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

[kacklinkelly]

When I processed my one "and only so far" meatie (out of necessity), I had to make one extra slice on the
neck artery. I felt terrible that i didn' get it deep enough the first time. However, I knew at that moment, I
had to get it done quickly & "right" with the second cut. it worked. After bleeding out, I used a warm water soak with some dish soap
and a cup of vinegar. Lots of swishing and The dirty meatie came out quite clean. I didn't scald as I
chose to skin my first one. It just seemed easier for me the first time around. And it was. The next hardest
part for me was deciding where to make the first "chop" to begin the skinning. Once I began skinning it, it was very much
like I do when I clean any store bought chicken with skin on. I didn't realize it until I was doing it, but I have skinned
store bought chickens for years (they just didn't have feathers attached or guts).

I then removed the thighs, legs and breast meat, as a previous writer posted. It took me one hour because I needed to take a
break in between each step before moving forward. After I got the meat I wanted, I then became clinical by
looking at all the innards and trying to figure out what organ was what. I also opened the gizzard as I had
seen done on Youtube. I was not brave enough to eat any of the organ meat or even cook it up for the
dog. I also did not use the feet for broth. (seemed like a waste that I chose to toss everything else
but it was all I could do the first time around) Doing it this way, helped me gain the necessary confidence
to finish the other meaties I will process next weekend. I will do the scald on at least one if it is heavy enough
to be a decent roaster.

Baby steps my friend and confidence gained in every effort we put forth. I am proud of your accomplishment,
it is not easy to take a life as many have said before me. However, the connection gained to our food
source is something I have never experienced before. Whatever you choose to do going forward, it will
be the correct choice for you. All the best -

 

[Sally Sunshine]

We used rather hot water for our pre wash... it was straight hot water from the tap with some Dawn and a cup of bleach (I used a large cooler to give plenty of swishing room)
After birds were bled out in cone we moved them to the pre wash and swished them a couple of minutes to loosen the yuck and get the dirt and such out of the feathers... they then went directly to scald and then to plucker. We didn't cold water bath them till after the plucking, since they would have to wait for the gutting stage for a few minutes.
Doing it that way avoided the body being chilled before it would be placed into the scald water.

If needed it would be easy enough to move them from cone to cold water for short term storage, then go to the prewash/prewarm before they go to the scalder. Biggest factor to help decide how many cold water baths you need to set up for would be how many folks you had to help or if you were doing it yourself. If I were working myself I would definitely add in the extra cold bath container to give myself extra time for getting the stages finished.

I also used hot tap water but I added some cold from the hose when I got out there.

 

[kacklinkelly]

This week's update on the meaties:

They are 7 weeks old now and the 3 remaining weigh 3.85, 4.5 and 5.5 lb.
I know that some people have said their meaties were quite larger. I'm
still amazed that in 7 weeks they weigh as much or more as my full
grown hens that are 7 months old. My heaviest hen is an EE and
she weighs 6 lbs. Processing the meaties is planned for next weekend. My
husband still hasn't committed to joining me. (he hasn't said no
though either

) My adult son wants nothing to do with it and my
adult daughter is going on vacation. Looks like it might just be me.
Glad I only have 3 to do. I also have to make some room in my
small freezer this week.

Hoping all moms out there enjoyed their day however you chose
to spend it.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

I wonder if there is a "standard weight deduction" estimate for weighing live birds somewhere, like if you weigh and take a % off for "cleaned off goods" lol

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Storey’s Guide to Raising Chickens for Meat

Broiler-fryer — A young, tender bird of either sex weighing between 2 1/2 and 4 1/2 pounds (1 and 2 kg) dressed.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines a broiler-fryer as being “about 7 weeks old.”

Roaster — A young tender bird of either sex, usually weighing 5 to 7 pounds (2.25 to 3.2 kg) dressed.
The USDA defines a roaster as being “about 3 to 5 months old.”


Read more: http://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/raising-chickens-for-meat-guide-ze0z1301zsau.aspx?PageId=2#ixzz2TAU8MF1x

 

[ronott1]

Storey’s Guide to Raising Chickens for Meat

Broiler-fryer — A young, tender bird of either sex weighing between 2 1/2 and 4 1/2 pounds (1 and 2 kg) dressed.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines a broiler-fryer as being “about 7 weeks old.”

Roaster — A young tender bird of either sex, usually weighing 5 to 7 pounds (2.25 to 3.2 kg) dressed.
The USDA defines a roaster as being “about 3 to 5 months old.”


Read more: http://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/raising-chickens-for-meat-guide-ze0z1301zsau.aspx?PageId=2#ixzz2TAU8MF1x

Look up the standards from before the age of the monster cornish X

 

[chicksooner]

chicks, I can't say anything everyone else has already put so well. I, also, had trouble the first couple times finding the right spot and cutting deeply enough. And older birds are much, much harder to eviscerate than young birds. I remember watching Food, Inc and seeing Salatin (?) draw a bird in like three seconds. Then I tried drawing my first - a seven month old EE cock - and it took me about thirty minutes because the membranes were soooo tough and strong.

Y'know - rereading your account just now, you mentioned plucking taking a long time because you thought he may have cooled the scald water and so didn't scald well. It gave me an idea... For those of us who pre-wash before the scald, why not set up two scald pots...? One as a warming dip, one for the true scald. I may try this, because I have occasionally had the same problem, particularly with larger birds! See, your experience has helped someone else!

Glad my experience helped you. I think the warm water bath is probably a good idea. I think I will try that next time as well.

When I processed my one "and only so far" meatie (out of necessity), I had to make one extra slice on the
neck artery. I felt terrible that i didn' get it deep enough the first time. However, I knew at that moment, I
had to get it done quickly & "right" with the second cut. it worked. After bleeding out, I used a warm water soak with some dish soap
and a cup of vinegar. Lots of swishing and The dirty meatie came out quite clean. I didn't scald as I
chose to skin my first one. It just seemed easier for me the first time around. And it was. The next hardest
part for me was deciding where to make the first "chop" to begin the skinning. Once I began skinning it, it was very much
like I do when I clean any store bought chicken with skin on. I didn't realize it until I was doing it, but I have skinned
store bought chickens for years (they just didn't have feathers attached or guts).

I then removed the thighs, legs and breast meat, as a previous writer posted. It took me one hour because I needed to take a
break in between each step before moving forward. After I got the meat I wanted, I then became clinical by
looking at all the innards and trying to figure out what organ was what. I also opened the gizzard as I had
seen done on Youtube. I was not brave enough to eat any of the organ meat or even cook it up for the
dog. I also did not use the feet for broth. (seemed like a waste that I chose to toss everything else
but it was all I could do the first time around) Doing it this way, helped me gain the necessary confidence
to finish the other meaties I will process next weekend. I will do the scald on at least one if it is heavy enough
to be a decent roaster.

Baby steps my friend and confidence gained in every effort we put forth. I am proud of your accomplishment,
it is not easy to take a life as many have said before me. However, the connection gained to our food
source is something I have never experienced before. Whatever you choose to do going forward, it will
be the correct choice for you. All the best -

Thanks. I am thinking the next time I will just pluck and piece out. Leave the innards for another time. I was really wanting to roast so I could be as cool as Sally but I love me some fried chicken too. Although they are getting older and tougher everyday...

 

[Sally Sunshine]

 

[ronott1]

Rediscovering Traditional Meats from Historic Chicken Breeds
By Gina Bisco
The chicken meat most of us take for granted today is quite different from what our grandparents
experienced. Today commercial chicken meat production is very different from methods and ideas common
before the mid-20th century. Those of us who want to conserve old chicken breeds need to understand the
traditional chicken meat classes and their excellent cooking qualities.

There are 4 traditional chicken meat classes: broiler, fryer, roaster and fowl. The traditional broiler age
range was from 7 to 12 weeks, and carcass weight from 1 to 2 1/2 lbs. (Squab broilers would be youngest and
smallest of these, typically Leghorn cockerels about 3/4 to 1 pound dressed.) The next age and weight group
was called the fryer. Traditional fryer age range was from 14 to 20 weeks, and carcass weight from 2 1/2 to 4
lbs. Traditional roaster age range was from 5 to 12 months, and carcass weight from 4 to 8 pounds. Most
roasters were butchered between 6 and 9 months. Hens and roosters 12 months and older were called “fowl” or
“stewing fowl” signifying that slow moist cooking methods were required.

These traditional meat classifications, used until the 1940s, were based on the growth patterns and carcass
qualities of the pure breeds that were commonly used throughout the U.S. to produce eggs and meat. Traditional
chicken meats were classified by butchering age because of the special product qualities associated with each
age range. Even though modern product labels and modern cookbooks still use the terms broiler, fryer and
roaster, these traditional meat classes no longer apply to the modern “meat line” chickens because of their
extremely fast growth rate. The modern “meat line” chickens grow so fast that all sizes, even the largest size,
are butchered before they are old enough to be classified as traditional fryers....

 

[chicksooner]

Did you take my post wrong? I hope not. I really wanted to be as good as you the first time. I really wanted to roast a chicken too. You rocked it all. (I really wanted a good drink after but new BP meds were holding me back).