was thinking there would be a holding section of sorts (like the crop). Ugh!! Can you tell we're new?

 

[Lazy Farmer]

You're only talking a small amount of excrement right? Just wash immediately. There is actually a science behind the 10 second rule.

Make a larger circle around the pucker (butt hole) and using an exacto knife is handy so your not penetrating deep. I use an exacto for entire butcher and hatched to chop the neck short.

Half circle cut then cut far up toward the legs. That area is mainly fat and can be cut out so with short blade it's easy.

Excellent advise @Egghead_Jr
My hub uses a small Gerber blade for chickens/turkeys and castration(boars) more precision cutting he has said. It is like a long exacto blade but a large firm no slip handle. Gotta have a rinse station handy for quick washes if needed.

 

[Eckielady]

Excellent advise @Egghead_Jr
My hub uses a small Gerber blade for chickens/turkeys and castration(boars) more precision cutting he has said. It is like a long exacto blade but a large firm no slip handle. Gotta have a rinse station handy for quick washes if needed.View attachment 1114181

Unfortunately we have no running water but we do have clean water at the ready. The knife I'm using is about the size of yours. We're about to try number 4. Wish us luck!!

 

[Lazy Farmer]

Unfortunately we have no running water but we do have clean water at the ready. The knife I'm using is about the size of yours. We're about to try number 4. Wish us luck!!

@Egghead_Jr is right. Cut a large circle but not so deep. We have an 1.5" blade but don't stick the whole blade at once. Try a lancing cut. Tip only at first.

 

[jvls1942]

If you are cutting the chicken up into pieces, ie drumsticks, wings, breast etc.
what I do is remove the thighs, drumsticks, wings, neck.
make the circle cut around the butt hole.
split the soft area under the tail from side to side.
then take a scissors, or a sharp knife and cut the chicken from back to front right along the back bone.
break the chicken open like a car hood.
all of the innards are right there and easy to get a hold of.
loosen up the crop and pull it out backwards with the wind pipe.
the lungs are tucked in the ribs.
take them out.
\ along the back bone on both sides toward the rear are two dark colored items.
those are the kidneys. they are held in with
a few tight cords. just run a knive through the cords and push the kidneys out with your finger of choice.

 

[Ridgerunner]

If you can, hook up a water hose so you have plenty of rinse water under pressure. A pot of clean water can get dirty with a little use. I like to rinse my hands often to keep them clean.

If you can rinse that off the meat it won't hurt you or cause an unpleasant flavor. You'll get better with practice but stuff happens. I don't consider a busted or cut intestine a disaster, just rinse it well soon.

 

[Birdinhand]

It happens to all of us. what you really don't want to do is throw that chicken into the ice bath without thoroughly cleaning the fecal matter off! I always cook our chicken thoroughly, as if every one is contaminated. one of the better videos I've seen is here, jump to about 12:50 for the initial vent cut, which is where a lot of the nicking mistakes happen.

 

[Nupe]

I use a fillet knife for most of my processing. Sharp is key and honing often is a necessity.

Pinch the skin just above the vent and pull it away from the body.

Make a shallow horizontal cut between your fingers and the vent barely large enough to poke your finger in the cavity.

Stick your finger in and pull the skin out, allowing air inside the cavity while running your finger around the inside of the skin to separate the skin from the innards.

Carefully insert the tip of your knife at the hole while keeping the skin separated, and open the hole a little wider by cutting from the inside.

From the inside, hook your finger around the lower side of the vent and pinch the vent with the attached intestine.

While protecting the intestine, cut a circle around the vent from the inside out.

Once the vent is free you can open up the hole as far as needed to pull out the innards.

Hope this helps.