Our First Processing Experience! (Pics)

[NonnasBabies]

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I'll be honest I thought I was going to have a major issue with it but it truly wasn't that bad!! What really helped is reading all the knowledgeable posts and really listening to the reasoning behind it. And lets face it, how many roosters can you really keep?? And why would you want to spend loads of money on feeding them to turn around and give them away!! And I feel really proud that eggs a friend hatched for me and birds I raised put 7 chickens in the freezer for my family!!

You can do it!!

 

[silkiechicken]

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If you can get the bird in the pot before rigor morits sets in or are slow cooking, great, if not, then you let it rest for a day or two or more so the muscle relaxes. The loss of ATP in muscle cells causes them to go stiff until the proteins break down.

 

[NonnasBabies]

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Thanks for the explanation!!

 

[LALASD4]

The skin makes the chicken taste better, should wait until the bird are not molting and it should be easier.

My mother always used to process them before a certain age (not too old) one at a time and always on the day that we eat them, I guess culturally speaking, she likes fresh meat better. And fresh things does taste better from fish to steaks to vegetables.

 

[NonnasBabies]

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Your hubby is creative!
Ask him how much psi he inflated those chicken to!

He really is!! I'll tell him you said so he'll get a kick out of it!!

 

[Muggsmagee]

Quote:
I'll be honest I thought I was going to have a major issue with it but it truly wasn't that bad!! What really helped is reading all the knowledgeable posts and really listening to the reasoning behind it. And lets face it, how many roosters can you really keep?? And why would you want to spend loads of money on feeding them to turn around and give them away!! And I feel really proud that eggs a friend hatched for me and birds I raised put 7 chickens in the freezer for my family!!

You can do it!!

I told my husband he had my permission to do it when I'm not looking, but took that back saying I would not only be a coward, but wouldn't be doing my part. I need to get past the idea of them as pets and onto food....food I helped raise. I might just cry eating that first "homegrown" meal. Thanks for the encouragement!

 

[Minniechickmama]

Quote:

Your hubby is creative!
Ask him how much psi he inflated those chicken to!

He probably lifted up their fluff and check on the side for the stamp on that.

 

[Minniechickmama]

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If you can get the bird in the pot before rigor morits sets in or are slow cooking, great, if not, then you let it rest for a day or two or more so the muscle relaxes. The loss of ATP in muscle cells causes them to go stiff until the proteins break down.

Thanks. That makes sense.

 

[dustponds10]

Iam processing some tomarrow and am wondering what the tool was that he connected to his compressor? I have a compressor and I alo have genetic hackle chickens and am lookiing to salvage the skins to dry out and keep the feathers and eventually sell them. Anyways any help would be awesome.

 

[NonnasBabies]

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He hooked up a basketball needle (that he ground the end to a angle) up to an reg compressor airhandle tool. Popped the needle under the skin and blew it up until you could hear 2 pops around the leg area!!