Processing Day Support Group ~ HELP us through the Emotions PLEASE!

[kacklinkelly]

 

[Coralietg]

I just want to congratulate you on a job well done. Your cornish gave you a similar experience to my first cornish process. Same issue and other birds walking on the poor thing. No one else home to help. Except, I wasn't pregnant and didn't have two small children. I know it is difficult, as well it should be. However, I hope you are able to get to the point where you feel a sense of accomplishment in gaining knowledge and providing a healthy meal for your family. Additionally, in providing a healthy place for that chicken to live out it's short life. You done good girl. Now go put your feet up and have hubby take care of the kids when he gets home and you take a nap

I am proud of myself for getting it done. There have been a couple of times I have let a chicken suffer unnecessarily because I was too scared to cull it, I don't want that to ever happen again.

So proud of you. A great BIG hurdle. Good going.

Thank you! This is the part I was definitely dreading. The last 15 are just waiting for us outside, and they are much bigger.

She can't do that till Thursday!!

Lol! You're right, I am claiming an early night tonight though. I didn't think one little chicken would take so much from me, but I'm already worn out between the kids, big belly and the 9 week old lab puppy we adopted at a ridiculous time. I am glad that one is done though!

 

[Coralietg]

And I want to say a HUGE THANK YOU to those who helped me make this decision. This forum is full of invaluable members, and I really appreciate the help I got.

 

[cassie]

Congratulations!!! I'm proud of you. We're all proud of you. Think of this as a learning experience. It will get easier with time. For a killing knife I use a utility or box knife. The kind that uses razor blades. That way it is always sharp. Having the water the right temperature is crucial. A good scald makes all the difference in the world. All I can say is GOOD FOR YOU!!!!!

 

[MamaKitty913]

I am in need of advice. My husband left for a 48 hour shift this morning, so of course it would be today that I go to check the Cornish and one of them can't stand up.

I don't know what to do.

Yes ma'ma you do know what to do you just do not want to, I'm sorry!

Opps should have kept reading, good hard choices - ahh the life of a chicken keeper, lol!

 

[fisherlady]

So proud of you. A great BIG hurdle. Good going.

x2!!! It is never perfect the first time, but you have accomplished quite a bit today...

as to the neck/feathers thing.... I use one finger of the hand holding the neck tight to pull the feathers in the cut zone away. Dig your finger into the neck feathers at the cut zone and then slide it toward the head maybe half and inch.... this will help lift the feathers so you can start with the blade firmly against skin only. Any feathers between the blade and skin do make it a much more difficult cut... this is a technique which becomes simpler with experience.

 

[Coralietg]

Congratulations!!! I'm proud of you. We're all proud of you. Think of this as a learning experience. It will get easier with time. For a killing knife I use a utility or box knife. The kind that uses razor blades. That way it is always sharp. Having the water the right temperature is crucial. A good scald makes all the difference in the world. All I can say is GOOD FOR YOU!!!!!

I will ask DH about box knives, he will definitely know more about that than I do. I heated the water up on the stove, and brought it outside when it was about 150F. I allowed extra for temperature drop, but I ended up doing a couple of loops around the yard trying to get my mind right. Complete and utter wuss!

Yes ma'ma you do know what to do you just do not want to, I'm sorry!

Opps should have kept reading, good hard choices - ahh the life of a chicken keeper, lol!

I knew what I needed to do, in my heart. I was really just hoping I could put it off till Thursday. It just wasn't fair to leave him like that for two days.

x2!!! It is never perfect the first time, but you have accomplished quite a bit today...

as to the neck/feathers thing.... I use one finger of the hand holding the neck tight to pull the feathers in the cut zone away. Dig your finger into the neck feathers at the cut zone and then slide it toward the head maybe half and inch.... this will help lift the feathers so you can start with the blade firmly against skin only. Any feathers between the blade and skin do make it a much more difficult cut... this is a technique which becomes simpler with experience.

Thanks so much for the tip. I think I need to look closer at more examples of WHERE exactly to cut. He had so many tiny little feathers, almost like feather shafts only, on his neck area.

 

[JerseyHen]

I think the cut is best made rather close to the head just to either side of the trachea. I cut both sides to make it faster. Again, you did a really great job, especially when considering the circumstances. That is one finely dressed out bird! So, roast, potpie, fried? Or you could let hubby choose how he wants to prepare it for you when he gets back

 

[JerseyHen]

A box cutter is a great idea. I was considering a scalpel, but the handle might be slippery in the wrong conditions, but they are designed for cutting skin and come in disposables.

 

[Coralietg]

I think the cut is best made rather close to the head just to either side of the trachea. I cut both sides to make it faster. Again, you did a really great job, especially when considering the circumstances. That is one finely dressed out bird! So, roast, potpie, fried? Or you could let hubby choose how he wants to prepare it for you when he gets back

That's my kind of thinking. My plan was to roast it Thursday afternoon.

There are definitely some errors I made dressing it, but it was my first time so I'm not giving myself a hard time. I've never broke a chicken down into pieces before, I don't even like pulling out that little bag of organs that is sometimes in the store-bought chickens.

Next time I will cut both sides. I will get next to the skin instead of battling with the feathers. There were times it felt like I was trying to cut a rubber hose, I think I was expecting the neck to my more "fleshy" than it was.

Side note, the heart did look normal. I'm not sure it would be visually obvious in the case of heart failure? There was no extra fluid anywhere either. My daughter especially wanted to see the heart, and was very disappointed it wasn't "heart" shaped. The mind of a 5 year old, lol.