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

[Sally Sunshine]

I found something of what I was looking for. I had read somewhere about not cutting the windpipe.

KILLING/BLEEDING

When killing the bird, it is best to cut the carotid artery, not the windpipe. This allows the bird to bleed more easily and minimizes shock. A properly bled bird will have little or no blood around the bone or joint. Do not cut the head off as the bird is bled. This will result in an undesirable appearance. The head should be removed during the evisceration process. Estimate bleeding time at about 1 minute and 15 seconds.
I got this from http://www.cornerstone-farm.com/processing-info/

A SUMMARY OF THIS THREADS LINKS VIDEOS HOW-To's WILL be ADDED to this ARTICLE https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/processing-day-support-group-summary-of-thread for EASY ACCESS, IF I missed adding something you feel should go in the summary PM me and I will add it!
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[fisherlady]

[COLOR=800080]A SUMMARY OF THIS THREADS LINKS VIDEOS HOW-To's WILL be ADDED to this ARTICLE https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/processing-day-support-group-summary-of-thread for EASY ACCESS, IF I missed adding something you feel should go in the summary PM me and I will add it![/COLOR]​

Thanks Sally! I can't navigate too well from my phone, can't do searches and I know we covered that with pics...
You are a great organizer and much better with linking and listing than I am even when I am not on my phone ! LOL

 

[Bridebeliever]

[COLOR=800080]A SUMMARY OF THIS THREADS LINKS VIDEOS HOW-To's WILL be ADDED to this ARTICLE https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/processing-day-support-group-summary-of-thread for EASY ACCESS, IF I missed adding something you feel should go in the summary PM me and I will add it![/COLOR]​

Thank you for all your labor!

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Thanks Sally! I can't navigate too well from my phone, can't do searches and I know we covered that with pics...
You are a great organizer and much better with linking and listing than I am even when I am not on my phone ! LOL

oh trust me, that one isnt organized, its all copy pasted there so far, I only got that far and so far! lol!!! but it has the first part anyways!!

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Here are the meaties cornishx this morning! I cant believe how much weight they put on! they are so much different now too! they are laying around, they are all stinky now too, not as white and nice either, they have to work to stand up a bit now too, I am a bit worried that we may not get them to 11 weeks, we may have to process them this sunday that will be 9.5 weeks, as hubs has a trip to his dads in SC for hunting boar and deer the following weekend and I really dont want to process all the chickens we have planned alone.

I guess I should weigh them in again eh? what are signs of heart issues? some of them are breathing really heavy and I just dont feel right about, I cant explain, but I know my chickens! They get up and move when prompted, just very lazy. Maybe the 24% feed was too much of a quick change? idk

 

[sideWing]

Here are the meaties cornishx this morning! I cant believe how much weight they put on! they are so much different now too! they are laying around, they are all stinky now too, not as white and nice either, they have to work to stand up a bit now too, I am a bit worried that we may not get them to 11 weeks, we may have to process them this sunday that will be 9.5 weeks, as hubs has a trip to his dads in SC for hunting boar and deer the following weekend and I really dont want to process all the chickens we have planned alone.

I guess I should weigh them in again eh? what are signs of heart issues? some of them are breathing really heavy and I just dont feel right about, I cant explain, but I know my chickens! They get up and move when prompted, just very lazy. Maybe the 24% feed was too much of a quick change? idk

Maybe someone with a lot of experience could tell you of any signs. The only thing I noticed was some of the big cockerels started limping and that was a sign that they all needed to be harvested. The limping cockerels don't necessarily have heart issues, it's just a sign that the flock is reaching the overgrown for their genes state. The only sign we saw was a dead bird all of a sudden. But I'm also at 5,000 ft elevation so it's harder on the birds.

24% is great if you want to get them up to size and harvest them. I used 24% for the whole 10 weeks and only lost one bird to heart attack.

 

[fisherlady]

Here are the meaties cornishx this morning! I cant believe how much weight they put on! they are so much different now too! they are laying around, they are all stinky now too, not as white and nice either, they have to work to stand up a bit now too, I am a bit worried that we may not get them to 11 weeks, we may have to process them this sunday that will be 9.5 weeks, as hubs has a trip to his dads in SC for hunting boar and deer the following weekend and I really dont want to process all the chickens we have planned alone.

I guess I should weigh them in again eh? what are signs of heart issues? some of them are breathing really heavy and I just dont feel right about, I cant explain, but I know my chickens! They get up and move when prompted, just very lazy. Maybe the 24% feed was too much of a quick change? idk

They are looking good....signs of chf are combs loosing color and even starting to look purplish or blue tinged (cyanosis) a bird being more lethargic than the rest, labored breathing (late sign), skin on butt and lower back looking cyanotic (very late sign) and what dh and I just called 'bubble butt' or 'balloon butt'. To check for the bubble butt you pick them up and check their bottom from just behind their legs to the vent area. Most will feel like your normal bird butts but the ones who are retaining fluid will feel sort of like a water balloon. The more full it feels the more likely the bird is to be showing signs of lethargy or cyanosis. Once a bird starts showing cyanosis of comb or skin with any lethargy they go on the quick list for culling. Signs of labored breathing means immediate trip to the cone.
Some people have drained off the abdominal fluid (called ascites) with short term success, it won't change the fact the bird has CHF but it can allow them an extra week or two without distress to finish growing. The ascites causes pressure against their organs which interferes with blood circulation and organ function which eventually causes a cascade failure resulting in them dying. Removing the fluid can delay the failures and make them more comfortable.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Maybe someone with a lot of experience could tell you of any signs. The only thing I noticed was some of the big cockerels started limping and that was a sign that they all needed to be harvested. The limping cockerels don't necessarily have heart issues, it's just a sign that the flock is reaching the overgrown for their genes state. The only sign we saw was a dead bird all of a sudden. But I'm also at 5,000 ft elevation so it's harder on the birds.

24% is great if you want to get them up to size and harvest them. I used 24% for the whole 10 weeks and only lost one bird to heart attack.

They are looking good....signs of chf are combs loosing color and even starting to look purplish or blue tinged (cyanosis) a bird being more lethargic than the rest, labored breathing (late sign), skin on butt and lower back looking cyanotic (very late sign) and what dh and I just called 'bubble butt' or 'balloon butt'. To check for the bubble butt you pick them up and check their bottom from just behind their legs to the vent area. Most will feel like your normal bird butts but the ones who are retaining fluid will feel sort of like a water balloon. The more full it feels the more likely the bird is to be showing signs of lethargy or cyanosis. Once a bird starts showing cyanosis of comb or skin with any lethargy they go on the quick list for culling. Signs of labored breathing means immediate trip to the cone.
Some people have drained off the abdominal fluid (called ascites) with short term success, it won't change the fact the bird has CHF but it can allow them an extra week or two without distress to finish growing. The ascites causes pressure against their organs which interferes with blood circulation and organ function which eventually causes a cascade failure resulting in them dying. Removing the fluid can delay the failures and make them more comfortable.

crap ok, I did notice two of them laying and breathing weird had really purple bums, I gotta run out after hubs comes home and get better looks and see if I can get some weights too, perhaps these wont get at large as we expected from ideal, better go take a look at their meaties page too. maybe processing a few early.... did I mention I purchased a plucker and its to be delivered today, not here yet, but how coincidental eh? I figured since I was purchasing turkeys and going into meaties x2 bunches a year may was well, it will pay for itself in misery, so I looked at the kind you had and purchased an XL so we can fit big turks in it too. lol but I had a coupon so I did well. trying to get dad to raise some each year too, so perhaps he will put some $ in too. idk worth a shot right?


will check in later or tomorrow! on the meatie issue

 

[Sally Sunshine]

ideal only states this ~
Quote:

 

[Sally Sunshine]

oh how do you "DRAIN THEM"