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

[costello]

The only thing I can possibly add is get your knife SHARP! It cannot be too sharp!

I'll work on sharpening it more today.

The bird is in a cage with water only. It helps that he tried to bite me again this morning. I smacked my wrist on something while jerking my hand away from him. Things are going to be more peaceful around here when he's gone.

 

[cassie]

I use a utility or box knife. Since they use razor blades, you just replace the blade as needed. That way you always have a sharp (very sharp) blade.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

Do you all pluck your chickens?

We plucked the ducks with wax, but we skinned everything else.  The duck plucking was really gross to me, I had a hard time eating the meat after.  You really need the skin for fried chicken, but it's so much faster to skin.  Maybe I should look into this drill attachment.  I would think it would bruise the meat, no?

My butcher skinned my ducks.

 

[Tomtommom]

I'll work on sharpening it more today.

The bird is in a cage with water only. It helps that he tried to bite me again this morning. I smacked my wrist on something while jerking my hand away from him. Things are going to be more peaceful around here when he's gone.

Yup, when they get on your nerves it makes it SO much easier to eat them

been there!

 

[Arielle]

You can use a milk jug or bleach jug for a cone.

I would definitely not put it within view of the other birds. I'm pretty sure they would freak out a bit.

Knocking out is one of those things that can be hard to do right and could add stress and ruin the meat (make it tough). If you read back 10-20 pages we had a whole discussion about what method is best and why. In the end, whatever you are comfortable with and confident in doing is the best method. And know that you will likely struggle the first time. And you will do something wrong. And that's ok. You have to learn starting somewhere. Even animals like lions have to learn how to kill and they're born to do it!

LOL Mine stand and watch!!


I prefer a method of laying htem on the ground on a clean feed bag. THe feet go under my right foot to secure them gently. and then pull wings behind back. THat secures the bird ( I can do turkeys this way too) and then have 2 hand free to make the cuts. You can walk away at this point if stand and wait, or pick up bird and hang over the blood bucket.

My technique has gotten better, but I still struggle with killing them. Everyone geta a prayer.

As Ron said, with practice you will gain confidence.

 

[Audio51]

Quote:
If you cut the head off, the heart stops pumping and the blood stops moving. You are likely to end up with blood left in the body after the bird is dead.. By cutting the jugular, the heart continues to pump the blood out of the body and the birds lose conciousness. The brain is already dead.

 

[Crickett]

If using a cone or if you hang them upside down, the blood runs out by gravity, so you don't have to worry about it congealing in the meat.

 

[Tomtommom]

Well, that answers that

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

I had read a bunch of information, watched the videos, talked to folks, etc, and in the end, I was so confused about how to cut the jugular without cutting the trachea and/or decapitating, that was why I went the butcher route. But I still feel that knowing is an important skill. I've read much on the cervical dislocation technique, but with ducks, I just lack the confidence. So grateful for y'all sharing here.

 

[costello]

Well, I did it. And of course I screwed it up, but it's done. On the hand It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. On the other, I'm not sure I'll ever be able to do it again. Which is too bad, because I was hoping I'd have the confidence of knowing I'd be able to deal with extra roosters.