Going to process a rooster for my 1st time need some help

[bobbieschicks]

I've been watching YouTube videos and reading as much as I can in preparation. I have some cockerels I need to cull so since they're still young enough to eat I thought it would be good to try it this time.

I have to do it solo since DH will be out of town with the kids. I plan to teach my kids in the future. But I'm having some trouble figuring out what is the best way for me given my resources and time constraints.

I have a sharp machete, round log and propane heater for scalding water. I can make a hanging area or killing cone from milk jug or plastic bags if they are needed.

I thought I would pickup the cockerel , hold him upside down until he is relaxed, lay his head and body across the log and chop off the head cleanly with the machete.

But then what? How can I keep him from flopping around so much? Restraining him somehow? Should I first put a bag over him and tape it closed tightly and hang him after I've cut off the head? Or just let him go and run around? Will blood squirt all over as he runs around?

And is it prudent to pluck a cockerel who is 22 or 38 weeks old? Would I be able to roast him or BBQ him or just crockpot or stewpot him? I thought maybe skinning would be better this time since it seems to be faster since I wouldn't need the scalding part.

I always said I wouldn't kill an animal. Then recently I realized I've eaten animals that were killed by someone. I don't know how they were raised or processed. This gives me a chance to see the fruit of raising these guys from chicks. Yes it will feel odd, but I think it will also feel satisfying knowing we are eating healthy from our own resources.

Thanks in advance. I think I'm mentally ready I just want to visualize and walk through it beforehand so I don't get to the chopping part and panic with WHAT'S NEXT! Lol

 

[jrsckn]

Being your first time, I'd probable go with a killing cone and slitting the throat. I can see how things could get a little out of control trying to chop the head off cleanly while holding it. I skinned all of my birds so far and BBQed them and they were quite tasty; mine were 18 weeks old though.

 

[SmokinChick]

I had planned on the cone also. Made them per a pattern for large birds. They were too small. The CXer flopped out before I had a chance to cut him. So I got some lite rope and made a slip knot. Bound his feet, hung him by his feet and proceeded as planned. They flopped around abit. Worked great.
I (personally) would be afraid of hitting my hand or the bird moving and missing the neck.
Good luck, you'll do fine.

 

[what did I do]

When my husband chops the heads off he holds the feet and one wing in one hand and uses the ax with the other. He holds them while they bleed out. It doesn't take very long. I'd suggest only doing 2 to 4 birds the first day. Your roosters should be nice and tender. I've got 3 weeks until I process my roosters.

 

[bobbieschicks]

When my husband chops the heads off he holds the feet and one wing in one hand and uses the ax with the other. He holds them while they bleed out. It doesn't take very long. I'd suggest only doing 2 to 4 birds the first day. Your roosters should be nice and tender. I've got 3 weeks until I process my roosters.

I'll probably do it that way too. I figured holding his legs would be easy enough so it looks like I'll just have to also hold a wing. I think I may go ahead and pluck it too to get the practice.

 

[wyoDreamer]

Some people use two nails in the chopping block to hold the head stretched out and make it easier to chop the head off.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Some people use two nails in the chopping block to hold the head stretched out and make it easier to chop the head off.

Interesting. How does that work? Are they parallel to each other? how far apart usually?

Do you sort of drag the head into place or just put the neck in between the nails?

 

[bobbieschicks]

If I purchased a stainless cone - would it be better to purchase one that is larger than needed? I don't know if we will EVER raise a turkey, but if we did I wouldn't want to have to rush out and buy another cone if it wasn't necessary.

So far we have some larger LF: Welsummer, Ameraucana and Lavender Orpingtons; some medium LF: Ancona, White Leghorn, Araucana, EE/WL mix and Silkie roo; and some bantam Silkies. We may want some meaties and turkeys in the future.

 

[Mingming]

I've only done two too.... And I said the same thing years ago, that I'd never kill an animal. And came to the same realization you did about someone else doing the dirty work for me. The one thing I learned was that the skin tore while trying to pluck feathers after dunking them in hot water. I've read the hot water followed by ice water will make the skin firm.

Best of luck! It's a little daunting at first but it's so satisfying knowing the kind and constant hand that raised the meal for your family.

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

Good luck. I hope it goes smoothly. I can't say I had a smooth first time. I went with the killing cone route, sounded the cleanest and calmest of the methods I read about but was really upset about how long it took to the bird to actually bleed out and die. Most, but not all of my later attempts went better than the first, but this weekend I'm going to try the stump and hatchet method. I realize that there may be more flapping, but I'll know that the bird's brain is separate from its body, so any flopping is a weird firing of the nervous system rather than pain or fear. I saw a blog where the folks had a chopping table set up where the nails held the head still but they also had a rope with a slip slip-knot somehow secured to the edge of the table. As soon as the head was severed, they tipped the bird off the edge of the table and it hung by its feet as it bled out. I have some large.thick pieces of lumber outside that I can put over two sawhorses use as the chopping block/table and think I'll try to set up something similar.

I am like you in that the only thing I've killed, other than insects probably are the poor tormented creatures my cats have brought home and I've tried to put out of their suffering. But I completely agree that its a more brave and noble thing to care enough about what you are eating to see that it lives a good life and dies a clean death, even if that means extra work for you. Again, good luck.