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

[Sally Sunshine]

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[Ur-ur-ur-urrr]

After reading some of the struggles folks have gone through on the forum here and realizing that I had the same problems, axe, loppers etc. I though I would share how processing day has evolved for me. This may or may not work for you but it has helped take the stress out of butchering days for me. It's still not easy and after a couple hundred I still have emotions with processing. I don't think you will ever get over it.




After placing bird in bag with hole cut large enough to fit chickens head in, secure to fence or post. Bailing wire wrapped twice around chickens legs and secured to back to itself will hold them in place for entire process. Weight of chicken will pull wire tighter.



Open chickens mouth. They will be moving at this point




Place knife blunt side out towards skin, sharp side towards neck bone and make a slicing motion on the neck once you see blood move to the other side and do the same. The braining part that folks talk about is done in this step. I've not had much luck with knife and will try flathead screw driver next.




Let the chicken bleed out. There will still be shaking with this part so go and prepare other birds or get ready to finish processing. If the bag was done right the wings will be held by the bag. The hole with this bag was almost too large. The bailing wire also holds bag in place. Seldom have a wing coming out.
Proceed as you would normally either skinning or feathering.



This is the position I hang the bird to skin it the height I've chosen allows me to sit in chair while processing. When finished skinning, the bird is parted out while it hangs there. All entrails skin etc. are then released into a 5 gallon bucket below the bird from the start. If done right all the innards are never touched. When I take legs and wings off I cut any useful meat off the back and the back is discarded with the entrails. You may chose to save the back and the neck. With the exception of feathers the parts are clean ready for salt, no water, and a Baggie to store in refrigerator. For me most of the time it's clean enough that I don't rinse except when cooking. All poultry is cooked to 165 so all bugs are killed as well.

Unless I'm too rough getting skin off and the bird loses its head. Then it's a mess to work with. I have a table ready for that but I've learned a technique when removing skin that takes pressure off neck. Older chickens seldom lose their head.
Equipment used: two knives and steel to keep knives sharp, feed bag, small length of bailing wire, baggies, salt, 5 gallon bucket and chair. Oh and the chicken.

Instead of a bag, I use re-purposed gallon jugs. I use rubber bungee cords to keep the birds steady. Since I don't have a killing knife, I use an Exacto knife with a sharp-pointed blade to gently cut the jugular veins. This seems to be a peaceful death to the birds I've done this way. They appear to simply go to sleep...

Killing jugs:

 

[Pensmaster]

Instead of a bag, I use re-purposed gallon jugs. I use rubber bungee cords to keep the birds steady. Since I don't have a killing knife, I use an Exacto knife with a sharp-pointed blade to gently cut the jugular veins. This seems to be a peaceful death to the birds I've done this way. They appear to simply go to sleep... Killing jugs:

Awesome idea but....I don't drink milk. And I always have bailing wire and bags. I used to tie their legs with wire as well but found that wasn't necessary I did receive a surgical knife from my dentist with extra blades. He didn't realize that the gals had scheduled him for an 8:00 appointment and so he was a little late. The knife was a recompense motion on his part. The reason he got it for me was we started talking of Caponizing and best sized knives. Real nice on his part he sure didn't have to do that. I'm going to try that next time. I'm also going to try the de braining with a screwdriver as the knife is to spot specific and I've only found the correct spot a couple times. If not careful you can push the knife too far out the back of head and your hand is usually there. Gloves are necessary. Agree on the peaceful part. So much better than the axe. Besides one can hurt themselves with that thing. Been having a great day so far. Four wheeling and weeding at the same time. Hope your day is going well.

 

[Ur-ur-ur-urrr]

Awesome idea but....I don't drink milk.

And I always have bailing wire and bags. I used to tie their legs with wire as well but found that wasn't necessary

I did receive a surgical knife from my dentist with extra blades. He didn't realize that the gals had scheduled him for an 8:00 appointment and so he was a little late. The knife was a recompense motion on his part. The reason he got it for me was we started talking of Caponizing and best sized knives. Real nice on his part he sure didn't have to do that. I'm going to try that next time.

I'm also going to try the de braining with a screwdriver as the knife is to spot specific and I've only found the correct spot a couple times. If not careful you can push the knife too far out the back of head and your hand is usually there. Gloves are necessary.

Agree on the peaceful part. So much better than the axe. Besides one can hurt themselves with that thing.

Been having a great day so far. Four wheeling and weeding at the same time.

Hope your day is going well.

That was a nice gesture by the dentist. I always have a use for some sharp objects... lol!

I hope the screwdriver works better than the knife... which sounds fairly dangerous. Let me know how it goes...

My day is going well. I bought materials for the new coop I'm about to start building, processed 2 cockerels, and now I need to climb onto my roof and try to patch a small leak. Time to get busy again!

 

[Pensmaster]

That was a nice gesture by the dentist. I always have a use for some sharp objects... lol!

I hope the screwdriver works better than the knife... which sounds fairly dangerous. Let me know how it goes...

My day is going well. I bought materials for the new coop I'm about to start building, processed 2 cockerels, and now I need to climb onto my roof and try to patch a small leak. Time to get busy again!   

Me too lunch is over get busy!!!

 

[Sally Sunshine]

 

[Pensmaster]

Hi Sally. Well more firebreak is in. Place looks awful afterwards as I don't mow like all the neighbors. I scrape. They don't come back that way till next year. The neighbors will be out mowing again soon as another rain will come through and it will grow all over again.

LF Dark Cornish chicks are doing really well with my Easter chicks. These were a mix of colors.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

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I am glad for the firebreaks, scrape with front end loader I take it?

 

[BBQJOE]

Sorry, I just can't see getting chickens, naming them all, and falling in love with them. You want that, get a dog or a kitty or something.
Unless you're not like me, this is food. Eggs birds and all. Running chickens to vets for testing might be something if you have a flock of 100 or more maybe. But really, they're just dumb food on two legs.
Diapers, and letting them in the house and all, what a set up for a heartbreak.

 

[Pensmaster]

  I am glad for the firebreaks, scrape with front end loader I take it? 

Front and back yes. More for tomorrow but I'm beat for now