Finally Done

[shadowpaints]

wow in less than a weeks time i butchered 30, 8 week cornish cross!! not only that i did it ALL ON MY OWN and it was my very first time lol here is what i have learned...

it really isnt that hard or that bad to kill something other than when im fishing...

who cares what the new neighbors think?

i can process a bird in 10 minutes with a good Knife, meat sizzors and fresh well water!

ok and since we are NEVER EVER going back to store bought chicken my list of todo's for next year...

build a processing area complete with sink, cutting board and a killing cone ( man i wish i had one of those!!)

make sure i have a better way of disposing of the umm extras.

get a gas powered bbq grill or something similar to heat water on so next year i can try plucking.

get someone to take my kids for a weekend so i can get 90% of it done in one day lol


warn the neighbors
make my station a bit more enlosed so no one can see what im doing from the road

and buy a new mail box tomorrow lol ( some one hit it tonite as they drove by while gawking at me as i was bleeding one out LOL)

thank you ALL for the HUGE amount of info on here! i would have never done it with out this site!!

looking forward to next years cornish cross!!

 

[poultryhaven]

Good job! Wow someone hit your mail box cause the chicken, thats hilarious

 

[jenjscott]

so this year you skinned them all out? The plucking is what takes me the longest, but its not bad once you get going.

 

[shadowpaints]

yes, we skinned them all this year. we just werent set up right to heat water to scald etc. my hubby is also a OTD so i dont have anyone to help. thats another reason i didnt pluck. i really do think i will do half plucked next year.

 

[misspennyloise]

good for you I love my meats even better now that they are in the canning jars...and freezer and I have awesome chicken soup canned 8qts..from the remains of the cut up ones.. God is good and I am blessed to have such an awesome site to go to to learn and make new friends . Oh what does OTD mean???

thanks

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Hooray for you on a hard job well done!

Since a lot of the birds I butcher are home-hatched mixed breeds, I find myself doing some processing throughout the year. And each time I think of something else to do or add to make the job go easier next time.

You've got some great ideas for yourself, and time to collect the things you want. You may be able to find some things through your local FreeCycle group, and/or a ReStore, a thrift store for home improvement run by Habitat for Humanity. Keep watching this site for other folks' ideas & inventions. There are a lot of things you could use for restraining cones & water heaters.

I use a discarded metal porch swing frame to hang my birds from while I slice & bleed them. And I've been using duct tape to hold their wings still. But next time I plan to attatch a 2X6 board across the width of the frame and fasten some cones made from different materials, to see which one works best. I'm going to try a plastic plant pot, a big plastic laundry detergent bottle, and a cut-down traffic cone.

I bleed out into a lined garbage can, the blood, skin &/or feathers, & body parts really aren't much. I just tie up the bag & set it out on trash day. Some folks bury or burn everything.

If you can't find a gas grill, perhaps you could construct a small brick or block structure where you could maintain a wood fire, with a metal grill or grate over it where you could set the pots of water to heat.

Why isn't the driver who hit your mailbox buying a new one for you? You could offer them a taste of your home-processed chicken while they install your new mailbox. Then they'd know just why you were doing what you did, and maybe be willing to help with next year's chores. Or at least take your kids for the day. Just don't let them drive with your kids in the car...

Enjoy your well-earned & delicious meals!

 

[shadowpaints]

Quote:
OTD is 'Over the road' aka a long haul truck driver

 

[shadowpaints]

Why isn't the driver who hit your mailbox buying a new one for you? You could offer them a taste of your home-processed chicken while they install your new mailbox. Then they'd know just why you were doing what you did, and maybe be willing to help with next year's chores. Or at least take your kids for the day. Just don't let them drive with your kids in the car...


LOL well, its a thought lol i really should have found a better place to to the butchering.. i didnt think any one would even guess to look that way.. let alone when i had a bird hanging to bleed out! lol the guy was awesome and was very nice about it! lol he did offer to replace it but i found a new box in the storage shed lol

 

[jaku]

Quote:
That's hilarious! Did he say that's actually what he was doing?

 

[Chicks_N_Horses]