Need to process my first ever roos tomorrow. wish me luck!

[booker81]

Hit up the craft store and pick up an exacto knife with the "scalpel" blade (22 I think it is?)

This:
http://www.xacto.com/Product/X222

A #10 would do as well.

I actually use a scalpel and #22 disposable blades. I used two blades for 15 chickens last time. I initially got it for learning taxidermy, but I tell ya, a scalpel is pretty handy around the house - like a super Xacto knife!

http://www.havels.com/havel-s-premium-stainless-steel-surgical-blades-fhsgrp.html

I also found it helps to "scruff" the chicken so I have a clear shot at the featherless skin at the base of the chin. I gently place the blade against that spot, and when both the chicken and I are calm, I just press down and slice quickly.

I'll try to get some pictures this weekend.

 

[Liamm_1]

Pictures would be great! I'm not so sure I was trying to cut in the correct spot.

 

[ninjascrub69]

I have found that (for me) its much easier and faster to use a hatchet.

 

[Hoskins Hens]

I processed 18 of my roosters yesterday. The key is a very very sharp knife and quickness. Before I lay them down on the table, I give each one a kiss on the head and tell him thank you. My kids think this is very funny, but it makes me feel better. My first time to process any of my birds I was quite surprised how skinny they were. I guess I had thought that they would look like the store bought ones. The meat is tasty and definately worth raising and butchering my own!

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Awww, I'm sorry you had such a difficult time. But I bet you learned a LOT to do differently next time! I'm still learning things with each session that makes the next one go faster/easier.

One thing you'll want to do is tie the bird's feet together, with a zip tie or a piece of twine in a slip knot. This not only helps to prevent escapes, but makes it handy to hang the bird for plucking. I have 3 cones I made, one from a big plastic bleach bottle, one from a plastic plant pot cut & twisted into a cone, and one from a traffic cone I FOUND discarded. I tie the bird's legs before putting it in the cone, and afterwards can hang the scalded bird by his feet on a hook so I can have both hands to use for plucking.

I've had birds that got themselves loose, but when their feet are tied they can't get too far.

I like Booker81's suggestion, to find the place to cut, place your knife there, and then make a deep fast cut. It's worth it to take the few moments to find the bare spot so that when you make the cut it will be effective.

Don't compare your home-made efforts with the cheap factory-farmed chickens you find in the store. Most of us don't process our own chickens to save money on the grocery bill, it's difficult for a backyard chicken keeper to compete with a big commercial outfit. But there are benefits besides monetary ones, like knowing your meat had a healthy natural life, had kind & considerate care, and was humanely processed. It's also nice to have a purpose for extra roosters in your flock instead of trying to sell them or just give them away to strangers.

I hope your meal is delicious!

 

[Liamm_1]

Quote:
today I wished I had one, but did not. I learned something today, that in the act of processing, the effort should be made to make it easiest on the processor, rather than the bird. The bird will be a meal, the processor has to continue life with a conscience. I'll try some things different next time, for sure. Looking into the helpless eyes of a bird I've fed, nurtured and even cuddled, made it a very emotional process. I imagine that will get easier after a while.

 

[ninjascrub69]

Quote:
today I wished I had one, but did not. I learned something today, that in the act of processing, the effort should be made to make it easiest on the processor, rather than the bird. The bird will be a meal, the processor has to continue life with a conscience. I'll try some things different next time, for sure. Looking into the helpless eyes of a bird I've fed, nurtured and even cuddled, made it a very emotional process. I imagine that will get easier after a while.

That always makes it harder, if you cover the eyes (with cloth or something) it makes it easier for both you and the bird, the bird will just sit there if it cant see, and you wont have to look into its eyes. It does get easier after a while, but it is never easy

ETA: Im very sorry you had to go through this.

 

[ninjascrub69]

... double post

 

[NonnasBabies]

So very sorry that it didn't go that well.

I will admit after the cut on our first one flipped it self (he was in a bleach bottle) off the pole and rolled around on the ground awhile. He was horrible but after that everything went pretty smooth! Our knife was definetly sharp though!! It will get easier as you go along!!

 

[Stefrobrts]

You're very brave! My first time butchering was a mean old rooster, and I didn't feel sorry for him at all - he had made his bed. But now I have a young rooster to do who I am not particularly attached to, but when I went to get him to butcher he's just sitting there with his beady little black baby-bird eyes, no idea what's coming, and I chickened out! I really do want to butcher him because he's extra, and because I want to see how he tastes, but I'm finding it a lot harder to kill an animal that doesn't really have it coming for any reason except that he is 'surplus' (and possibly delicious)!

I think it's ok to admit that it's hard to kill an animal though, I'd only worry if it wasn't.