can someone tell me (pics help ) how to make a chopping block also if anyone has pics and instructions on how to dress a chicken that would be great Thank you
For how to process chickens, look at the sticky on top of the Meat Birds section. There are different ways, but Frugal's thread has great pictures.
When I was young my dad would just put 2 nails (neck width apart) in a log laying on the ground, put the head on one side pull the feet and axe them, drop the chicken in a burlap sack till it stopped running. Now I use a killing cone and slit the jugular, I like this method much better. I made mine out of aluminum flashing and pop rivets I had laying around. Read that as free. A SHARP knife is critical. I cut myself more than the chicken when using a dull one. I have to butcher by myself so keeping water hot is a hassle so unless I want a whole bird for roasting, I skin them using this method http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/grim79.html
We have a chipping block out in the shop that must be a century old and weighs a metric ton. It's 1" sycamore laminated with the end grain sticking up and it is maybe 30" in diameter. The top is 2 feet thick so the top has plenty of mass when you're cutting up a hog or a steer. It has legs but either my ancestors were shorter or their backs were stronger. Give you good odds which. My guess is you just want to cut the heads off of chickens. In that case, as mentioned previously, a hunk of a log with a couple of nails should do the trick.
