Eight Guineas and one Rooster sent off to Freezer Camp

[HyLinda]

I just finished sending my guineas and rooster to Freezer Camp. I tried pithing my first guinea but it didn't work. Maybe their head structure is too different,

Then I proceeded with slicing the jugular - that worked quite well and didn't really seem to upset them too much, had a really sharp knife. I tried scalding them, but when I pulled on the feathers the skin ripped, so I skinned it. Then I tried pulling out the feathers without scalding and the skin still ripped so I skinned all the guineas.

After pithing did not work with the guinea, I didn't want to try it on my rooster (his name was Edmund), so I cut his jugular also and he went quickly. I scalded him and the feathers came out really nice and the skin stayed intact.

I used a cone (large empty bottle of laundry detergent) for all of them. so glad it's all over. I do not enjoy ending their lives, but that's why I got them in the first place. I have them in the fridge for 3 days, then I'll move them into the freezer. Might have roast chicken on Sunday. Edmund was a good egg - until he attacked my puppy.

 

[twister]

Then I proceeded with slicing the jugular - that worked quite well and didn't really seem to upset them too much, had a really sharp knife

my gosh...i am sure it devestated them.

 

[MandyH]

Congrats on a job well done. I wish I could muster up the nerve to do one of my toms for Thanksgiving.

 

[aka Rachel]

When I took my meaties to the processor, I swear they cut the jugular! However, I couldn't figure out how come they weren't flapping...they were just gone it seemed. My neighbour seems to think they were pithing them but there seemed to be alot of blood quickly

Was this your first time processing? I agree with you, not pleasant but it was the point from the get go! (just did a few of my roos as well)

 

[HyLinda]

Quote:
They really didn't seem to notice the slice. There was some minor movement once most of the blood drained out. I did process 4 cornish x's this summer, but that did not go well at all. I didn't know about cones and some of the poor things got whacked 3 times. I felt like a monster

I just want them to go peacefully and untraumatized. If I get some more cornish x's I may try pithing again because it sounds like it would be quicker for them if done properly.

 

[codymax2]

We had an aweful first time too! We did the wacking off the head thing too and it was very traumatizing .... took more then on and they flapped alot and I got blood in my face!!! AHHH!!! Gonna try bleeding next time with a cone!!
Quote:
They really didn't seem to notice the slice. There was some minor movement once most of the blood drained out. I did process 4 cornish x's this summer, but that did not go well at all. I didn't know about cones and some of the poor things got whacked 3 times. I felt like a monster

I just want them to go peacefully and untraumatized. If I get some more cornish x's I may try pithing again because it sounds like it would be quicker for them if done properly.

 

[SteveH]

Quote:
Well done , congratulations . After reading of it here at BYC , I tried pithing on two . The first went perfectly and dry plucking did seem easy ; the second was a failure and the cockeral looked up at me while I was whetting my knife to slit his jugular . That one did not dry pluck easy and was skinned .
About slitting the jugular as a means of dispatching ; as you said they really do not protest or seem to notice it at all . I'm sure that the handling up to that point is more upsetting to them . That last bit of reflexive movement is much less dramatic than beheaded and tossed on the ground as it was done back when I was a child .

 

[eKo_birdies]

what temp were you scalding at? i've never had any skin rip when plucking my guineas

the skin is really good when roasting them

 

[HyLinda]

The temperature was 145°, but the skin ripped both with and without dunking.

 

[spartacus_63]

I sent three roos to freezer camp a couple weeks back. I suspended them from the clothes line one at a time and sliced their jugular. None of them flapped at all until the final death convulsion, which wasn't much. The trick for me was a very sharp knife and to get the blade under the feathers next to the skin before making the cut. I bled them into a bucket with some sawdust in the bottom. It was very easy and clean. We scalded the birds after bleeding and the feathers came out clean.