Mental Preparation For Processing

[PurpleChicken]

The hatchet is ready
The stump is clear
The pots are waiting
The hose is near

That wasn't supposed to be a rhyme but is sorta flowed like that.
I'm about to process more than 10 roosters. This is the part I
really hate. It's when you have to prepare your mind for the task
at hand. I've only processed 10 birds in my life so this is gonna be
a big undertaking. The wife has a stomach bug so she can't help.
The kid is generally being a pain in the a**. He gets excited over
this.

So here I sit
with a glass of wine
Knowing it's almost
the roosters time

It's the price of fresh meat
And hatching too many an egg
I really do hope the roos
won't look at me and beg

 

[silkiechicken]

Good luck! I'm butchering two roos this weekend too. I'm taking tons of pictures to remember them by! One is a splash cochin cross, and the other is real mutt, but pretty.

The way of the rooster.

 

[PurpleChicken]

Thanks Silkie. You've been my number 1 helper all along on the processing thing.

I took your advice on my last bird and skinned it rather than plucking. OMG was
it so much easier. The skin get's wasted but does it really have any value anyways?
MissPrissy suggests adding a little butter to a stock to make up for less skin.

I'm keeping the feet this time too. Just not sure what I'm gonna do with them yet.

Thanks

"The Way Of The Rooster" - That's Classic!!!

 

[Katy]

My mental prep for processing chickens is to remember how much I hated it as a kid and swearing NEVER to pluck another chicken as long as I lived!!! So far I haven't!

 

[silkiechicken]

Glad to be of help!

Yeah, when my customers ask me what I do with extra roosters, I just say they "go the way of the Rooster." And leave it as that in case they object to the butchering of them all.

Save the feet, neck, gizzard, heart, and liver to make that good ol soup stock. Skin is just fatty to me so I usually don't use it... and not too much of a fan of butter. I'm a sweet tooth so I add sugar to everything, even meat. However, if you are going to roast the guy, I'd pluck him as it's hard to make a substitute skin.

Oh, yeah, don't forget, if you save the feet and skin the bird, heat up a pot of water as you need to "desock" the feet and pick off the nails. Get the water to be about 150 and dunk for a minute, and the skin should come off the feet no problem. Then just toss them into the stock pot. And when done, you can take the feet out and eat them dipped in a sweet and spicy sauce of your choice!

 

[PurpleChicken]

Quote:
I don't mind the work part. It's the killing part.

We have given them a very good life, something they never would have had
at a chicken factory.

I never did it as a kid. I learned it by being here, taking advice, and learning
by doing.

Thanks for posting Katy.

 

[PurpleChicken]

Quote:
Ok, time to get out the turkey fryer for heating water. Thanks Silkie. I wish you
lived closer. It would be great to learn this stuff by watching you.

Don

 

[ZuniBee]

So here I sit with a glass of wine

I'd say that is a good start to prepare your mind for the task at hand! I know how you feel....the killing part is the hard part. After that, cleaning is just work.​

 

[Katy]

Quote:
I don't mind the work part. It's the killing part.

We have given them a very good life, something they never would have had
at a chicken factory.

I never did it as a kid. I learned it by being here, taking advice, and learning
by doing.

Thanks for posting Katy.

I honestly don't know if I could do the chopping. My job as a kid was to retrieve the body after my dad or mom did the deed and take it to be scalded and then I "got" to pluck it. I can still smell that smell of wet feathers and blood....I wish I could make myself process my roos rather than taking them to the auction and then going to the grocery store to buy a chicken!! I certainly don't have a problem with people butchering chickens.

 

[coopist]

PC, if you’ll permit, I’ve modified your verse d’occasion just a bit:

Mr. rooster Mr. rooster
The time is drawing near
When you must meet your maker
And I must face my fear
Well the hatchet’s at the ready
And the stump is deadly clear
Sit steady Mr. rooster
‘cause I chased my wine with beer.

eh?