First time processing

[Novicehen]

This was a very emotional and labor intensive day, but I think it was a success.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

This was a very emotional and labor intensive day, but I think it was a success.

I've been at this a year and change, never do more than three in a day. EXCELLENT work, no shame there.

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

Good for you. Those birds look very clean! My DH still cant figure out how to get the lungs out properly. I know its hard but its part of life that most of us havent experienced. You have and because of that you understand the sacrifice and value of your birds.

 

[Sequel]

They look wonderful! How many did you do?

 

[Isadora]

Good for you. Those birds look very clean! My DH still cant figure out how to get the lungs out properly.

If you swipe down the rib cage starting from the top of the chest cavity and pull towards the backbone, your fingers can get in between the ribs and you can scrape out the lungs more easily. I don't know if I explained that very well, but hopefully you can pass this along to your DH and it helps.

 

[Novicehen]

Great job! Definitely labor intensive, but that chicken is going to taste so good!

Thank you. Yes, they were fabulous!

 

[Novicehen]

Wow 19 in a day?! DH and I only ever do one at a time so they can "rest" in our fridge for a few days. How long did that take you? We average about 30 minutes per bird from cull to table

I started at about 7am and I finished the actual bird processing and bagging at about 7:30pm on day one. Now, I had to clean the plucker, dump blood and mucky water and some other cleaning as I worked, and I split and bar-b-qued four birds while working. Oh, and I ran out of propane while bagging...move giant stainless bowls with iced livers, gizzard, hearts, feet and remaining birds onto the house to finish bagging on the stove! I then had to do real clean up using just flood lights...topped the entrail bucket and fit it into a freezer (could not dig a hole at that time), disinfected my stainless tables and giant bowls, placed the wood frame that I had the cones mounted into the fire pit (it had too much blood splatter to salvage it)...blah, blah. I honestly cried and had to take a couple of short breaks to regroup during the day. Anyway, it was the next day before I completed the cleaning...pressure washed the equipment and patio, loaded the supplies into my GorillaCart and dragged everything back to the shed.

Hey, I live in Southern Georgia and plan to do this twice a year. I welcome help or a culling partnership (I'll share the harvest) next time May. This was my first rodeo and I feel good about the outcome, but I can never (well, maybe just shouldn't) do this by myself again.

 

[Molpet]

Looking good

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

If you swipe down the rib cage starting from the top of the chest cavity and pull towards the backbone, your fingers can get in between the ribs and you can scrape out the lungs more easily. I don't know if I explained that very well, but hopefully you can pass this along to your DH and it helps.

Oh I know. Ive had to finish cleaning the birds after hes removed the majority of the organs. Hes very good and clean about that part but he has a hard time getting his whole hand in the cavity. Last time though he only managed to leave one lung in. I usually place a finger between 2 ribs and t rex arm it out

 

[Hopulence]

Oh I know. Ive had to finish cleaning the birds after hes removed the majority of the organs. Hes very good and clean about that part but he has a hard time getting his whole hand in the cavity. Last time though he only managed to leave one lung in. I usually place a finger between 2 ribs and t rex arm it out

I've found that if I clean the bird except for the lungs, and throw them in my cooler full of ice water until all chicks are processed, and THEN take the lungs out... It's much easier. Maybe they separate a bit from the bone as they chill?

Anecdotal, I know, but it really seemed to make it much easier.