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

[Sally Sunshine]

Hey guys. I just butchered my first rooster. I used the broomstick (or take, in my case) method, and it went okay. I know what to expect with the next one.
I hung him to bleed out, but there is very little blood. The dribble down the side is all after about 5 minutes. What am I doing or what did I do wrong?
How long DOES it take for them to bleed out?
PS: don't tell my husband I'm using his deer feeder barrel, lol!!!

great !! You know the first time I did that with cornish bantam and pulled way too hard and ummmm took the whole head off! ughhhh so I am not sure what to tell you on the bleeding. I think I will stick with the hanging and hitting the jug

 

[Mims]

I would use the cone method, but I have no one to show me, and I'm afraid of missing the jugular, and them suffering. I've watched a bunch of videos, but I'm still not too sure on it.

The good news is, the second rooster bled out nicely, and I took his head off also, using the broomstick. So that was good.

 

[abbevilleoz]

I would use the cone method, but I have no one to show me, and I'm afraid of missing the jugular, and them suffering. I've watched a bunch of videos, but I'm still not too sure on it.

The good news is, the second rooster bled out nicely, and I took his head off also, using the broomstick. So that was good.

I did my first bird the other night by cutting the jugular. Not difficult at all, straight, decisive cut with a sharp blade. Under the ear lobe from back to front. I believe the bird looses consciousness quickly due to blood loss to the brain.

 

[ronott1]

I did my first bird the other night but cutting the jugular. Not difficult at all, straight, decisive cut with a sharp blade. Under the ear from back to front. I believe the bird looses consciousness quickly due to blood loss to the brain.

The best way is to cut one side and then the other--to not cut the trachea but cut the jugular vein. That makes it easier to process.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

I would use the cone method, but I have no one to show me, and I'm afraid of missing the jugular, and them suffering. I've watched a bunch of videos, but I'm still not too sure on it.

The good news is, the second rooster bled out nicely, and I took his head off also, using the broomstick. So that was good.

What I didnt like about broomstick is taking the head off and it flopping flying all around spraying blood from here to there.
I like doing the jug because I can tell by the steady stream that I did it correctly and they are contained to one spot.

I like Peters method of the bagging them but I also asked on the incu thread about a diy and @Chaos18 did a great job of making a DIY holder like I wanted. I will ask him to post images of what I wanted, and he tested it on a test bird, didnt actually process her but it looks great for me to use instead of a cone, I had issues with having all dif sizes and them getting out of the cone and wondering around with heads almost cut off, Now I tie a TIE down strap between two trees next to the drive in the woods and hang lines with loops and simply loop both feet together hanging and we do three at a time because our plucker is way too big for just one chicken I got a turkey one and it eats them if you do them one at a time lol, you would have loved to see the first bird we ever put in it

learning always learning something!!

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Quote:
yep, hello oz, I found if you leave them hang a few minutes before you try to cut jugular they are more calm and bleed quicker. Glad everything went well, did you brine?

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Hello Cousin Ron

Where you hiding out all the time?

 

[abbevilleoz]

yep, hello oz,  I found if you leave them hang a few minutes before you try to cut jugular they are more calm and bleed quicker.    Glad everything went well, did you brine?

I did that unintentionally and noticed the calming effect. Also cut both sides but it seems the jugular was more effective, maybe my cut was just better. We didn't brine but did chill for 48 hours. Can you give me instructions on brining? We have our first taste test at dinner.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Quote: of course!! I only do simple brine II I havent tried others though!

Brining 101 Osmosis:

Meat already contains salt water. By immersing meats into a liquid with a higher concentration of salt the liquid is absorbed into the meat. Any flavoring added to the brine will be carried into the meat with the saltwater mixture. And because the meat is now loaded with extra moisture it will stay that way longer while it cooks.​

Chapter 1 – The “Why” and “What” of Brining
Background
Osmosis
Protein modification
Salt
Cures in Brines
Chapter 2 – Common Questions and Answers about Brining
Chapter 3 – Basic Times for Brines
How Long to Brine?
Chapter 4 – Brining Recipes
Preparation
Simple Brine
Simple Brine II
Smokin’ Okie’s Holiday Turkey Brine
Others
National Turkey Federation Brined Turkey
BBQ FAQ Brining Recipes
Shake’s Honey Brine & Fried Turkey
Smokin Okie’s Original Brine
Simple Brine III
Simple Pork Brine
Chapter 5 – Brining “Tips & Tricks”
Chapter 6 – References

If you didnt find the incubation friends aka Education thread, the notes have more stuff in it, also I started to create the same thing for this thread but the Article wont edit!!
but there are many things I pulled from the thread (link in the first post on this thread)


PROCESSING

Chickens Commonly Raised for MEAT and Weights at Ages post #54051
LINKS VIDEOS HOW-To's https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/processing-day-support-group-summary-of-thread
ChickenCanoes links post #109391
Brining 101 Osmosis post #44313
Chicapees Awesome Homemade plucker Hal post #438
Processing Support GROUP THREAD filled with HOW TO Click HERE
Grower Guidelines for Poultry and Fowl Processing Bottom of post post #38384
Dressed weights are about 75% of live weight post #40670
HEALTH problems MEAT BIRDS click here
HOW TO PROCESS FAST https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9VeQ4xIMN8
Caponize your roosters How to caponize a rooster Warning Graphic pics & post #39979 VIDEO post #54418
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/1051/leg-health-in-large-broilers/
Joeys Tabletop Plucker post #101813 post #101822
Feed bag for cone post #151837

 

[the poppster]

I did that unintentionally and noticed the calming effect. Also cut both sides but it seems the jugular was more effective, maybe my cut was just better. We didn't brine but did chill for 48 hours. Can you give me instructions on brining? We have our first taste test at dinner.

How to brine, if you buy a box of Kosher salt from Morton it give you instructions on the box. Also a website for more information. 1 cup canning salt and 1 cup of sugar or brown sugar to 2 quarts of warm water....stir to dissolve the sugar and salt into the water....cool the solution in the fridge, then completely submerge the meat into the brine....I use a large zip lock bag...if you are using a pot or bowl....be sure to use only glass, stainless steel or plastic. The salt brine solution will react with aluminum and corrode it, basically start to break it down!!! So DO NOT USE ALUMINUM! For brining of anything!