Most important aspect of butchering?

[naillikwj82]

Verify that you will have enough cold storage space for aging or freezing. Plan your work area, and your steps. Follow your plan.

 

[Alaska Fowl INC]

Verify that you will have enough cold storage space for aging or freezing. Plan your work area, and your steps. Follow your plan.

Also peeps...Plan safety..
If you have a propane or gas burner,,Please have fire extinguisher available .
Keep first aid kit handy.
Strap down loose surfaces like the flooring/Cardboard on garage floors ,,less slip/easy clean up.
Plan it out..Walk to you place where birds are kept. to cones,,Then to the scalding pot to plucking area to final body search( that what call it

)
Just run the scenario Thur several times,,that includes those that are gonna help.
Oh Did anyone mention a sharp knife,,,,,?

 

[smilingcat]

I just did an "emergency" butchering of a roo.

What we had here was "failure to communicate!"

My partner for the last few days says, roos breast is really enlarged!
I said, "it's a meatie. It better have large breast."
This went for a few days. So yesterday, I checked on the meaties.

That roo had a biggest pendulum crop I've ever seen!! So before he died on me, I butchered him today. He was scheduled for butchering next week with the other big ones. At least, I won't have to toss the whole bird away and have a bird that dressed out in excess of 5 pound.

Removing his crop was tedious and slow. So much mush in there. Poor guy had a sour crop. managed to cut off the crop without spilling its content all over.

Reading this thread was good. Because I forgot to remove the lung. no biggie. Great suggestion.
I have my setup organized. I use a slip knot on the birds leg, and hold their head. Meaties are wayyy tooo fat for the cone. And the base, I have a large plastic pan to collect any blood and other stuff that may come from the bird. In the middle is a bucket to catch the blood. Right next to it is my scalding tank. To its right is where I pluck the bird with another bucket to hold the feather. And a table to the right where I do the evicersation.

Since it was only one bird today, I used the same bucket to hold blood, feather, guts, head, feet and the oil gland. content of the bucket is dumped into my compost pile mixed with some of the bedding. No stench, no varmints.

If you do a lot of chicken in "one sitting" keep a sharpening stone nearby to resharpen your blade. Yes first aid kit nearby is a must. For disinfecting of table and other items, I use peroxide instead of bleach. Keep it handy!!

If you use bleach, if the solution smells of bleach, its too strong!!

Thanks for reminding me about the lung!!

 

[Alaska Fowl INC]

I just did an "emergency" butchering of a roo.

What we had here was "failure to communicate!"

My partner for the last few days says, roos breast is really enlarged!
I said, "it's a meatie. It better have large breast."
This went for a few days. So yesterday, I checked on the meaties.

That roo had a biggest pendulum crop I've ever seen!! So before he died on me, I butchered him today. He was scheduled for butchering next week with the other big ones. At least, I won't have to toss the whole bird away and have a bird that dressed out in excess of 5 pound.

Removing his crop was tedious and slow. So much mush in there. Poor guy had a sour crop. managed to cut off the crop without spilling its content all over.

Reading this thread was good. Because I forgot to remove the lung. no biggie. Great suggestion.
I have my setup organized. I use a slip knot on the birds leg, and hold their head. Meaties are wayyy tooo fat for the cone. And the base, I have a large plastic pan to collect any blood and other stuff that may come from the bird. In the middle is a bucket to catch the blood. Right next to it is my scalding tank. To its right is where I pluck the bird with another bucket to hold the feather. And a table to the right where I do the evicersation.

Since it was only one bird today, I used the same bucket to hold blood, feather, guts, head, feet and the oil gland. content of the bucket is dumped into my compost pile mixed with some of the bedding. No stench, no varmints.

If you do a lot of chicken in "one sitting" keep a sharpening stone nearby to resharpen your blade. Yes first aid kit nearby is a must. For disinfecting of table and other items, I use peroxide instead of bleach. Keep it handy!!

If you use bleach, if the solution smells of bleach, its too strong!!

Thanks for reminding me about the lung!!

 

[hotrodflash]

what do yall do with the left over parts of the chickens just give them to the others begging for food?

Depending on how much I have, I will save the livers and freeze them to give to them later.

 

[gram of five]

We just had our 18 Cornish x butchered yesterday. My daughter and I decided to stay and watch the process and learn as much as we could. She was involved with much more of the process than I could. I did find it interesting and felt so good about the way the process went. The young men were kind and considerate of our feelings and in the handling of the chickens. The day before was difficult for me, I told the birds good bye and thanked them for what they were about to give me. I did that for me, as I know they didn't understand. I just wanted to say the words out loud because I was feeling it. It was difficult to take their food away from them the day before. I know they ate constantly and that was a big part of their lives. Every time I went by their run they came to the door waiting for me to bring in the food. A couple of times I was brought to tears, not because I didn't want to do it, but because it was being done. I can't say I was attached to any of them, but for some reason, it was stressful. I didn't cry the day of the processing, that day became "business" and it was what it was. We were very careful in the handling of them, we talked to them and tried to make it the easiest way we knew how. My daughter was a perfect partner to have with me. She told me one thing she had learned in working with farmers over the past few years. "These animals have a lot of good days and one very bad day". I just kept telling myself that and it really helped. Today I am thinking about them quite a lot and will miss going to their run and seeing them. I will say, I will not miss picking up the poop and cleaning around in their run. I am glad I had that experience but will probably raise dual purpose next time. Cornish x are quite different than dual purpose. I always saw them as little critters put in my care for 7 weeks. I gave them comfort, food, water, heat when they needed it and a fan and cool breeze when they needed. I doubt that we will be ready to process them ourselves next time, but I do know where I will bring them. I am thankful to have found a place we feel comfortable with and that made this easier on all of us. I also know that when I cook these chickens I will take time to cook them to the best of my ability and enjoy every savory bite. Well that is my experience, a newbie for sure. Thanks for listening, I feel better having said the words and I hope they will bring comfort to others that have these same feelings.

 

[Ryoohkey]

just butchered my first 3 chickens this weekend and it went great thanks for all the knowledge posted here i did have to get a new knife after the first one it wasn't as sharp as i wanted it to be went out and got a hobby knife used for wood carving or marking perfect razor on it just like a scalpel thanks everyone for the help and my other chickens enjoyed the liver and bits and pieces they could get.

 

[Alaska Fowl INC]

We just had our 18 Cornish x butchered yesterday. My daughter and I decided to stay and watch the process and learn as much as we could. She was involved with much more of the process than I could. I did find it interesting and felt so good about the way the process went. The young men were kind and considerate of our feelings and in the handling of the chickens. The day before was difficult for me, I told the birds good bye and thanked them for what they were about to give me. I did that for me, as I know they didn't understand. I just wanted to say the words out loud because I was feeling it. It was difficult to take their food away from them the day before. I know they ate constantly and that was a big part of their lives. Every time I went by their run they came to the door waiting for me to bring in the food. A couple of times I was brought to tears, not because I didn't want to do it, but because it was being done. I can't say I was attached to any of them, but for some reason, it was stressful. I didn't cry the day of the processing, that day became "business" and it was what it was. We were very careful in the handling of them, we talked to them and tried to make it the easiest way we knew how. My daughter was a perfect partner to have with me. She told me one thing she had learned in working with farmers over the past few years. "These animals have a lot of good days and one very bad day". I just kept telling myself that and it really helped. Today I am thinking about them quite a lot and will miss going to their run and seeing them. I will say, I will not miss picking up the poop and cleaning around in their run. I am glad I had that experience but will probably raise dual purpose next time. Cornish x are quite different than dual purpose. I always saw them as little critters put in my care for 7 weeks. I gave them comfort, food, water, heat when they needed it and a fan and cool breeze when they needed. I doubt that we will be ready to process them ourselves next time, but I do know where I will bring them. I am thankful to have found a place we feel comfortable with and that made this easier on all of us. I also know that when I cook these chickens I will take time to cook them to the best of my ability and enjoy every savory bite. Well that is my experience, a newbie for sure. Thanks for listening, I feel better having said the words and I hope they will bring comfort to others that have these same feelings.

Proud of you...Nothing better than writing an issue out,,for others who have felt the same way..We all do...Everyone put alot of hard work into them....You di

d great....

 

[gram of five]

Thanks for the encouragement. It did my soul good to say all those words and I think it really is an important part of the process. I didn't imagine the emotions that were involved until we went thru it. I do feel better today and know we will keep on raising our own chickens.

 

[Alaska Fowl INC]

Now for the good part..putting one of those

in the oven..Maybe some beer butt

,,Or some good ole grandmas recipe on some deep fried

,,,Its some amazing flavors....For real.
Cooked one ours on up the next day..Darn thang taste just like chicken

...Yum Yum