Looks like the time is coming sooner than I thought... (graphic)

[TGB3RN]

Quote:
I have to agree with ya there doc. I wish people were more informed about DNR. Just so you know, I can relate...ER NURSE here.

Tom

 

[Miltonchix]

I bought the same assortment from McMurray as you did. I had 5 Cornish X in the bunch and dispatched them Sunday. They are HUGE! 4 roosters dressed out at 6lbs, give or take an ounce, and the hen at 5lbs. I use a VERY sharp filet knife as well, only cut me 3 times..

Got to finally use my home made "poor mans chicken plucker" too. Which worked quite well.
For any interested in making/using one a word of advice. DON'T use a cordless drill unless you have plenty of charged back-up batteries handy. 30 seconds into plucking the first one is not a good time to have the drill die!

I've already placed an order for 25 more CornishX for late August.

 

[KellyHM]

Thanks for all the info! I'm sure there won't be a lot of blood compared to the horses I've seen bleed out. It's just making myself do the deed. I wish they would hurt themselves and/or not be able to walk any more...then I'd feel a lot better about doing it. I expected some of them to do that, but they're healthy as can be...running around, flapping their wings, roosting, just like any other chicken. Oh well, I'm sure I'll get it done soon...they're making a gigantic mess that I'm about sick of!

 

[dancingbear]

Quote:
I have to agree with ya there doc. I wish people were more informed about DNR. Just so you know, I can relate...ER NURSE here.

Tom

I worked in health care for many years, as a phlebotomist, day surgery prep, gross room clean up and prep, and later ward clerk in ICCU/MICU. I have a living will, so does my DH. The magic "let me die in peace" papers.

All that I saw at work over the years, did help me when it came time to butcher my own birds. I grew up watching my parents do it, and helping with the cleaning of the birds, but the actual killing part I just recently stepped up to, instead of leaving it to my DH.

Not as bad as I'd thought. I found I shifted my focus to the mechanics of getting it done quickly. I cut just under the jaw, to avoid the crop. Other than the crop, which is no big deal anyway, it sounds like you did a great job!

Letting the bird rest in the fridge for anywhere from 24 hours to 3 or 4 days will help with tenderness, a lot. If he's over 12-14 weeks old, slow roasting would probably be better than frying or grilling, but you can kind of tell by the softness of the meat while it's raw. If it's a lot firmer than SM (supermarket) chicken, I'd crock pot. A little firmer, you can probably roast. If it feels about the same as SM, you probably fry it.

 

[halo]

That seems like pretty good size for 9 1/2 weeks of a heavy assortment that isnt cornish crosses. Ill be interested in how you fix it and how it is. Congrats to you, good work.

 

[DCS]

Unfortunately, a "living will" doesn't mean much in the ER when you're old and septic and crashing. I need a DNR or a Not DNR. Most people don't quite get that. Living will is too vague to be of use in an ER situation, because I don't know if you're terminal at that point. I do know, however, that with a DNR order, I don't have to tube/line/pressor you to the ICU, and can make you comfortable as sepsis/pneumonia/whatever sends you to the grey havens.

but I digress.

I let him sit in the fridge for a day and a half, then stuffed herbed butter under the skin and roasted him on a bed of sliced potates and garlic cloves, stuffed with good ol' Stove Top Stuffing.

Very yummy! Then I picked the meat off. I didn't bother boiling the carcass as I've done that before, and didn't want to mess with it this time.

Day two:

1c chicken leftovers + 1 can cream of mushroom soup + some frozen peas and corn, + bisquick dumplings on the stove. Yum!

And there's still a bit in there.

 

[dancingbear]

Quote:
Sounds yummy! Congrats on the bird, I'm glad he turned out well.

Since I'm just a little over 50, I don't want to be DNR at this point. If I'm injured or catastrophically ill at some point, and the odds of recovering quality of life are slim to none, my DH knows (and living will specifies details) my wishes, as do the kids, and they have all promised (DH wants the same thing I do, we both did this together) that in the event I'm unable to give directions myself, they will sign a DNR and let me go. We wanted to make sure that if there are hard choices to make at some point, that we're all familiar with each other's wishes. I've heard too many people say, "Well, I'm not sure what Mom would want, we didn't really talk about that...."

 

[DCS]

Well, looks like the end is near for the rest of the Cornish X... Today, I noticed that the remaining 4 are getting around less and starting to breathe heavy. I went ahead and butchered 2 today, but don't have the fridge space to chill more than about 2 at a time.

Live weight (ok, so freshly dead weight) was about 7 lb 14 oz on the one I weighed.

Dressed: 4 lb 14 oz and 4 lb 8 oz repectively.

The remaining 2 will go soon. I just figured I'd do a handful at a time,

 

[Granolamom]

Quote:
A good friend of mine freezes everything she slaughters for at least 3 months, before the family eats it. That way, they won't remember exactly the face of the animal, and it's personality (hopefully...)

 

[DCS]

Heh, no I didn't mean it that way... I mean I wanted him to rest so the meat could tenderize a little.

I didn't name any of the chickens deliberately... giving them a name makes it a lot harder. Right now, there is "the partridge rock rooster" and "the big brown one" and "the barred rocks (3)" and "the speckly ones" (I have no clue what they are), but no names.

I may freeze these, but it sort of depends on how much fridge/freeze space I have. They're brining. And i hope our feed volume decreases! These guys are eating a ton!