Mental Preparation For Processing

[PurpleChicken]

Quote:
That's perfect!!! You are more the poet than I. BRAVO!!!
"Laughing really hard right now"

This one is getting printed on nice paper, being framed, and hung in the coop.

 

[PurpleChicken]

Quote:
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.

Exactly.

Katy, I don't fault you for not doing the deed. Sometimes I think it's the
drive to finish what I started, not the ethics of chickens that make me follow
through with it.

 

[halo]

I really wish I could process my own chickens. I would love to get some cornish cross chickies, grow them up, and have gorgeous fresh healthy chicken. Ive searched high and low for someone local...or not local...who could do it for me, but havent found anyone. So I cancelled my order. I know Im going to have lots of extra roos, since Im hatching eggs, and Id love to be able to process them and put them in the crock pot for my puppies, but I dont think I can do that either.

Im such a weenie.....

 

[Buster]

I was just trying to explain to my 3 yo who overheard me talking about processing the chickens that we will be eating them. What a conversation! He's a very good talker. I explained to him that we eat chicken and we will be eating our chickens. He was very adamant that we not eat OUR chickens. I can't do the story justice because I can't describe all of the facial expressions he had as he tried to convince me. I also may have to "gear up" for the occasion. I hunt grouse and have shot and cleaned many of those. I'm actually fairly good at cleaning them and don't mind the work. I guess with my own chickens it will be up close and personal, ie: chopping their heads off instead of shooting them at 15 yards. Maybe that's why it's more mentally difficult to me. Good luck PC. I still have a while before I cross that bridge.

 

[okiechick57]

OH.......pc.......good luck......I simply cannot do it.......no guts no meat as the farm people say..... I say got guts? no meat lol......... let us know how you do.and not to much wine...wouldnt want you choppin on the wrong end first

 

[PurpleChicken]

Jareds I think I can see the look on your child's face.


Our results:
Me & Drumstick processed 11 roos. We had seperated the roos earlier in the
day. He grabed them and brought them to me. I chopped and held down the body.
He was a great helper. I then scalded or skinned (we skinned a few smaller ones),
cut open the back, and Drumstick gutted them. What an awesome 7 year old he is.
He seems to grasp this thing better than I do.

We then processed the feet per Silkiechickens instructions. They actually look
pretty good once they are desocked and declawed. Thanks Silkie, the 150 degree
water thing worked great.

We did get a bit twisted and cut open one of the heads. Drum wanted to see
a brain. The eye sockets were a fun gag. He brought one in to show/harass his
mother with.

 

[okiechick57]

We did get a bit twisted and cut open one of the heads. Drum wanted to see
a brain. The eye sockets were a fun gag. He brought one in to show/harass his
mother with.

P.C ! I was reading along just fine till then thank you

Great son you have there.a find young man he is......... poor mom

 

[adoptedbyachicken]

Good for you. Children exposed early to the task grow up with appreciation of the food they eat IMO.

11 is a few to take on in one go! Mind you I'm always alone so I quit at 12 for sure.

Halo don't cook chicken for dogs, makes the bones brittle and dangerous. Chicken is best served to dogs raw, and if you read the latest research you don't even gut them, just freeze them after skinning or plucking, depending on your dogs caloric need. Skin if your dog is overweight or less active. Never seen my dogs so healthy as since I started the RAW food diet.

 

[Katy]

Quote:
When my oldest son was about the same age as yours (he's almost 32 now) he made the connection that the drumsticks he liked came from the same kind of critters that were running around the yard it freaked him out so bad he didn't eat chicken for several years!!! And we didn't even butcher our own chickens. Never seemed to bother him tho that we fattened a steer or heifer and had that butchered....he never stopped eating hambergers!!

 

[Buster]

Quote:
When my oldest son was about the same age as yours (he's almost 32 now) he made the connection that the drumsticks he liked came from the same kind of critters that were running around the yard it freaked him out so bad he didn't eat chicken for several years!!! And we didn't even butcher our own chickens. Never seemed to bother him tho that we fattened a steer or heifer and had that butchered....he never stopped eating hambergers!!

Yeah I tried that on on him too since we are close to the family ranch and process our own beef (which, strangely, doesn't bother me at all). He doesn't even eat hamburgers (he's very picky) and he sees no problem with that. Just his chickens- He's quite the little chicken farmer.