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

[BCMaraniac]

I prefer white meat myself.

Same here......although the thighs are good too, especially boneless and grilled.

 

[ronott1]

You did it chicks! the extra bits meaning the lungs? a small spoon would work well, but I know we went over all that here, there is a actual tool. I think you should bake one Chicks, it seriously helped me move on. the taste makes you feel like an idiot for waiting so long lol!

Today I processed another three Cockerels, One Pita Pinta and two Basque Hens.

To clean out the innards, I cut above the vent and pushed in below the breast bone. When I reached the neck part of the cavity, I curled my fingers and made a half fist, scraping along the back bone. Lungs and all came out at once that way.

Nope! No grapefruit spoon for me....

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Quote: lol! I don't have nails so I ended up having Harmony get it all out!

 

[Kassaundra]

My lung removers are my fingers too. Can't loose or misplace them.

 

[3 NH reds]

our brahma legs were the same, I kept them with the juice and froze and ended up in potpie. Breastessess however had been EATEN fast!

I pressure cooked the last roo so it just fell apart. might be my new way to cook roo's

My lung removers are my fingers too. Can't loose or misplace them.

Just don't have wine when you are cutting up or de boning chicken or ya might regret that statement.

 

[ronott1]

I pressure cooked the last roo so it just fell apart. might be my new way to cook roo's

Everyone should have a pressure cooker!

I have two of them and they are the best way to cook Meats and bean dishes.

 

[3 NH reds]

Everyone should have a pressure cooker!

I have two of them and they are the best way to cook Meats and bean dishes.

I agree this made the best chicken stock ever. I just made some homade noodles and wow.

 

[dutchbunny83]

Hello everyone!

Haven't been around in awhile, hope you're all doing good!

I've been having a rough month-- my 7yr old cat who is like one of my kids to me went missing, a predator took all my Isbars & Marans, my daughter turned the knob on my incubator at lockdown and cooked $160 of eggs and my husband just deployed to Afghanistan. So haven't been around much!

Anyway, I need some help with turkeys! I am so over them! They poop ridiculous amounts compared to my chickens and smell so bad. They like to roll around in the mud and they have white feathers so they look so dirty! They almost knock you down when you go to feed them like they've never eaten. And I'm spending $30 a week on feed. So I'm done!

That being said, I've never processed anything nor killed a turkey. I'm doing it solo (I have a 7yr old but I don't know how much help he would be and I don't want to traumatize him. What age did your kids get involved?). I remember someone saying they used a BB gun on chickens, so I went to get one for the turkeys and everyone there was telling me the handheld CO2 bb guns wouldn't kill a turkey at point blank, it'd have to be the rifle type and obviously I can't hold him and shoot him with a rifle.

My husband always has these grand ideas like meatbirds than the Army sends him away and my city girl self is left to deal with the mess!!!

Anyone have recommendations for me???

 

[Beekissed]

Hello everyone!

Haven't been around in awhile, hope you're all doing good!

I've been having a rough month-- my 7yr old cat who is like one of my kids to me went missing, a predator took all my Isbars & Marans, my daughter turned the knob on my incubator at lockdown and cooked $160 of eggs and my husband just deployed to Afghanistan. So haven't been around much!

Anyway, I need some help with turkeys! I am so over them! They poop ridiculous amounts compared to my chickens and smell so bad. They like to roll around in the mud and they have white feathers so they look so dirty! They almost knock you down when you go to feed them like they've never eaten. And I'm spending $30 a week on feed. So I'm done!

That being said, I've never processed anything nor killed a turkey. I'm doing it solo (I have a 7yr old but I don't know how much help he would be and I don't want to traumatize him. What age did your kids get involved?). I remember someone saying they used a BB gun on chickens, so I went to get one for the turkeys and everyone there was telling me the handheld CO2 bb guns wouldn't kill a turkey at point blank, it'd have to be the rifle type and obviously I can't hold him and shoot him with a rifle.

My husband always has these grand ideas like meatbirds than the Army sends him away and my city girl self is left to deal with the mess!!!

Anyone have recommendations for me???

Wow!!! I'm so sorry you are having these troubles!

Sounds like you are a strong woman, though, and that's all the difference in the world when troubles arise. I wouldn't worry about traumatizing the youngster...mine were shooting their own deer at his age, learning to gut and skin and process. It's part of being a man to learn to hunt, gather, provide and this is all part of that.

I wouldn't worry so much about shooting those turkeys unless you have a way to stabilize their heads so they cannot move when you are shooting the gun. I'd hang one by its feet and see if you can possibly kill it with the gun you have. If you cannot, have a sharp knife handy and just cut his throat and be done with it. My best advice for those facing a dirty job is to get all your tools ready before hand, set up your tables and have water handy(garden hose if you can get it), a bucket with warm water, soap and a touch of bleach and some clean rags handy, sharp knives and a place to put your entrails and spare parts and a place to put your processed birds. Get your water hot for plucking and remember they don't have to stay in it for more than a mere seconds to effect good plucking.

Then don't get to thinking you have to do them all at once because those are bigger fowl and you are inexperienced...just take one bird at a time and go slow. Keep your work surface sluiced off between birds and bleached down if you have nicked a bowel or gotten other scurf on your work surface.

Take the time to explore the insides a little so your boy can learn how birds digest their foods, etc. If you go slow and don't show stress, your son won't be overly stressed by it either and it can be a turning point in his life on how he sees the foods he eats...it can be a positive thing if approached in a positive, normal manner. It can turn into a not so good experience if you are stressed, crying, or upset in front of him during the process.

You sound like a very strong woman and I have every confidence you will get through this fine. Is there anyone in your area who can help you? Maybe offer them a turkey in exchange for help in processing...it doesn't matter if they don't know how either, it just helps to have someone else there for an extra hand or for emotional support when doing a dirty job.

Please let us know how it goes and any pics of the finished product you can take...it may help others facing a similar challenge.

 

[jajeanpierre]

Hello everyone!

Haven't been around in awhile, hope you're all doing good!

I've been having a rough month-- my 7yr old cat who is like one of my kids to me went missing, a predator took all my Isbars & Marans, my daughter turned the knob on my incubator at lockdown and cooked $160 of eggs and my husband just deployed to Afghanistan. So haven't been around much!

Wow, "rough month" is a bit of an understatement!