NOVICE BUTCHER needs some advice.

[honeydoll]

I just finished butchering my four Cornish x and am having some issues. I looked over the post by frugal and it was very helpful. There are still some things I can't get right. First it takes me quite awhile to process each one, I did get faster with each one though. I butchered my first one at 8 weeks, these last four I did were 10 weeks. I prefer doing it at 8 wks, much easier to hold. So here are my issues I can't seem to figure out: 1. I can't seem to get the scalding temperature right, I've done 145 to 150F but the feathers are hard to get out, so I tried warmer and kind of cooked the skin so it tore. 2. When I try to get the guts out I always tear up the liver, I can't seem to get it out whole. Also when I do get it out I try to remove the gall bladder from the liver and it always busts. How do I separate the gall bladder from the liver so I can use the whole liver? 3. We decapitate ours, I hold while my husband chops the head off. My problem is when the body starts to flop it's hard to keep a hold of, the first one got away from me and spurted blood on my hubby's legs. Is there an easier way to keep hold of them, they are stronger than I expected? If you can give me some advice I WOULD TRULY APPRECIATE IT. Thanks!

 

[Buster52]

Well, with my extensive expertise acquired from butchering all of three chickens...

I was taught by another BYC pal who lives reasonably close to me, and here is what he taught me.

The water was 160, I swished it around and up and down. Left one in too long and it was probably more that than anything that made the skin tear a bit. But the feathers on all three birds came off extremely easily. To the point I wondered what all the fuss was about.

Hold the chicken upside down for a while, and that calms it. Then bind the feat with wire stout enough to hold those feet together and allow you to form a hook on the other end. Once the head is chopped, hang the bird from a line or a limb or (in our case) swing, and just step back. You could also get some cones and just drop the bird in the cone after beheading to let it bleed out.

From one beginner to another, trust me. It works.

 

[quercus21]

With the water, I have the temp between 140 -150 degs. I'll add some dish soap to the water as it is heating up. After dunking and swirling the bird for a bit, I'll start testing by pulling some leg feathers. When they are easily removed, I pull the bird and start plucking. I don't clock myself or the birds on how long they should be in the water, but after about 10-15 seconds I'll start tugging the feathers.

I sometimes have the same problem with the little birds. I can't get my whole hand inside of the cavity. What I do is reach as far as I can, pull like roll out what I can, reach in for more and repeat until the cavity is empty.

With the liver, I'll error on removing to much liver with the gall bladder.

I use the cone method (highway cone) and slit their artery.

 

[darkmatter]

Quote:
I don't decapitate right away, as you note, its messy. I made up short cords (rope) with a loop attached to a bungee type hook. I use the loop to hold the chicken by the leg and hook to suspend them. I use a thin narrow knife, hold the head and insert the knife thru the roof of the mouth and lobotomize. The chicken does not flop around but goes limp and then I can cut the throat and quietly bleed them out. Meanwhile the scalding tub has been heating up, when they're bled out I will dunk them then hang them back up. Dunk them a second time then commence plucking---I find textured rubber gloves really help with the plucking. A pair of pliers handy for the wing tip feathers which seem to always need more then finger strength to pull. I cut around the vent, then the T shaped cut to remove the innards. I then disjoint and cut them up for frying/freezing. I always cut open the gizzard to look at the polished stones they develop. I once found a marble that had been ground down a third of its original size.

 

[honeydoll]

Thanks for the suggestions. I like the lobotomy idea, sounds much cleaner. Probably with more experience I will learn to get the liver out in one piece. I use the giblets for lots of things, those livers were nice size too bad I only was able to save one.


Life doesn't have to be perfect to still be great!

 

[honeydoll]

Quote:

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Have you ever tried skinning them? If you are going to cut them up it really saves time + freezer space.

Steve in NC

 

[honeydoll]

I skinned one of the four I butchered because the skin tore so bad. I had really no idea how to skin because I wasn't intending to so it was somewhat difficult. I am from a family of hunters so I figured out how to skin it but it was a messy job I did.