BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[hellbender]

Thanks for the encouragement, everyone. I got all five done in roughly 3 - 3.5 hours.




All resting in the fridge, and everything rinsed except scalder (water still too hot) - taking a break before going back out to sanitize. I will get weights when I put them in their shrink bags in the kitchen either later today or tomorrow. The main delay was waiting for the scalder (need to start that much earlier next time). And yes, the dispatch of the first one was hardest - primarily because my knife wasn't sharp enough (though I had erroneously thought it was), and I think my aim was off. It was awful, needless to say. Switched knives (I had a selection) for the second, better, but still not sharp enough and still unsure of my aim. Took about 15-20 minutes to do a detailed dissection of the neck of that one to see if I could aim better (it was hard to realize where the vessels were from the photos and videos, vs. in person). Then for the third, I got a bread lame that I never use from the kitchen (a razor blade on a holder to cut slashes in bread before baking). And the third was better with regard to the aim and the clean-ness of the cut, but I made the mistake of turning my back for a minute, and he flipped himself out of the cone and I had to catch him in the air and put him back in - that was sort of horrible (and Dumbledore and the rest started alarming...). Fourth easier, fifth easiest, dispatch-wise (and I held them in place the whole time), but they were also harder in that it was harder to round the last two up in the pen. I'm getting a box cutter or scalpel for next time, which will be easier to control than the lame.

Plucking was not a big deal, mostly, though a little irritating when they stuck to my hands. And the evisceration, while not expertly done, was not all that hard for me. I was fairly happy with my set up, though the poor ginger plant near the area is probably dead now (being trod on and drowned). I was using a fish cleaning table which was at a good level fairly high. The cone was at an ok height for me. I set up in a little nook next to my deck such that everything was there within a turn and a step, and also sort of private, like a little work zone.

I'm pooped. I'm going to get the rest of the stuff cleaned up and set up for tomorrow (I also need to set up a dog crate for the Naked Necks to put them in tonight). I haven't decided whether to do 2 or 4. I need to check available fridge space, I suppose.

I may order pizza tonight...

- Ant Farm

Good for you! It will be far easier from now on. Certainly everyone has their own way of doing various aspects of butchering so I thought to mention that we allow the birds to 'rest' in fairly strong salt water for at least three days. It helps remove most blood and the meat is more tender and less likely to be stringy. JMHO

 

[Kassaundra]

I do my killing in my garage and plucking in the kitchen sink, ready running water, not hot in the summer, not cold in the winter. No neighbors to get their "panties in a wad" .......................................... I may have some "splaining" to do if CSI ever investigates my home since I do the chickens in the garage and the buns in the bathtub.

 

[Kassaundra]

Since I do all my stuff inside, I usually turn on Pandora and listen to music. I have VERY eclectic taste in music, it always amuses me when I'm "doing the deed" to Disney music, but last week it got even better since not only was it Disney music, but it was "Circle of Life"

 

[miss heny]

you need to video tape that.

 

[DesertChic]

We use a low table with very comfortable chairs for plucking. There
is a hole in the middle of the table where as many as 4 people can drop feathers into a garbage can.

My setup is still not set up. I improvise and do most of the work in my kitchen for now. I bought a killing cone, but the hubby and I can't agree on where to set it up, so for now I hang the birds by a rope tied around their feet and hold them over a bucket to drain once I slit their throats. I bought a processing table but once again...where to set it up? My house, mini-farm and I are all still a work in progress.

 

[DesertChic]

Thanks for the encouragement, everyone. I got all five done in roughly 3 - 3.5 hours.




All resting in the fridge, and everything rinsed except scalder (water still too hot) - taking a break before going back out to sanitize. I will get weights when I put them in their shrink bags in the kitchen either later today or tomorrow. The main delay was waiting for the scalder (need to start that much earlier next time). And yes, the dispatch of the first one was hardest - primarily because my knife wasn't sharp enough (though I had erroneously thought it was), and I think my aim was off. It was awful, needless to say. Switched knives (I had a selection) for the second, better, but still not sharp enough and still unsure of my aim. Took about 15-20 minutes to do a detailed dissection of the neck of that one to see if I could aim better (it was hard to realize where the vessels were from the photos and videos, vs. in person). Then for the third, I got a bread lame that I never use from the kitchen (a razor blade on a holder to cut slashes in bread before baking). And the third was better with regard to the aim and the clean-ness of the cut, but I made the mistake of turning my back for a minute, and he flipped himself out of the cone and I had to catch him in the air and put him back in - that was sort of horrible (and Dumbledore and the rest started alarming...). Fourth easier, fifth easiest, dispatch-wise (and I held them in place the whole time), but they were also harder in that it was harder to round the last two up in the pen. I'm getting a box cutter or scalpel for next time, which will be easier to control than the lame.

Plucking was not a big deal, mostly, though a little irritating when they stuck to my hands. And the evisceration, while not expertly done, was not all that hard for me. I was fairly happy with my set up, though the poor ginger plant near the area is probably dead now (being trod on and drowned). I was using a fish cleaning table which was at a good level fairly high. The cone was at an ok height for me. I set up in a little nook next to my deck such that everything was there within a turn and a step, and also sort of private, like a little work zone.

I'm pooped. I'm going to get the rest of the stuff cleaned up and set up for tomorrow (I also need to set up a dog crate for the Naked Necks to put them in tonight). I haven't decided whether to do 2 or 4. I need to check available fridge space, I suppose.

I may order pizza tonight...

- Ant Farm

Well done! And I definitely recommend using a scalpel for the evisceration. I bought them in bulk from Amazon quite affordably and simply dispose of each one after I'm done with processing. They even come in handy with the processing itself at times.

 

[DesertChic]

Haha I actually got them just cuz I've been wanting those sooo bad for decades after seeing them on a news segment.. I love those things now that they're here!

I haven't processed any of the nakeds yet.. hope to get the chance next summer.

btw they are actually totally naked due to a mutant gene called scaleless. They have no scales on their legs or toes. Nothing to do with the usual naked necks.

Do the scaleless chickens bother your allergies the way regular chickens do?

 

[DesertChic]

Good for you! It will be far easier from now on. Certainly everyone has their own way of doing various aspects of butchering so I thought to mention that we allow the birds to 'rest' in fairly strong salt water for at least three days. It helps remove most blood and the meat is more tender and less likely to be stringy. JMHO

X 2. Brining makes a huge difference in both flavor and texture. I normally brine mine before I plan to cook them though, not right after processing. I never thought about doing so immediately but now I want to try it. Oh....and in case anyone is interested, here is a brine recipe given to me by a close friend:

2 gallons water
1 3/4 cups Kosher salt
1/2 cup white sugar
2 TBS Morton Tender Quick
2 TBS onion powder
2 TBS garlic powder
2 TBS paprika
1 TBS white pepper
1 TBS powdered ginger
1 tsp mustard powder
1 tsp powdered sage
1 tsp nutmeg

The last time I used this I brined the bird for three days and only use salt, pepper and butter for seasoning during roasting....and the meat was tender, juicy and very flavorful without the chicken flavor being covered up by other flavors.

 

[Kev]

Do the scaleless chickens bother your allergies the way regular chickens do?

Extremely happy to report no flare ups from playing with them..... even after a whole day of repeated and lengthy handling for clothes fitting.

I'm so tempted to do a trial incubator run with 100% scaleless hatch and see if my allergies flare up or not. edited to add: I cannot do hatches with naked neck chicks, and the reaction varies with handling the NN birds.

The only non NN breed here- barbezieux on the other hand.. all it takes is walking into the open front shed with barbe chicks in the brooder. Also got flare up when the chicks were moved to outdoor pen.. Not sure if I can/should keep many examples of this breed around for this reason.

 

[Kev]

X 2. Brining makes a huge difference in both flavor and texture. I normally brine mine before I plan to cook them though, not right after processing. I never thought about doing so immediately but now I want to try it. Oh....and in case anyone is interested, here is a brine recipe given to me by a close friend:

2 gallons water
1 3/4 cups Kosher salt
1/2 cup white sugar
2 TBS Morton Tender Quick
2 TBS onion powder
2 TBS garlic powder
2 TBS paprika
1 TBS white pepper
1 TBS powdered ginger
1 tsp mustard powder
1 tsp powdered sage
1 tsp nutmeg

The last time I used this I brined the bird for three days and only use salt, pepper and butter for seasoning during roasting....and the meat was tender, juicy and very flavorful without the chicken flavor being covered up by other flavors.

sounds pretty good and also never thought of doing this right after processing.. interesting!