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

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Auroradream26 said:
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.
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I use a road cone (you can get them online or through a safety magizine) wiht the top cut off. It can be tough when you get attached to them. Just know that you gave him a quaility life.
 
He's gone now. It was rough but I did go out and I did help some. I held his feet and I helped pluck feathers. Then I read instructions for hubby to follow. I'm still trying not to cry thinking about it but he's gone now and in the cooler.
 
Auroradream26 said:
He's gone now. It was rough but I did go out and I did help some. I held his feet and I helped pluck feathers. Then I read instructions for hubby to follow. I'm still trying not to cry thinking about it but he's gone now and in the cooler.
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Auroradream26 said:
He's gone now. It was rough but I did go out and I did help some. I held his feet and I helped pluck feathers. Then I read instructions for hubby to follow. I'm still trying not to cry thinking about it but he's gone now and in the cooler.
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The first time is very hard!

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After he is softened up(usually two days) pop him into the freezer and wait several weeks or so before cooking him. It helps to separate them from living to dinner.

Best!
 
Double Kindness said:
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
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About the down...I'm just wondering to myself why couldn't we just give the duck or chicken a nice soapy bath after it has died and rinse it then dunk in the hot water to loosen the feathers? I think I would take the down out first because the little feathers come off easier than the big feathers.

I put dish soap in my scalding water, but I just did it because the instructions said to. I don't know why, though.

I think it is a GREAT idea to save the down. The life we take from them should go as far as possible and nothing wasted. I'm going to do a better job next time.
 
Today I weighed the 6 rabbits I processed a few days ago. The total was 19 lbs. I was over the moon happy about that number since my buns are not "meat" rabbits they are mixed mutts I got basically for free (traded a cockeal and a capon). (for the breeding pair) These were my "beginning" rabbits to see if I could do it.
 

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