Process Question????

[chicks4kids]

Good for you.....think of what the majority of your chicken intake is..............go by that... good luck to you!!

 

[Prettiest Frog]

When doing mass executions, nothing beats a good pair of shears for making quick work of it. I need to get a new pair of shears this year, my nervy husband used mine to trim the hedges and now they have a bunch of little nicks all over them.

 

[rhoda_bruce]

I am too late with my responses, but it really isn't bad at all to dry pluck. I don't ever plan on scalding again, unless I really have to. I will be making a plucker soon.....parts are in route. I have people telling me I have to scald and others saying they don't. I will try the latter first. I plucked wet, scalded birds all my life, until I was about 25 years old and have been content to dry pluck ever since. I would have been happy to explain my tech, but too late. Hope the meal is good.

 

[anthonyjames]

Rhonda,

I am open to hear your technique. I am raising quail as well and I would like to keep skin on them. Much smaller scale but sure it is the same.

 

[rhoda_bruce]

I don't do quail the same as chickens. For quail, I tried breaking their necks, but wasn't very good at it, so someone showed me how to crush the heads and that worked out fine for me, but it seems harsh......harsh, but effective. I then just sit down comfortably and start removing the feathers, carefully. Then remove head, feet and make the same cuts as I would for a chicken, but only insert one finger and begin removing the guts and organ meats. The tricky part is the esophagas, but if you use a finger to push at the neck, while using another to grab from below, its possible.
As to processing chickens, I have a nail at about my chin level with a string hanging in 2 strands, which I use to tightly tie the feet. Then I slit the throat.....go deep with the cut, so you don't have a long wait for the bleed. I have a small barrow under the bird to catch the blood and feathers. The bird will flap and fight after the cut for a while, which helps them bleed. When thats over I start with the wings and then go to the feet and work my way to the neck. Some areas are more sensitive than others for skin tears, but I have learned how to pluck without causing skin tears most of the time. Its a directional thing. The areas that will tear.....when you get to the corresponding area on the other side, just pluck in a different direction and see if it works better and remember how you did it. The area just above the thighs are difficult and right under the wings and sometimes the breast if you don't have the tech down perfect. Use small swift movements. Try a small piece at a time, until you have it. And don't let the bird cool off. Pluck when its still warm. Okay, I then use a pruning shears to cut or break the neck and remove the head. Then I cut off a single foot and that opens the vent area. I then pluck the vent area and make my incision to remove the guts and organ meats and when I have it all cleaned out I remove the remaining foot and go to the sink for a wash-up.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

I'm glad things went so well for you on your first try. There's always something to learn with each session that you can apply to the next that makes each time go easier and better.

You really don't need cones, I used to use duct tape & zip-ties (these are a few of my fav-o-rite things...) a couple of wraps around the wings with duct tape to hold them still & zip-ties to hold the feet together for hanging & plucking. I've since made a few cones from found materials just to keep from using up so much duct tape. I boil water on the stovetop in big pots and have a teenager who brings it out to replenish the water in the scalding pot. Half filled with boiling water & topped off with hose water makes it about right for scalding.

When will you do your next ones?