Processing process

[SomeChickinTN]

I've never dressed anything out, so I have been watching videos for a couple of weeks on how to process chickens, but I learn by doing, so I guess I'm just going to have to jump in. Could you read my summary and tell me if my understanding sounds right? **Probably graphic description**

I don't have a place for a cone yet, so I'm going to either use a hatchet or cervical dislocation, and also, I plan to skin it.
After it's killed, it takes about 10 minutes to bleed out. And then there is a spot on the chest where you cut the skin and sort of tear it down to the thighs while missing the butt. Then, you can run your hand up the inside of the breast and disconnect everything (carefully), and then cut around the butt.....Am I missing any vital information besides cutting off the wings and feet? I realize everyone processes a little differently, but this seems to be the most straightforward for learning as you go. Is there an easier way to get the innards out?

 

[Spartan22]

It seems like you got it all figure out, learning is by doing and remembering what you've watched while doing it, except the cervical dislocation? I didn’t get that one.
I normally sever the jugular area and let it bleed out by holding them firm so no shaking/flying and blood everywhere. I rubber band the legs and also cross the wings together so not a lot of movement. I disconnect crop intact so there’s no messy content spill, opening the bottom without cutting the butt accidentally preventing mess. Be careful not to pop the vile (greenish organ) accidentally will make your meat bitter. Good luck, it gets easier and faster as you go along, sharp knife/blade is a must.

 

[SomeChickinTN]

It seems like you got it all figure out, learning is by doing and remembering what you've watched while doing it, except the cervical dislocation? I didn’t get that one.
I normally sever the jugular area and let it bleed out by holding them firm so no shaking/flying and blood everywhere. I rubber band the legs and also cross the wings together so not a lot of movement. I disconnect crop intact so there’s no messy content spill, opening the bottom without cutting the butt accidentally preventing mess. Be careful not to pop the vile (greenish organ) accidentally will make your meat bitter. Good luck, it gets easier and faster as you go along, sharp knife/blade is a must.

YT refers to the broomstick method as cervical dislocation, so I assumed that was the "technical" term. The crop is up towards the neck, right? Yeah, the one video basically said to pull everything out, leaving the intestines in tact and then just cut the butt out. So the blood only goes everywhere because of the flapping?

 

[Spartan22]

@SomeChickinTN, crop- yes the first stage of digestion, where they store the unprocessed feed, no flapping no mess, normally I pin the bird down with my elbow so I can use both hands cutting the neck and let bleed out for approximately 10 min. Then let hang upside down in my sink to remove remaining blood, while I move on to the next bird. I only process 3-4 at a time, so much manageable.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I use the stump and hatchet method but I grew up with axes, hatchets, hammers, and such so I'm confident I can do it that way and hit the spot. As you said there are many different ways.

I also skin mine. My first step is to take the feet off before I start skinning, that makes skinning the legs easier. The wings are a pain. They are in three parts, I only keep two of them. The tip eventually gets thrown away, it's not worth it to me. I use poultry shears for these cuts to keep the knife sharper. On the legs I use a knife to cut the skin and then bend at the joint to show where to use the poultry shears.

One problem area is on the wings, where the flight feathers join. I use a knife to cut under the end of that so I can get a grip and start the tear. You will probably figure out what I'm talking about when you get to that point if you save the wings.

What shape do you want the final meat in? What pieces will you use? One guy on here has a method where he cuts off the legs and the breast meat and never guts them. Some people want the carcass whole. I cut mine into serving pieces as I butcher and use the backs, necks, and such to make broth. As you said there are many different ways.

After I carefully cut around the butt and take the guts out I cut along one side from the back to front along the edge of the breast meat. That opens it up to make taking the organs out a lot easier. Some people open them up by cutting along the backbone or breastbone. You can't do that if you want a whole carcass.

I don't worry if I nick part of the digestive tract. I use a hose with spray attachment to constantly rinse off my hands, knife, table, and meat. But be careful and make sure you have a good grip on the meat when you spray. You do not want that to hit the ground. Dirt and trash sticks to the membranes and are a real pain to get off.

 

[Mosey2003]

Pull both directions when you skin - down over the legs and up over the breast. You don't need to run your hand under the skin before pulling it. When you get up to do the crop, you'll find it pretty easily if there's feed in it. For me, the hardest things are skinning wings, they're a nightmare. I generally cut the tips off with heavy duty poultry shears, and sometimes I still need to use my filet knife the get them finished. Then I pull that skin down over the back, over the tail where it connects and then cut the tail off as we don't eat it, then I pull around and find the vent and cut it all loose.

I usually do the broomstick method of cervical dislocation, if you pull hard enough their whole head comes off and pulls part of the esophagus with it. Make sure you have a good hold on them because they'll start thrashing vigorously, for me they bleed out in just a few minutes. I like to hold the legs to do the deed, then very quickly grab both wings right where they attach with my other, to control the direction the blood flings.

Also, when skinning, I keep a bucket of cold water next to my table and swish them vigorously after they've bled, it's easier to skin with the feathers all wet so they aren't floating around, and it's easier to see the skin.

 

[Calabasas]

This is the best video I've seen on how to process a chicken. For 6 years I worked for a chef that bought all his chickens head and feet on. This is how we processed them neatly.

Most of the other videos I've seen they come out kinda sloppy. Removing the tendon from the leg is a step not to be skipped.

 

[Betsy57]

I've been processing my own chickens for about 5 years. Can't believe I'm doing it but thankful I am. I watched videos on line, read books, saw a neighbor do it and then dove into it. Today I processed 2 by skinning them. Sure went a lot faster and less prep/clean up. I'm sold on skinning them! I've done them with a plucker from a neighbor and plucking by hand. Skinning is the way to go.

 

[Mosey2003]

Skinning is just such physical work to me, I don't love doing it. Now, the next time I want to skin one, I'm going to try hanging by the legs in order to do down over the wings so that I can actually get some purchase and leverage, so that may help. Of course, I'm sure young birds and especially broilers are probably easier to skin than the typical older roosters and hens I usually do.

 

[Compost King]

only doing young birds has me loving the skinning process much better than plucking. the 2 times I plucked I spent hours getting all the pin feathers and no skin is worth that much time. I stopped doing meat birds for years after the first 2 then I watched a video on skinning and it looks so easy... it wasn't as easy as the video looked but it was so much easier and faster than plucking. The last one I did was done in about 10 minutes and was easier for me than it was for the lady in the video I watched.

Video I watched that helped the most