Processed our first bird today!

[trimpy]

First, just wanted to say that the resources on this forum are amazing.

Anyways...

Processed our first bird today. We had some extra mean roos from a straight run of new hampshires (6 out 6 were male btw) and decided to try our hand at processing. My job was to kill and cut legs and wingtips off. The wife was going to skin (I ended up helping). Things didn't go to well at the kill stage. We hung him from a rope and I went to cut the neck. He didn't seem to care what I was doing, so I held and went to make a cut. I was afraid of cutting my hand apparently, so I didn't press nearly hard enough. The feathers sort of got in the way too and I stepped away and he was dripping just a little bit. Feeling HORRIBLE I went back for another go and hesitated a second time, but got a good cut the third try. He bled out very quickly, flapped a little and it was over. I was a little upset at myself for not making it very quick, so the wife chopped the head off and put him on the board for me. I took care of the feet and wing tips and put him in a bag and we went inside. We decided to skin and bypass gutting him on our first go, and did so with a little fumbling. The step by step guide with pictures in another threat here in the meat section helped a lot.

He is in the fridge now, resting up for his big date with the dutch oven tomorrow.


Edit: It wasn't nearly as hard as I had worked it up to be in my head.

 

[PunkinPeep]

Your first time sounds like it was a lot better than mine.
My first time

I have become uncomfortable with the jugular bleed-out method. People tell me that they're (the chickens) really not conscious even though they're lifting their heads and looking around, and i just don't believe them (the people). (No offense intended toward anyone). We've taken to cutting the heads off like they did it "in the old days," and now we're sure we know when they're dead.

Way to go on your first one!

I haven't tried skinning yet. It sounds so much easier than what i do, but i don't want to give up all that yummy skin!

 

[Kelebek]

I processed my first one on friday and just got done with 2 more. I skin and love it. From start to finish - it takes me about 20 minutes and then clean up is a breeze!

Congrats!!! You will LOVE the taste difference!

 

[Jared77]

Before he goes in the dutch oven, can you tell me how old he was?

How much he weighs?

Where you got him from? Breeder or hatchery?

Have been looking at the NHs for a while and haven't found anybody who's procesed them out thats why I'm wondering.

 

[malignstar]

Way to go on the first one! I'm about to do my first ever 15 roos tomorrow. I am sure, like you, I've made it alot harder than it is. I'm going for the head chop method since cutting arteries will make me throw up.