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

[ronott1]

I feel like quite the frontiersman--I came home from work and processed a cockerel that attacked me this morning. He was going to be processed on Friday for attacking the other two in the pen with him but his number was up today.

Processing went well and all is cleaned up.

 

[Elke Beck]

Has it ever occurred to you that your attitudes and the many on this forum are the result of parents who thought exactly the same way that you do? That killing animals for food is some horrible, traumatizing event filled with all sorts of drama and pathos? Now we have a thread where grown people are trying to work through these attitudes so they can face the facts that something must die every time they put meat in their mouths. The mere subject of the thread would be a laughable thing back in the day, and rightly so. No, I don't think perpetuating those attitudes is advisable...if you only do what you've always done you will always have what you always had~translation: Something has to change these attitudes and the change has to start somewhere and you can very well see how ingrained they are by the time one has reached adulthood. Then someone has to start a thread about it....

If the goal is to raise one's own meat and kill it at home..which is clearly the goal in this case or we would not be discussing it at all..then the goal needs to start with a grass roots attitude of acceptance that things must die. What's the perfect time to learn that, exactly? Can anyone identify the correct age to reveal to a human that creatures die so that they may live? What is the perfect manner in which to do so?

While I respect your opinion, I see no need to over dramatize a simple process and act like it's going to scar her kid for life if he sees a turkey die. Yes, I deliberately introduced my children to slaughter and hunting as a direct and well thought out course of action because I don't believe in telling children a lie, nor cushioning the facts of life for them. As a result they act like men among men, can produce their own foods and treat it like every other normal action in life..no different than changing the oil on the car or getting a job to support their families. Eating is a fact, eating meat is a fact for many, that meat must die in order to be eaten is a fact as well. I would not have my children hide their heads in the sand about these basic facts in life. Nor would I advise anyone else to do so either.

Beekissed,

I agree with you that avoiding the truth is not a good option. I would probably start by killing the chicken out of sight and having the child participate in the rest of the processing the first time.

I grew up in earthquake country, and I was always amazed at the people who became hysterical or paralyzed with fear at earthquakes. Taking out the people who lived through quakes in third world countries where the building codes are weak, in not non existent, and who often have lost loved ones to collapsing building, there are a lot of people who completely lose it even with mild quakes. I think a big difference was that my parents viewed earthquakes as interesting, so as a family we learned as much as we could about them. We visited Cal Tech, we read a lot, and when a quake happened, we would be talking about the type of movement, how long it lasted, whether there were aftershocks, and so on. When an earthquake happens, I am alert because I do not want to get conked on the head by a falling ceiling tile or light fixture, but I am in control and do not panic. I have known people who become incapable of protecting themselves because they are so overcome.

I think killing your own meat is similar. It can be an overwhelming event, or it can be something that makes a person nervous, but is interesting and worth knowing about. A lot of how the person takes it is how they were raised with it. It is definitely not enjoyable, but it is a worthwhile skill.

Now I have to bump off a Red Dorking rooster that I was given in early September. He was doing really well, and not crowing a lot, but now he has decided that 5:30 in the morning is the time to practice his singing skills and I get really grouchy when interrupted my sleep. So Sunday we will say a fond farewell, and after a nice rest, he will be guest of honor at dinner next week.

 

[chicksooner]

I asked my kid if she wanted to watch and/or help. She said she didn't. Before we ate her favorite rooster, she declared she didn't want to eat chicken anymore and has stuck to it. And now, sigh, she won't even eat eggs, no matter what I say, she's convinced she's eating a baby chick (we don't have a roo). She's 4. I absolutely hated the texture of meat for 25 years and was forced to eat it growing up, so I have told her she doesn't have to eat chicken if she doesn't want to. I do make sure to point out that the meat she does enjoy comes from a pig (kid loves bacon and pepperoni), just so she knows what she is eating and not shocked by finding out when she's older. I'm not ever going to force her to watch me process a chicken, but she's a curious and "can do" kid and she'll likely be participating at some point soon enough. When I was a kid, I loved going through the crops of the doves my dad would bring home. It was so cool to see what they'd been eating!

Okay, question regarding processing: I've only done one bird at a time. I'm doing 8 little ones this time. I'm going to have 2 killing cones set up, so 2 birds at a time will be bleeding out. Should I bleed out and pluck all 8 (using a drill plucker) before eviscerating? I was thinking of bleeding out and plucking 2 at time, and setting the plucked birds in ice water till I have all 8 done. Then eviscerate all 8 one at a time. Or should I bleed out, pluck, eviscerate 2 at a time? I'll have a friend helping, but not sure she'll actually be helping. She was HORRIFIED at my suggestion that her kids were welcome to watch/help if they wanted.

Yum! Love me my own personal chicken aka cornish hens.

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???

If you haven't processed before I would post a listing on CL and offer to split the processed birds with someone for their help and knowledge with the processing. If you only have a couple set a few hours aside and make sure if you feel like you can't handle curious kid questions that he is busy else where. The kids tend to ask lots of questions the first time they experience processing and for someone who has never done it the processing and questions can be overwhelming. At least that was my experience with my 5 and 6 yr old. Good luck.

 

[3 NH reds]

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???

Turkeys are huge as you know use a killing cone for them.You need to restrain them, we used a .22 the first time and they still flop around after they are gone. I agree you might want your son to help after the bird is dead.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Jumping in here.... tiny cornish hens that are so yums! single serving wonders...... Thoughts on what type to get and what age to process and any special feedings and needs they would have? Thanks! A friend from the Diary thread should pop on here as well. Curious about them now as they may be something good to do in winter since the grow out time is much shorter, wondering if they even get to head outside before processing. THANKS for input!

 

[BCMaraniac]

Jumping in here.... tiny cornish hens that are so yums! single serving wonders...... Thoughts on what type to get and what age to process and any special feedings and needs they would have? Thanks! A friend from the Diary thread should pop on here as well. Curious about them now as they may be something good to do in winter since the grow out time is much shorter, wondering if they even get to head outside before processing. THANKS for input!

Commercially, I think the Cornish hen at the grocery is just a Cornish Rock pullet that has been raised to a weight of around 2 pounds then butchered. Seems like I remember reading that somewhere.

It was McMurray Hatchery where I read that. Here is the link:

http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/cornish_game_hens.html

 

[jajeanpierre]

Commercially, I think the Cornish hen at the grocery is just a Cornish Rock pullet that has been raised to a weight of around 2 pounds then butchered. Seems like I remember reading that somewhere.

It was McMurray Hatchery where I read that. Here is the link:

http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/cornish_game_hens.html

My understanding is they use both the cockerels and the pullets, still calling the product "hens."

 

[GD91]

Ok, this morning I choose & skinned my first rooster. My problem was I had 3 birds (2 cocks & a pullet) who picked on the younger birds (Easter eggers, 3 pullets & 2 adorable cocks one of whom is enormous & beautiful) to the extreme. The 3 birds were only pekin bantams .

Now I am a softy but I had to remind myself, why do I have my birds?
Answer : For meat & eggs.
So Mr Pekin is now in the fridge, Mrs Pekin is indoors where for whatever reason she has always tried to be anyway.
Mrs Pekin will probably just be a forever pet now, I started of getting with bantams because I have a small yard, but to be honest I am more impressed by far by the faster growth & hardiness of the bigger birds.

All my birds are much happier now with the new arrangement & I'm much happier not having 5 smelly young chickens in the home because they couldn't live out because of those 2 birds. The 3Ed pekin cockerel is fine with them.
I still miss my cockerel , but it's better all round & I made it very quick. Not much meat on him, but it was yet another reason not to keep him for breeding I'm afraid.


I did a thread 3 pet cockerels that I'll be updating if anyone's interested in a UK private renting townie managing a mixed breed flock with cockerels.

 

[ronott1]

Ok, this morning I choose & skinned my first rooster. My problem was I had 3 birds (2 cocks & a pullet) who picked on the younger birds (Easter eggers, 3 pullets & 2 adorable cocks one of whom is enormous & beautiful) to the extreme. The 3 birds were only pekin bantams .

Now I am a softy but I had to remind myself, why do I have my birds?
Answer : For meat & eggs.
So Mr Pekin is now in the fridge, Mrs Pekin is indoors where for whatever reason she has always tried to be anyway.
Mrs Pekin will probably just be a forever pet now, I started of getting with bantams because I have a small yard, but to be honest I am more impressed by far by the faster growth & hardiness of the bigger birds.

All my birds are much happier now with the new arrangement & I'm much happier not having 5 smelly young chickens in the home because they couldn't live out because of those 2 birds. The 3Ed pekin cockerel is fine with them.
I still miss my cockerel , but it's better all round & I made it very quick. Not much meat on him, but it was yet another reason not to keep him for breeding I'm afraid.


I did a thread 3 pet cockerels that I'll be updating if anyone's interested in a UK private renting townie managing a mixed breed flock with cockerels.

It is amazing how much quieter and peaceful it is when a mean one is gone.

Good Job!

 

[loveourbirds]

Quote: in a perfect world they just use the hens for cornish hens. they want to get them off of the feed bill, the cockerels have a better feed conversion rate and faster growth rate. you are probably right though, i would guess than any slower growing bird in the group is sold as cornish hens.

they are just a cornish x rock pullet, butchered between 2 and 3 lbs. usually from Ross or Cobb lines - the 9 week to 6lbs chickens you see advertised. i have never butchered for the small game hens, but im guessing if you feed 12 hours on and 12 hours off, they should be about the right size in 3 weeks.

sally, you asked about how easy they are to butcher. im guessing it would be rather simple, they should release their feathers easier and probably wont have as many as the ones allowed to live for 9 weeks. i skin what i butcher, i know younger chicken's skin lets go much easier than older chickens.

as far as feed, i start them on turkey starter for extra protein. for the 6lb birds, i switch to my regluar mix but add some extra rangebird pellets (hog pellets work too) for added protein. for the cornish game hens (2 or so lbs) i would just raise them on a non medicated turkey starter. remember they do eat more- therefor they do make more litter. if i was setting up a wintertime growing area i would make sure the brooder area is deep enough to add plenty of shavings, or put them on a 1/2" by 1/2" wire floor.

i hope this info helps, i was raised around it - but back then i hated chickens LOL.