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

[abbevilleoz]

Today we processed our last 8 CX, plus a 6 month old heritage bird.   It's a relief to be done, although I'm still a bit sad.  I always get a bit teary-eyed on the night before as I give the birds their last dinner and get them in the coop for the night.   It's such a weird transition to go from being their care-taker, to being their predator.  They were all big beautiful birds, between 6 1/2 and 9 1/2 dressed.   I enjoy raising them and eating them, but I wish there was a way to fast-forward thru the butchering part!

I'm with you. But, unlike others, these birds will become a part of you.

 

[Morrigan]

I'm with you. But, unlike others, these birds will become a part of you.

True. You are what you eat.

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

What tool do you use for the cut? I'm looking at scalpels but I don't know which size blade to order.

I use a scalpel, because that way I can get a good clean cut with a single stroke. I use the #22 scalpel blades and a metal handle to put them in. I use a pair of forceps with teeth to help safely take blades off the handle. I'm biased, because I am a pathologist, but I prefer this to any of the different knives I've tried, no matter how sharp - I get the cleanest kills this way.

These are the scalpel blades I have - this box would last forever (I use one blade per session/day unless it gets dull during the session for some reason).

Medline MDS15122 #22 Disposable Blade, Sterile, Stainless Steel (Pack of 100)

Got the handle at our medical bookstore, but it was like this one (below). Again. i am very comfortable with handling these, so maybe that's it, but it's really what I prefer.

https://www.amazon.com/SEOH-Stainle...=1479514549&sr=8-3&keywords=scalpel+handle+22

Another five chickens butchered this morning, this time all 6 mo. old cockerels raised here from chicks. All meaty, heavy birds and beautiful of form and feather, docile to handle. They won't have as much lovely fat stored as the old hens though way more than any other cockerels I've butchered before getting WRs, but their meat is incredibly fine textured and dense.

They are MUCH easier to butcher than the tough old hens, for sure. Slowly but surely the meat harvest is done in this manner, sorting out what one will keep and what one will eat. It's an age old ritual passed down since the beginning of time and I love being a link in that chain. The work goes faster if you have help, but there's something to be said about the silence and serenity of doing this kind of work alone that I love too. It's a beautiful day and a slight breeze every now and again....quiet except the sounds of crows in the distance and the crunching of bones as the dogs eat heads and feet, the sounds, while the rest of the flock scratch through the fall leaves. God gave me a beautiful day for such work and I thank Him for the good, clean meat grown on this peaceful land.

More meat in the jars by this evening! Hopefully. If I don't wear out too soon. LOL Gotta let that chill in the fridge a bit while I go unload a truckload of leaves and 200# of feed.

@Beekissed, can you direct me to your process for canning your chickens/meat? I can't seem to find it anymore... I want to do this next Spring.

Pics of my 2 gallon bleach jug killing cones in use today...will give folks an idea of how good they fit the shape of a chicken~ and tough!!! You can't tear through this plastic, especially if you mount it with a broad headed nail, like a roofing nail.

Tasty cockerels waiting their turn in the cones.









This was the smallest one and just look at the fat inside this thing!!! And more layered on the back, back of the neck, the thighs, etc. Fall foraging...it does a body good.

I LOVE your white rocks.

I processed two boys today that were suppose to be Cornish cross girls. Anyway I keep naked necks, and every time I process a non naked neck I say "never again" I will be glad when my breeding program is finished w/ non NN, and I don't have to process any more.

Tell me about it. First time I skinned a bird, it was a non-NN - the second of a batch. After doing one, I was like, "Oh **** no - not doing that again!" Eventually all of my meat birds will be NN, but there's the occasional non-NN that needs culling. Then I skin. I've dry plucked my NNs before - it's actually not that bad if you're not doing a lot of them. And none of the hairs!!!!!

I came back over here to catch up because someone had posted about broiler silkies being available now, and I got excited about them.

- Ant Farm

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

I can't recall if I shared this here before, but for what it's worth:

I use a cone and cut the jugular. Some bleed out faster than others - I have yet to perfect it. But what I have found helps (confirmed with my last cull) is to cut one side (I don't find the blood comes out any faster cutting the other side as well), then gently tilt their head away from the cut, encouraging the blood to continue to flow (if I don't, it will often slow down/stop). At the same time, I stroke their face under their eye on the side away from the cut (like I would with a hen I'm cuddling). It calms them, and it calms me as well. I'm present in the moment and with them to the end. I don't walk away - some people do that, but it doesn't help me at all. I'm there watching and holding their head and face the whole time. Even if I have a lot to cull, I still do this with each one.

I held these birds' lives in my hand from egg to cone - I feel I need to be present in the moment to be thankful. Just my process.

- Ant Farm

 

[Beekissed]

I only cut one side and cock the head over also....seems to facilitate the flow of blood and leaves less blood on the feathers of the neck, I've found.

 

[Mims]

Can some sweet soul show me on this pic exactly where I cut the arteries? I have only butchered 2 roosters so far, and the rest need to be done this weekend. I used the broomstick method, and removed the head completely, because I was afraid of not killing them. I want to try it out this way, but need to make sure I cut them in the right place. Thanks!

 

[the poppster]

Can some sweet soul show me on this pic exactly where I cut the arteries? I have only butchered 2 roosters so far, and the rest need to be done this weekend. I used the broomstick method, and removed the head completely, because I was afraid of not killing them. I want to try it out this way, but need to make sure I cut them in the right place. Thanks!

I can't give you a picture...but if you have a cone or make a killing cone. If not secure the bird upside down by the feet, with a slip knot. Let him settle down...using a sharp knife....a good paring knife with a 3-4 inch blade is what I use. Gently hold the birds head and pull down straightening out the neck put your thumb under the beak and tip his head back, run the knife hand down the opposite side of the neck to the base of his throat, pushing the feathers towards the head....this gets them out of the way. Now the jugular vein runs just under the skin below the bottom jaw. Tilting the head away...set the knife blade, up by the handle,against the exposed skin and with mild pressure...pull the blade across the side of the neck. If you've hit the right spot, the blood will spert out...Continue to hold the head. Holding the head also makes it easier to recut if necessary...it does happen sometimes even to the experts...He will flap for a few minutes. Holding the head with a little tension will reduce the mess...little or no blood flying around. I find a small sharp knife works better than a big one...better control and less chance of slicing a finger. Hope it helps. Good Luck!

 

[Mims]

I can't give you a picture...but if you have a cone or make a killing cone. If not secure the bird upside down by the feet, with a slip knot. Let him settle down...using a sharp knife....a good paring knife with a 3-4 inch blade is what I use. Gently hold the birds head and pull down straightening out the neck put your thumb under the beak and tip his head back, run the knife hand down the opposite side of the neck to the base of his throat, pushing the feathers towards the head....this gets them out of the way. Now the jugular vein runs just under the skin below the bottom jaw. Tilting the head away...set the knife blade, up by the handle,against the exposed skin and with mild pressure...pull the blade across the side of the neck. If you've hit the right spot, the blood will spert out...Continue to hold the head. Holding the head also makes it easier to recut if necessary...it does happen sometimes even to the experts...He will flap for a few minutes. Holding the head with a little tension will reduce the mess...little or no blood flying around. I find a small sharp knife works better than a big one...better control and less chance of slicing a finger. Hope it helps. Good Luck!

Thanks, Poppster!

 

[the poppster]

What does everyone here use to scald your poultry? For our first bird we processed (muscovy drake) we only had a 20 quart stock pot to dunk him in and that was a disaster! He was so big he didn't fit so my DH had to dunk the top half, then flip him around and dunk the bottom half. Hard to do when dealing with nearly boiling water. Not to mention the water was on our stove in the kitchen. It has a hood above it so he actually didn't have a whole lot of room to do it....ugh. the muscovy ended up being 9 lbs 13 oz after he was totally processed. We have two more drakes of similar size to cull. I have a 40 quart pot now which should be big enough but I still have the problem of my heat source the stove definitely isn't going to work. DH wants to build a stand that will sit over the burn barrel out of some rebar we have laying around. What does everyone else use?

propane turkey cooker works great...don't forget the thermometer!

 

[rebrascora]

@mich9510

I've just been using a trug or large bucket that I part fill with really hot water from the tap and then boil a few kettle fulls to bring it up to temp but I only process 2 at a time and I add more boiling water after dipping the first one to bring it back up to temp. I'm going to use an old cool box for the next ones this week as it is insulated, so it should hold the temp better than a trug now that it's frosty outside. Then I hang them from the washing line to pluck them with a garden waste sack below to catch the feathers.

I can't justify the expense of buying special equipment when I'm only processing a few excess cockerels.