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Thanks. I'm so glad I followed through and got meat birds this year and learned how to process them for my own table.
They weren't real dirty since our soil is sand. And I kept feed from them for a day and a half so I didn't have to deal with poopy butts or full crops or intestines.
If I had had another tub or pan available I would have washed them first also. But my supplies were limited.
I'm 65 years old and this was a first for me. I guess we're never too old to learn something new.
I've cleaned fish that I've caught, but never processed something I've raised from a baby. Feathers sure wash off easier than fish scales. lol And the Cornish seem to have less feathers than other breeds of chickens. I think because their bodies grow faster than feathers grow in.
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I had my DIY work station all set up when my "teacher", aka neighbor, came over, and he was impressed. I had a board over my old work table and covered it with a new clear plastic shower curtain and had my cutting board on top of that. It made clean up very easy.
Using the hanging bucket and hanging them in it to bleed out worked great. No trauma having to watch them flop around on the ground. Their severed heads were also in the bucket and that was another easy clean up, to carry the bucket with the yuck and some water added to bury in a pre-dug hole. And I just wheeled the feathers out to a disposal area on the property as well. Easy.
I'm glad I got pictures so I can refer back to them next year when I get meat birds again.
I'm feeling very satisfied with the adventure, and I'm thankful for everyone's comments. I wish I had support from my family, like I get from BYC and my friends, especially my country friends.
If you can process your own meat, you'll never starve or go hungry.
I want to thank everyone on BYC that gave me encouragement with this project.