Butchering for the first time today

[mradam]

So, today is the day. We have 7 cornish x that we are ready to process. I have never done this before, but I think I'm ready to try. I am going to bleed them out, skin them, and quarter them up into freezer bags.

These are my 6 year old son's chickens that we got from his kindergarten class (I know, who gives meat chickens to kindergartners, right). He has finally come to understand that these birds are designed for eating. We explained it all to him and he is ok with it, might even decide to come out and see the processing, but he has already decided that he will not be eating any of this chicken meat. HA!

So, I am off to the store to get trash bags and ice, then I'll start setting up for the big event this morning. I'll take some pics along the way. Wish me luck!

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

good luck! you'll do great!

my tips:
* have lots of paper towels
* have good and sharp knives
* make sure you have somewhere to cool them ready - i use cookie trays to move them into trays in the fridge, set at extra cool
* you'll use more water than you think - be near a water source
* have your instructions/directions ready
* give thanks

 

[WalkingWolf]

Quote:
I keep a 2 buckets of sanitizer(bleach water). A 5 gallon for rinsing off hands and a 2 gallon to rinse and store knives while processing.

 

[Trenary Duck Farm]

Quote:
Great advice! Here is a good article concerning the use of bleach in poultry processing.

http://www.wattpoultry.com/PoultryInternational/Article.aspx?id=18408

 

[Cyberous]

Subscribed for pictures

Don

 

[mradam]

Well, the deed is done. Some graphic pics:


GRAPHIC PICS IN NEXT POSTING!!!


GRAPHIC PICS IN NEXT POSTING!!!

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

how'd it go?

 

[mradam]

Here's my set up, back by the barn where the kids and neighbors can't see. Built the stand with some spare wood:




Here's the first to give their life for my family:



The finished product:


The breasts weren't as large as I had figured on, but I'm happy with them. I did 7 birds in about 2 hours. Overall it was easier than I had expected, except for the killing part.
MAKE SURE you have a SHARP knife beforehand. Not just a little sharp, VERY VERY SHARP! I had to cut the first birds' throat 3 times before the blood really started flowing. I felt bad for him.
Advice for anyone trying this for the first time, be sure you cut deep the first time. My birds' necks were tougher than I thought they'd be. But I got there.

So, the job is done, I finally got my appetite back now, and I feel good about it all. And I couldn't have done it without the info and advice on this board. TONS of great info here.

Thanks everyone!

 

[mradam]

The killing part kinda sucked. One of them kept looking at me and blinking, and a few flapped around violently at the end. I guess that's how they go, but I bothered me at first.


I will do meat chickens again this fall, for sure.

 

[JenEric Farms]

Congrats! I keep thinking of doing this, but feel I'd be to much of a softee when it came down to it. The more I see first timers doing it, the more I feel like maybe I could too. Thanks for posting. One of these days I'll get my own courage.