Processed first bird, seemingly successfully…follow-up questions, one time-sensitive

[Chubbicthe2nd]

I use a cervical dislocator for dispatch, so it is a very fast (and as stress free as possible) moment. No pain. No being tossed upside down in a cone. No transport to somewhere else for dispatch and processing...

Where do you get your cervical dislocator? I would like to try this.

 

[PrettyBirdRocky]

I have seen some homesteader YouTubes that use a "rack" to drain the birds during/after rinsing. I think I've seen as many as 12 & as few as 2. Made from PVC. A chicken carcass can be put over the upright either "head" or "bottom" up & can be given a final rinse while "racked".

I imagine that this can speed up the draining process before bagging, but I don't know. I have always done only a few birds at a time & do the final rinse & drain in kitchen sinks. I bag in zip lock freezer bags after parting out (to more easily utilize small amount of freezer space). I haven't noticed pooling water, but have noticed scent in fridge during cooling/resting process before freezing.

& i just realized something else. I have not yet plucked a chicken. W/ no scalder or plucker, I was taught to skin birds. Therefore, no skin to hide water that then drains. I have a plucker now, but haven't used it yet...

Understand - i have not yet raised actual meat birds of any specific breed. I have processed egg layers & "dual purpose" birds for various reasons & usually much older than a few months of age. Too many roos, not laying, injuries not heal-able. I don't think I've had carcasses over 3#. When cooking, even just for Larry & I, i do equivalent of 2-3 birds, so have meat available for more than one meal. The most "I've" done w/ help from another couple was 13 birds - which they got some of the birds.

We did scald & hand pluck 5 turkeys & I'm not sure how many ducks @ their place later in year. I've not done turkeys since, but would like to get some for 2025. It's been more than 10 yrs since we did the communal raising & processing of the turkeys. I have done ducks on my own - again skinned.

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Edit to add - i didn't go to processing videos that showed the racks in use, but showed info on those 2 pics so you can check it out...

I did not find "pre-built" draing racks. Think I upset Google while searching. Took 4 different searches before those 2 vids finally showed up. Most were cooking/frying racks...

Sorry to hop on this informational post, I'm still reading and learning, but any tips on skinning? We don't have room to store supplies and was suggested to skin. Thank you

 

[DemeterAD9]

Sorry to hop on this informational post, I'm still reading and learning, but any tips on skinning? We don't have room to store supplies and was suggested to skin. Thank you

Skinning birds is pretty easy and I'm sure there are more "professional" ways to do it than the way I do it. So I'll talk about how me and my dad have done it for years with wild turkeys. Get your dead bird and hang it either by the neck or legs, it doesn't matter which IMO. I suppose with a more fragile chicken (wild turkeys are tough!) it may be best to hang by the feet so the head doesn't come clean off when you are pulling down while skinning. Cut the wings off at the elbow joint then cut the tail off along with the preening gland while being careful to avoid the vent. Cut around the neck to separate the skin, either high up or low depending on if you plan to use the neck or not. Be careful around the top of the breast, which is where the crop is. I suggest fasting the birds overnight before slaughtering so their crops will be empty. After that we just start pulling and separating the skin with our fingers. Bird skin is pretty fragile and easy to pull and tear off with just your hands. It won't come off in one nice piece but that's okay. The skin is harder to pull off around the legs but probably not all that hard compared to an old wild turkey! Once you have your naked bird cut the neck and legs off then proceed to gut and process as usual. You will get feathers stuck to the meat but it should rinse off fairly easily with water.

 

[Twilia]

Thank you so much I never want it to be “easy” because I want to give the animals’ lives the respect they deserve. But I definitely wouldn’t mind getting a little more used to it!

Sounds good, this is what we did too…thoughts on what I wrote about the water pooling in the bag? On a second look it’s a lot less than I originally thought, just enough to fill one corner of the bag if I tilt it.

I like your attitude tickens33. I am vegetarian and share mostly the same values (refuse to consume those poor factory farmed critters).
Would rather a person eat their own bird than buy one, even if it is sad (It should be). Yours lived to what they should have been; and their lives were taken with respect, I admire that. Have a Happy April Fool's Days folks.

_Twilia ;-)

 

[PrettyBirdRocky]

Skinning birds is pretty easy and I'm sure there are more "professional" ways to do it than the way I do it. So I'll talk about how me and my dad have done it for years with wild turkeys. Get your dead bird and hang it either by the neck or legs, it doesn't matter which IMO. I suppose with a more fragile chicken (wild turkeys are tough!) it may be best to hang by the feet so the head doesn't come clean off when you are pulling down while skinning. Cut the wings off at the elbow joint then cut the tail off along with the preening gland while being careful to avoid the vent. Cut around the neck to separate the skin, either high up or low depending on if you plan to use the neck or not. Be careful around the top of the breast, which is where the crop is. I suggest fasting the birds overnight before slaughtering so their crops will be empty. After that we just start pulling and separating the skin with our fingers. Bird skin is pretty fragile and easy to pull and tear off with just your hands. It won't come off in one nice piece but that's okay. The skin is harder to pull off around the legs but probably not all that hard compared to an old wild turkey! Once you have your naked bird cut the neck and legs off then proceed to gut and process as usual. You will get feathers stuck to the meat but it should rinse off fairly easily with water.

Thank you. Sounds simple enough honestly. And when we get skin on poultry I separate skin to season, so should be similar.

 

[Molpet]

This is for CX, older heritage would be a little more difficult. Especially the back

Sorry to hop on this informational post, I'm still reading and learning, but any tips on skinning? We don't have room to store supplies and was suggested to skin. Thank you