Chickens for 10-20 years or more? Pull up a rockin' chair and lay some wisdom on us!

[smyers32]

Ok, I have a chicken related question... Bee I know you can some of your chicken, and I'd like to learn to do this as I have limited freezer space. I've been reading things found thru google, but they all employee the use of a pressure canner, which I do not have. Can it be done without a canner? And if you don't mind sharing, how do you do it??

EDIT: Anyone else with canning experience please feel free to jump on in here and school me! I know literally nothing about canning.

 

[Miss Lydia]

in the spring i am going to try one of these. if my money gets right.

The fence or the woman? [sorry i couldn't resist].

 

[smyers32]

The fence or the woman? [sorry i couldn't resist].

hehehe

 

[delisha]

Ok, I have a chicken related question... Bee I know you can some of your chicken, and I'd like to learn to do this as I have limited freezer space. I've been reading things found thru google, but they all employee the use of a pressure canner, which I do not have. Can it be done without a canner? And if you don't mind sharing, how do you do it??

EDIT: Anyone else with canning experience please feel free to jump on in here and school me! I know literally nothing about canning.

I can give you what I do. It is not scientific and I do not use a pressure cooker either.

I put a bunch of large mouth small jars in the dishwasher and clean them..I use small jars because it holds about 2 cups of meat.
While that is going on I cut up my chicken and put the lids in a sauce pan to simmer
I stuff the jar with in 1 inch of the top, I add 1 tsp salt right on top, some of them I add 1/4 cup BBQ sauce or Orange sauce, wipe the tops and make sure they are clean
place the lids and rings on. I do not tighten the rings down tight till they have cooked, however, they are firm so no leakage.
I place the jars in a large pot and cover with water.
I bring it up to a nice simmer. Small tiny bubbles with nothing to move the jars
I simmer them for about 90 minutes, you will hear them start to ping.
I leave the jars in the water till it cools, take them out and tighten lids.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I can give you what I do. It is not scientific and I do not use a pressure cooker either.

I put a bunch of large mouth small jars in the dishwasher and clean them..I use small jars because it holds about 2 cups of meat.
While that is going on I cut up my chicken and put the lids in a sauce pan to simmer
I stuff the jar with in 1 inch of the top, I add 1 tsp salt right on top, some of them I add 1/4 cup BBQ sauce or Orange sauce, wipe the tops and make sure they are clean
place the lids and rings on. I do not tighten the rings down tight till they have cooked, however, they are firm so no leakage.
I place the jars in a large pot and cover with water.
I bring it up to a nice simmer. Small tiny bubbles with nothing to move the jars
I simmer them for about 90 minutes, you will hear them start to ping.
I leave the jars in the water till it cools, take them out and tighten lids.

So one of the water canners [the enameled kind] would work? I have one of those.

 

[smyers32]

I can give you what I do. It is not scientific and I do not use a pressure cooker either.

I put a bunch of large mouth small jars in the dishwasher and clean them..I use small jars because it holds about 2 cups of meat.
While that is going on I cut up my chicken and put the lids in a sauce pan to simmer
I stuff the jar with in 1 inch of the top, I add 1 tsp salt right on top, some of them I add 1/4 cup BBQ sauce or Orange sauce, wipe the tops and make sure they are clean
place the lids and rings on. I do not tighten the rings down tight till they have cooked, however, they are firm so no leakage.
I place the jars in a large pot and cover with water.
I bring it up to a nice simmer. Small tiny bubbles with nothing to move the jars
I simmer them for about 90 minutes, you will hear them start to ping.
I leave the jars in the water till it cools, take them out and tighten lids.

So you start with raw chicken and it cooks in the jar?

 

[mickey328]

There are lots of differing opinions but personally, I would never can meat or even vegetables in a water bath canner. The temperatures can't get high enough to kill the botulism. When I can meat, I always use a pressure canner, but I almost always do a raw pack. Pints process for 75 mins, quarts for 90 mins. That's plenty of time to both cook the meat and seal it safely. The juices cook out during the process so that the jar is usually about 2/3 full of liquid when it's done.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I know...I already have electronet. But...I'd like them to be able to range over 4 acres of the property so having THAT much net is not practical in that case! Doesn't do anything for hawks either!

I am going to increase my electronet but still won't get em where I want them to go.

Cheap, doesn't need to be fed, attractive, doesn't need to be trained, clean, doesn't need to go to the vet, quiet and never barks, effective even against black bear if the stories can be true, last up to 7-10 years if maintained properly, can easily adapt to new area or territory, not effective for hawks but can use the sun for power......(the fence, not the lady in the pic

)

http://www.premier1supplies.com/fencing.php?mode=detail&fence_id=96

 

[galanie]

I just want to say this, being a daughter of someone that studied Home Economics in college. Yes, once upon a time, they did teach such a course. If you can any sort of meats in anything but a pressure cooker, go forward at your own risk. Probably plenty of folks do and did use a water bath. And not had anything bad happen. But I wouldn't do it. Of course, that's just me. Feel free to do as you wish.

Use this for the recommended times and such which even the makers of canners recommend: http://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/publications_usda.html

Jars that hold 2 cups are called "Pint jars" - there are smaller ones. Saying "small jars" isn't a great help. Half pints hold, naturally, 1 cup. They are smaller than pint jars. I'd go for "medium" but what do I know - I use the term listed on the package.

 

[bobbi-j]

There are lots of differing opinions but personally, I would never can meat or even vegetables in a water bath canner. The temperatures can't get high enough to kill the botulism. When I can meat, I always use a pressure canner, but I almost always do a raw pack. Pints process for 75 mins, quarts for 90 mins. That's plenty of time to both cook the meat and seal it safely. The juices cook out during the process so that the jar is usually about 2/3 full of liquid when it's done.

x2 PLEASE do your research!! NEVER can meat using a hot water bath. Just because someone has done it with no problems so far does not make it safe. Don't take my word for this, or anyone else's for that matter. Read, study, do your homework. Invest in a good pressure canner. It's well worth your while. I can chicken, beef, pork and venison (sometimes all in the same jar). Canned meat is a wonderful thing to have on hand.