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

[Tomtommom]

 

[Happy Chooks]

Thanks everyone. Hubby is outside getting things set up now. Honestly, I don't think I'm going to even go outside for this one. This is extremely emotional for me. To kill him, hubby's going to use a sharp hatchet and a stump. Mostly because we couldn't find a kill cone at TSC. The most we've ever processed before were two fish and hubby food a squirrel once. I know he had a great life, free ranging and eating good but we hadn't planned to kill him at first so we got very close to him. I'm sure eventually this will be easier but right now, I'm crying as I type. Pms isn't helping either.

 

[hennible]

@Auroradream26 we understand, really.

 

[Amina]

Well, I couldn't wait for a few more weeks for my boys (had younger chicks needing their space). It's over now, and I'm weepy. I was unhappy with how one of them went. The cut was too deep and crop contents were leaking out... not sure if he was choking a little.

Do you guys find that your birds generally squawk when you make the cut on the neck? Mine have. I spent a really long time sharpening the knife beforehand, so I'm not sure what else I can do to make it better.

 

[Kassaundra]

@Auroradream26 and @Amina

I don't know the answer to your question Amina, I shoot mine before slicing for bleed out.

 

[Double Kindness]

We're doing processing for our second time today. We're trying to do at least 1 speckled sussex rooster I have dubbed "superfan" he whoots like a drunk sports fan and it's annoying. 2 muscovy ducks being with held from food, one is the silver drake that isn't very smart or nice. There's another one slated for freezer camp, but they are so hard to catch.

I just spent the morning crying talking to everyone. I think the ducks know what's up. Water on the stove scalding. Tubs set up for plucking and a bleeding bucket that we used last time. Knife sharpened. We're starting with superfan, then the silver drake, b/c I really don't like those 2. Should we scald ducks at 155f? Dawn dish soap? What if I wanted to save their down and clean it for later use?

kassandra- congrats on the bunny processing. Last week we breed our meat bunny, so in a few months I'll be asking all kinds of questions, I have heard they are much easier to process over birds.

Thanks for helping me sex these ducks. I really don't want to over winter 4-5 ducks, I had only wanted to over winter 3 for a sustainable meat duck flock, they eat a lot and are so messy! I'm in a hurry to process all the roosters/ducks b/c the ac, haffies, white bresse need to move to the new chicken/duck condo we built last weekend

 

[fisherlady]

We're doing processing for our second time today. We're trying to do at least 1 speckled sussex rooster I have dubbed "superfan" he whoots like a drunk sports fan and it's annoying. 2 muscovy ducks being with held from food, one is the silver drake that isn't very smart or nice. There's another one slated for freezer camp, but they are so hard to catch.

I just spent the morning crying talking to everyone. I think the ducks know what's up. Water on the stove scalding. Tubs set up for plucking and a bleeding bucket that we used last time. Knife sharpened. We're starting with superfan, then the silver drake, b/c I really don't like those 2. Should we scald ducks at 155f? Dawn dish soap? What if I wanted to save their down and clean it for later use?

kassandra- congrats on the bunny processing. Last week we breed our meat bunny, so in a few months I'll be asking all kinds of questions, I have heard they are much easier to process over birds.

Thanks for helping me sex these ducks. I really don't want to over winter 4-5 ducks, I had only wanted to over winter 3 for a sustainable meat duck flock, they eat a lot and are so messy! I'm in a hurry to process all the roosters/ducks b/c the ac, haffies, white bresse need to move to the new chicken/duck condo we built last weekend

I'm sorry I can't help about the method needed if you want to save the down for later use... I hope someone experienced with ducks can chime in on that.

For chickens I heat my water to 155* +/- a couple of degrees, for Ducks I don't know if it is the same. I think it was mentioned on this thread in the past but will have to try to do a search for it.
For chickens I always use soap in the water, usually it is Dawn because that is normal for me to have around. It only takes a quick squirt in a few of gallons worth of water. If you are using a really large tub (over 5 gallons) then add a second quick squirt. The water doesn't need to have soap bubbles in it though.

 

[fisherlady]

We're doing processing for our second time today. We're trying to do at least 1 speckled sussex rooster I have dubbed "superfan" he whoots like a drunk sports fan and it's annoying. 2 muscovy ducks being with held from food, one is the silver drake that isn't very smart or nice. There's another one slated for freezer camp, but they are so hard to catch.

I just spent the morning crying talking to everyone. I think the ducks know what's up. Water on the stove scalding. Tubs set up for plucking and a bleeding bucket that we used last time. Knife sharpened. We're starting with superfan, then the silver drake, b/c I really don't like those 2. Should we scald ducks at 155f? Dawn dish soap? What if I wanted to save their down and clean it for later use?

kassandra- congrats on the bunny processing. Last week we breed our meat bunny, so in a few months I'll be asking all kinds of questions, I have heard they are much easier to process over birds.

Thanks for helping me sex these ducks. I really don't want to over winter 4-5 ducks, I had only wanted to over winter 3 for a sustainable meat duck flock, they eat a lot and are so messy! I'm in a hurry to process all the roosters/ducks b/c the ac, haffies, white bresse need to move to the new chicken/duck condo we built last weekend

Here is another thread I found which may help you out...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/838997/diy-making-a-down-comforter-from-duck-feathers-and-down

Sounds like you do a dunk to loosen the larger cover type feathers and remove them, then a second dunk and clean off the down. I would discard the large feathers and then start a new pile with just the down so you can preserve it separately. It is mentioned in the thread about placing the down into a pillow case and tying it snug and then running it through a wash cycle in the clothes washer to clean them.

 

[hennible]

We're doing processing for our second time today. We're trying to do at least 1 speckled sussex rooster I have dubbed "superfan" he whoots like a drunk sports fan and it's annoying. 2 muscovy ducks being with held from food, one is the silver drake that isn't very smart or nice. There's another one slated for freezer camp, but they are so hard to catch.

I just spent the morning crying talking to everyone. I think the ducks know what's up. Water on the stove scalding. Tubs set up for plucking and a bleeding bucket that we used last time. Knife sharpened. We're starting with superfan, then the silver drake, b/c I really don't like those 2. Should we scald ducks at 155f? Dawn dish soap? What if I wanted to save their down and clean it for later use?

kassandra- congrats on the bunny processing. Last week we breed our meat bunny, so in a few months I'll be asking all kinds of questions, I have heard they are much easier to process over birds.

Thanks for helping me sex these ducks. I really don't want to over winter 4-5 ducks, I had only wanted to over winter 3 for a sustainable meat duck flock, they eat a lot and are so messy! I'm in a hurry to process all the roosters/ducks b/c the ac, haffies, white bresse need to move to the new chicken/duck condo we built last weekend

Water at 160 I think any sort of dish soap will help you, if you want to save if the down you can throw it in a pillowcase tie a tight knot in it and it put it in your washer and dryer to get it nice and clean.... You can make a blanket with the feathers out of six ducks apparently just don't keep the quill feathers for the blanket.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Well, I couldn't wait for a few more weeks for my boys (had younger chicks needing their space). It's over now, and I'm weepy. I was unhappy with how one of them went. The cut was too deep and crop contents were leaking out... not sure if he was choking a little.

Do you guys find that your birds generally squawk when you make the cut on the neck? Mine have. I spent a really long time sharpening the knife beforehand, so I'm not sure what else I can do to make it better.

I'm sorry it didn't go as well as you had hoped. As someone else told me, it probably hurt you a lot longer than it did them.

I have not done that method of killing, but I watched some of my meaties be processed by a meat processor. (we ran out of time doing it ourselves) He sliced their necks and I didn't hear any sound. He was using an extremely sharp, fish filet type knife.