Culling Area

[ChickenCanoe]

I've heard of them but never used them. I think that's what they use commercially. I have 2 vacuum sealers that were given to me so that's what I use.

I just found this.
http://poultryshrinkbags.blogspot.com/
I think I'll get some to try. When I run out of the vacuum rolls I'll probably switch over.

ETA

You have to wait till after rigor mortis leaves the bird to vacuum seal or shrink wrap the bird. Flexible birds bag well, stiff ones don't.

 

[aart]

I do mine in the garage, only 3 at a time....no running water until final parting out and rinse in kitchen.

Take bird off roost at night, put in wire bottom crate and move to garage.
Sawhorses with 2x2's across with plastic hammock attached to catch poops is where they spend the night.

Cone made from aluminum flashing attached to post with hose clamp,
bottom of cone low over 5 gal bucket to catch blood after jugular cut head goes in bucket before scalding.

Propane burner and large pot for scalding, broom holders to hold feet mounted on board over 30 gal garbage can for plucked feathers.
14" x 18"(Edited to correct) plastic pans on table for gutting, they can be hosed off later.
Gutted bird goes into a rinse bucket then into ice chest with salted ice water for chilling.
Scald and skin all feet last.
Then up to kitchen for parting and final rinsing then into fridge for 48 hours resting of carcass.....then cook or freeze.

ETA: All feathers and guts are added to blood bucket and dumped out in the woods.
Trays and buckets are washed/bleached in the laundry tub.

I just put cut parts in gallon ziplocks, squeeze most of air out, one bird will fit when cut up.
Necks and feet go in separate smaller bag.

I looked at many tutorial and videos before my first harvest...this was one of the best:
http://ramblingredneckmom.blogspot.com/2011/04/how-to-process-chickens-at-home.html

Here's the broom holder turned chicken leg holder, works great and no screwing around with rope and slip knots.


Here's the layout:

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Very nice Aart.

 

[Mrs. K]

I like the part about hanging the bird to pluck, I have tried rubber gloves, while plucking, some people like them, some don't.

I think the water temperature is very important, about 150F, if too hot, it cooks the skin, too cool and the feathers are hard to pull.

Feather will really dull knives quickly, I have also used banded razor blades. I prefer the cutting of the jugular vein, as the bird just gets weak, and goes to sleep.

It is ALWAYS better to do this with a friend!

 

[Mrs. K]

so explain more about the feet!

 

[aart]

so explain more about the feet!

I think you're asking me.
I don't wear gloves either, hands get too sweaty in them.
Have a bucket of hot soapy water, a bucket of warm rinse water and towel set up to wash my hands if I need to touch something 'clean'.
You can see that in my layout near the holding cage area.

I cut the feet off between plucking and gutting and set them aside, last thing I do before shutting off the scald burner is toss all the feet in there.
Let 'em sit for a minute or so and the skin and nail sheath peels right off of them, like taking off a glove....
......it might seem kinda weird, but I love the sound when the toe nail sheaths pop off.

If I'm harvesting young cockerels that will go on the grill, I freeze their necks and feet in a separate bag to save for making stock with the grilled bones,
which also go back in the freezer after eating the meat off of them. Once I have a bag of grilled bones filled up I use those and the feet/necks for stock.
If it's old hens I'm harvesting, I put the feet and neck in the same bag with the rest of the carcass to stew all together.

 

[Mini Meat]

How much salt per gallon of water in the chiller?

 

[aart]

How much salt per gallon of water in the chiller?

Sorry I don't know, I didn't measure the water, salt or ice cubes.
Maybe a tablespoon per gallon? True brining would be more than that.
Just added some salt as I heard it keeps the water colder longer, proven true by evidence of the much slower melting of the ice cubes.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I've never measured either. I just pour some salt in. Actually quite a bit of salt.