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

[Beekissed]

Here's a poorly done vid clip out of a processing vid I'm putting together....all very amateur, so please forgive the poor quality. I'm none too good at speaking on vid and my son's none too good on getting zeroed in on the action.

 

[fisherlady]

Here's a poorly done vid clip out of a processing vid I'm putting together....all very amateur, so please forgive the poor quality. I'm none too good at speaking on vid and my son's none too good on getting zeroed in on the action.

This is a great teaching video... and nearly identical to how I do it except I start my cut on the neck and go toward the tail. It is amazing how well the skin peels off of the wings and legs, though it is certainly tougher on older birds!

 

[Beekissed]

Fisher, I'll give that method a try when next I process. I'm always looking for faster, better, easier ways of getting through that chore.

 

[rebrascora]

Hi guys

Many thanks for the tips and info.
Beekissed, that video is extremely helpful. Really appreciate you and your son taking the time to make and post it and I think the commentary is excellent..
Fisherlady, I really like your idea of starting at the neck as I would be worried (probably unnecessarily) about nicking the intestines if I started at the abdomen.

The cockerels I processed last week were only 6 months old but the skin was really tough and adhered incredibly strongly, particularly at the hocks even with the lower leg removed. I invested in some scalpels yesterday in the hope they may make the job a bit easier. They were Marans crosses with lightly feathered shanks so perhaps that has something to do with it.

I had left the meat to rest for several days and it was beautifully tender done in the slow cooker for 8 hours, but the previous time I tried to slow roast it and that didn't work well.... tough and dry.

I know absolute nothing about canning. It's not something that I have ever seen or heard mentioned here in the UK. I wonder if it is like making potted meat...which is something you never hear of these days. I will have to research this.

In the meantime, wish me luck and courage for tonight's ordeal. I prefer to slaughter off the roost on a night, as the birds are more docile. Does it matter if their crops are full rather than empty other than being messier to process?

As regards using a killing cone, it's not legal here in the UK anymore to bleed them without first being stunned I'm told, but I have found neck dislocation with a broom shank very quick, effective, less messy and so far fool proof (touch wood).

 

[Beekissed]

Hi guys

Many thanks for the tips and info.
Beekissed, that video is extremely helpful. Really appreciate you and your son taking the time to make and post it and I think the commentary is excellent..
Fisherlady, I really like your idea of starting at the neck as I would be worried (probably unnecessarily) about nicking the intestines if I started at the abdomen.

The cockerels I processed last week were only 6 months old but the skin was really tough and adhered incredibly strongly, particularly at the hocks even with the lower leg removed. I invested in some scalpels yesterday in the hope they may make the job a bit easier. They were Marans crosses with lightly feathered shanks so perhaps that has something to do with it.

I had left the meat to rest for several days and it was beautifully tender done in the slow cooker for 8 hours, but the previous time I tried to slow roast it and that didn't work well.... tough and dry.

I know absolute nothing about canning. It's not something that I have ever seen or heard mentioned here in the UK. I wonder if it is like making potted meat...which is something you never hear of these days. I will have to research this.

In the meantime, wish me luck and courage for tonight's ordeal. I prefer to slaughter off the roost on a night, as the birds are more docile. Does it matter if their crops are full rather than empty other than being messier to process?

As regards using a killing cone, it's not legal here in the UK anymore to bleed them without first being stunned I'm told, but I have found neck dislocation with a broom shank very quick, effective, less messy and so far fool proof (touch wood).

Can't feed kitchen scraps, can't kill a chicken like you want to....do they hire people to spy on each single person and regulate these activities? I'm just wondering how they can enforce such ridiculous things....

The problem, from what I hear, with canning in the UK is that the pressure canners are incredibly expensive and not many kill their own meats, so they can't justify the expense. And, likely there is some law telling one how they can do it and how they cannot....

 

[rebrascora]

No, it's usually neighbours.... this country is too small for the number of people that live here and there is always someone within view who may take offence and report you. People are so far removed from the earth and their food that they can't cope with the actual realities. An agricultural worker who worked for a large supermarket chain got sacked earlier this year for urinating whilst he was out working in the field because someone saw him and reported it.... the implication was that he might be contaminating the crops rather than indecent expose. They have no idea that animal waste is used to fertilise the soil to grow their veg in. Our society seems to be obsessed with clinical cleanliness and I'm convinced it will all end badly as people's immune systems will not learn to cope with even the simplest bugs and bacteria.

That said, I do think there are benefits to many of the restrictive laws in this country and I would rather have them as not.

 

[Beekissed]

It's getting more and more like that here now, particularly dealing with animals. If you live in town you can't keep a dog outside all year or a neighbor reports you...utter ridiculousness.

I feel sad and angry for the people who must live in such areas and around such irrational people. It's getting worse and worse.

No freedom whatsoever to live a life....but freedom to take one, apparently.

 

[Kassaundra]

No, it's usually neighbours.... this country is too small for the number of people that live here and there is always someone within view who may take offence and report you. People are so far removed from the earth and their food that they can't cope with the actual realities. An agricultural worker who worked for a large supermarket chain got sacked earlier this year for urinating whilst he was out working in the field because someone saw him and reported it.... the implication was that he might be contaminating the crops rather than indecent expose. They have no idea that animal waste is used to fertilise the soil to grow their veg in. Our society seems to be obsessed with clinical cleanliness and I'm convinced it will all end badly as people's immune systems will not learn to cope with even the simplest bugs and bacteria.

That said, I do think there are benefits to many of the restrictive laws in this country and I would rather have them as not.

I kill the chickens in the garage and the rabbits in the house. We don't have the problem of neighbors "reporting " us, but I have a neighbor w/ young grand children w/I view of where I would process outside, they have pet rabbits and are good neighbors so I don't want to make problems that don't exist. The whole ounce of prevention vs lb of cure.

 

[rebrascora]

Well I half chickened out and only did two tonight instead of all 4 so I'll do the other two next week. I only have limited space in my fridge and freezer anyway and I was shaking quite badly after killing the first one which didn't go as well as the cockerels last week, as her head slipped out from under the broom shank when I pulled. Not sure if it dislocated before it slipped out but I put it straight back under and gave it another tug just to be sure. I made a cone out of a piece of carpet offcut and screwed it to a piece of plywood board and popped them in that as soon as I'd dislocated their necks. which worked great for preventing the flapping. Of course they still convulse but it's minimal and no risk of bruising. It took me an hour each to dry pluck them but I think I did a pretty good job with no skin tears. I even managed to get all the wing feathers out and I think I'm developing a technique, so hopefully I'll be quicker next week. Just about to eviscerate them now and then it's into the fridge for them and .off to bed for me! Just having 5 mins and a good strong rum and coke because I think I've earned it.

 

[rcstanley]

Here's a poorly done vid clip out of a processing vid I'm putting together....all very amateur, so please forgive the poor quality. I'm none too good at speaking on vid and my son's none too good on getting zeroed in on the action.

Thank you so much for posting this. It was exactly what I needed. I processed my first chicken today using your video and it went pretty well. I was glad it was a chicken I didn't like much I used a killing cone and a havalon knife because I knew my regular knives weren't sharp enough. I was worried I wouldn't do it right and she would suffer, but it all went off without a hitch. Took me and my husband a little over an hour. Couldn't quite figure out where to cut around the vent, so I just took the breasts and thighs. I was surprised how little chicken was under all those feathers. But now the meat is resting and I'm planning on eating her for my birthday in a few days. Turning a chicken into chicken wasn't my favorite thing in the world, but I'm glad to know I can do it.