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

[Sally Sunshine]

it sounds like some people don't isolate the birds before processing day. should I isolate or not? I have my rooster bachelor pads that I was going to isolate them in for a couple days and then set up processing around the corner from them. Also I don't have a sink that I could dedicate to cleaning. (I have OCD issues and it involves sanitized kitchens) So could we just use buckets. I have several buckets in mind for the various cleaning stages. Then a quick sanitize and refill for each bird. I would not want to do this with lots of birds.

you metioning isolation just made me envision and think about something! no really I am thinking........


When I drop my roos off, wont they all fight each other in the cages? I know they will be dead soon so who cares but still that would suck!

 

[fisherlady]

So after they are all prepped all you do is rinse a final time right?

We do the kill, rinse for blood and dirt, skin or pluck the bird, then just a quick rinse to check that carcass is clean of skin/feathers, open bird up and gut them, rinse body cavity at cleaning table and double check that organs are all out and place bird in cold water/ice bath.
Then I do a final rinse under running water (with hands cleaned and/or fresh gloves from the first half of the process) and inspect for missed feathers, bones, blood, or anything else. Then we place in a large post and stash bird in spare fridge to set for a couple of days before quartering or packing whole.

Some of the rinsing could be done with 'dunk buckets' also, just make them big enough to swish the bird in. But water would have to be replaced often to avoid the yuck.

Should I Vaccinate MEAT BIRDS? if so which vacines?

We didn't have ours vaccinated... I would go with same thing you do for your other birds. Remember most are only going to be around for 6-12 wks, and most of that time probably in a 'meaty pen' rather than your regular coop area.
If you plan to house them with your other flock, then go with the quarantine and isolation precautions you normally use and are comfortable with.

I see a lot of images with people wearing Rain COATS!!
is it really this bloody? or are they the chopping heads flopping birds processors?

I would wear old clothes, and probably an apron or something like that just to make it easier to keep the feathers under control. Wet feathers stick to you like glue!! A plastic apron or covering of some type can just be rinsed off when it gets splattered with feathers or anything else.

Another benefit to apron... get one with a couple of large pockets... last thing you want to do is try to get into your pants pockets or jacket pockets with a messy glove on!

it sounds like some people don't isolate the birds before processing day. should I isolate or not? I have my rooster bachelor pads that I was going to isolate them in for a couple days and then set up processing around the corner from them. Also I don't have a sink that I could dedicate to cleaning. (I have OCD issues and it involves sanitized kitchens) So could we just use buckets. I have several buckets in mind for the various cleaning stages. Then a quick sanitize and refill for each bird. I would not want to do this with lots of birds.

We plan to place the birds into large crates the night before butchering after they settle down for the evening. They can sleep in them that night and in the morning we carry the crates to a staging area near where we will process. But out of sight of the activity or covered with a sheet or something...
Rinse buckets work... another option is setting up two or three medium coolers with ice water in them, dunk and swish in the first, then move to next and do it again. When the first gets pinkish or fouled then dump it and refill, place it into position 2 and swap cooler 2 into position one and continue.
The coolers work nice because they have a larger opening, keep the water cold and you can close the lids when they aren't needed to keep them clean and cold.

you metioning isolation just made me envision and think about something! no really I am thinking........


When I drop my roos off, wont they all fight each other in the cages? I know they will be dead soon so who cares but still that would suck!

I wouldn't put a bunch of roos together in a cage if they don't know each other, ones who are used to each other in the coop probably won't fight much, if at all. If the cages are covered so they stay darker it will help keep them calmer also.

 

[foxflower]

I am going to pipe in here with my experience......I was raised a vegetarian and still am mostly, as are my family. I also love animals and live on a farm. About 3 years ago I ordered a bunch of chickens from Sandhill because they had all the breeds I wanted to try (we do eat the eggs). Then I ordered from Privett because I found another breed I wanted to help preserve, so straight run there too. That was a lot of roosters! I live way out where you can hardly give away a rooster (I managed to re-home a couple). My husband warned me he didn't want to responsible for getting rid of all the roos. So I warned the family not to name or get attached to the roos because they weren't staying! I asked an acquantaince who is familiar with butchering chickens to teach me how. The first time is the hardest so it helps to have a coach. I then asked someone else familiar with skinning birds to come show me how to do that. Then we had a butchering gathering. I sent meat home with the helpers and still ended up with extra to give away.

Here was my thinking process (other than not getting attached....)
1. The birds will have a miserable existance if we keep them. Picture what happens to everybody when you have too high a ratio of roos to hens. The roos fight and injure or kill each other. The hens get over-bred, defeathered, and sun-burned. The whole flock ends up stressed.

2. By killing them myself I am preventing them from a stressful and possibly painful and gueling death.

3. If I were a meat eater (I never buy chicken at the grocery store) I'd be saving myself a lot of money.

4. They taste way better and you know what's in them. Have you seen what's in the commercially processed chicken?

5. Keeping an aggressive or obnoxious roo could cost you a lot of money or physical pain and just isn't worth it.

6. There is no need to enjoy the process. My attitude is that killing should not be fun. It is something that should be done as necessary and respectfully, not for fun. I know there are those that would disagree.

Some tips (based on my experience):

When you go to do the butchering I would suggest you do it with friends or acquaintances for knowledge transference and mutual encouragement. Also it is plenty of work, whichever method you use, so help is nice. Pay your help in meat if you need to. Also, if someone nearby is in the same bind, kill each other's birds rather than you own the first time around.

The night before butchering day separate out the birds you are going to kill so that you don't have to capture them during the day. I also set up the area and gather supplies in advance.

Don't kill them in front of each other (I think that causes stress to everyone, especially the tenderhearted like me).

Don't forget to sharpen your ax/hatchet and knives. There is nothing more frustrating than prolonging the death because your instrument wasn't sharp. You'll also want your knives sharp for cutting up the carcass and meat.

Remember that even if the carcass is moving, if the head is severed or there is significant head trauma, the bird is dead and not suffering. Also, I understand that the physical effect of shock also sets in which helps prevent pain. I don't know exactly how that works, but its what I've been told.

I hope this helps. You can do whatever is necessary.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Thank you, Not sure how I will drop them off now though, maybe it would be better to do them at home..... I wish I had a plucker, I know its only 4 roos..
Time frame to do 4 huge roos for the first time?

and I don't have any big pots yet, forgot that one, or a cone but I seen pics where they just used empty bleach bottles or something with tops cut off.

 

[foxflower]

Oh, and for some practicalities in the process. We lined a bucket with a garbage bag. After the bird was killed we set it neck-down in the lined buckets for the blood to drawn and to keep it from flopping around and making a mess. No raincoats needed. A bucket lined with a garbage bag was also good for they disposed of parts. Buckets, large boals, and cooler work great for the the washing and keeping cool before transferring to ziploc bags. Lining them with garbage bags just makes cleaning a lot faster and easier.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

I am going to pipe in here with my experience......I was raised a vegetarian and still am mostly, as are my family. I also love animals and live on a farm. About 3 years ago I ordered a bunch of chickens from Sandhill because they had all the breeds I wanted to try (we do eat the eggs). Then I ordered from Privett because I found another breed I wanted to help preserve, so straight run there too. That was a lot of roosters! I live way out where you can hardly give away a rooster (I managed to re-home a couple). My husband warned me he didn't want to responsible for getting rid of all the roos. So I warned the family not to name or get attached to the roos because they weren't staying! I asked an acquantaince who is familiar with butchering chickens to teach me how. The first time is the hardest so it helps to have a coach. I then asked someone else familiar with skinning birds to come show me how to do that. Then we had a butchering gathering. I sent meat home with the helpers and still ended up with extra to give away.

Here was my thinking process (other than not getting attached....)
1. The birds will have a miserable existance if we keep them. Picture what happens to everybody when you have too high a ratio of roos to hens. The roos fight and injure or kill each other. The hens get over-bred, defeathered, and sun-burned. The whole flock ends up stressed.

2. By killing them myself I am preventing them from a stressful and possibly painful and gueling death.

3. If I were a meat eater (I never buy chicken at the grocery store) I'd be saving myself a lot of money.

4. They taste way better and you know what's in them. Have you seen what's in the commercially processed chicken?

5. Keeping an aggressive or obnoxious roo could cost you a lot of money or physical pain and just isn't worth it.

6. There is no need to enjoy the process. My attitude is that killing should not be fun. It is something that should be done as necessary and respectfully, not for fun. I know there are those that would disagree.

Some tips (based on my experience):

When you go to do the butchering I would suggest you do it with friends or acquaintances for knowledge transference and mutual encouragement. Also it is plenty of work, whichever method you use, so help is nice. Pay your help in meat if you need to. Also, if someone nearby is in the same bind, kill each other's birds rather than you own the first time around.

The night before butchering day separate out the birds you are going to kill so that you don't have to capture them during the day. I also set up the area and gather supplies in advance.

Don't kill them in front of each other (I think that causes stress to everyone, especially the tenderhearted like me).

Don't forget to sharpen your ax/hatchet and knives. There is nothing more frustrating than prolonging the death because your instrument wasn't sharp. You'll also want your knives sharp for cutting up the carcass and meat.

Remember that even if the carcass is moving, if the head is severed or there is significant head trauma, the bird is dead and not suffering. Also, I understand that the physical effect of shock also sets in which helps prevent pain. I don't know exactly how that works, but its what I've been told.

I hope this helps. You can do whatever is necessary.

oh Wow!! GREAT positive thinking! Thank you so much!!

I need a big pot!

seriously you guys are AMAZING! all my dad did is laugh at me like in his stupid "dad" snicker..... grrrrrrr that don't help just fires me up!

 

[foxflower]

We once put individual roos in gunney sacks for transportation. Feed bags would probably work fine too. I folded down the tops of the bags to make them the right size, then threaded and cinched them down until only the roo's head and neck could stick out. I imagine simply tying and folding down would work also. The birds could see and breath but couldn't fight each other and didn't fill the vehicle with a mess. It's cheap too. The also looked hilarious in the back of the hatch-back car.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

We once put individual roos in gunney sacks for transportation. Feed bags would probably work fine too. I folded down the tops of the bags to make them the right size, then threaded and cinched them down until only the roo's head and neck could stick out. I imagine simply tying and folding down would work also. The birds could see and breath but couldn't fight each other and didn't fill the vehicle with a mess. It's cheap too. The also looked hilarious in the back of the hatch-back car.

LMAO now that's a picture and a half!!

 

[Sally Sunshine]

How is this list of items necessary?

• Knives VERY SHARP
• Killing cone with bucket and Garbage bag
• Buckets and/or pails for the guts and other discarded pieces.
• Water- Running Preferably
• Gloves Optional, but are sanitary
• Old clothes
• Work Table One that can be easily hosed and cleaned
• Scalding Tank/Stockpot, Thermometer, burner or fire, Dawn Dish Soap
• Paper towels, trash bags & rags
• Cutting board/s
• Plastic bags for storage and tubs for resting/brining meat before freezing
• Brining ingredients Salt/Sugar
• Tissues to dry tears
  
• Chickens, don't forget those!

 

[fisherlady]

How is this list of items necessary?

• Knives VERY SHARP
• Killing cone with bucket and Garbage bag
• Buckets and/or pails for the guts and other discarded pieces.
• Water- Running Preferably
• Gloves Optional, but are sanitary
• Old clothes
• Work Table One that can be easily hosed and cleaned
• Scalding Tank/Stockpot, Thermometer, burner or fire, Dawn Dish Soap
• Paper towels, trash bags & rags
• Cutting board/s
• Plastic bags for storage and tubs for resting/brining meat before freezing
• Brining ingredients Salt/Sugar
• Tissues to dry tears
  
• Chickens, don't forget those!

Good list, but add....

* Scrub brushes- one or two, plastic bristle type, used for assisting in the cleaning of surfaces
* Scrubber sponges- for wiping out buckets and coolers
* Kitchen Cleaner- your preferred bleach or bleach alternative sanitizer for working surfaces and cooler cleaning
* Face shield or at least Safety glasses for person working around the scalding water, can help prevent splatter... personal preference on this one...
*Bone Scissors.... optional, because you can seperate joints easily enough with sharp knife with practice, but have used them on legs and wings and depending on your
hand strength and arthritis you may want options.... you will find your hands get tired.
* bags of ice- cooling the birds quickly can help prevent bacteria growth, so ice bathing to bring temp down is often used. a few bags of ice can help do this, again, it is an option to consider.