Processing Ameraucanas- advice?

[OldChurchEggery1]

So, this weekend I processed some of my Australorp cockerels and a spare Ameraucana. I know Ameraucanas are not your typical meat bird, but I have too many and figured I'd give it a shot. I have a long, slender hand and I still had trouble pulling everything out. I've never used any of the eviscerating tools before, like those lung knife things I've seen in catalogs, but I'd be willing to try. Has anyone else butchered these and found a particularly helpful tool for getting all the innards out? I was loathe to cut the opening in the back much wider because I didn't want to cut into the thigh might, but darn if it wasn't tempting! I appreciate any advice anyone's got. I have more I'll probably do in a few weeks once some more freezer space opens up.

Thank you.

 

[Avalon1984]

Very same problems here. I use a fork for the lungs but everything else requires a very skinny hand. Hopefully the people here will have some great solutions.

 

[halo]

What I do with half grown birds that I feed to the dogs is to just cut alongside the backbone and around the vent, open the bird up, and scoop the innards out.