Processing Tips Needed!!!

[ChiknforME]

I am 4-6 weeks from processing 35 Cornish cross. I have been checking out shrink bags, and plucker attachments for drills. What are some tips you guys can give me!

 

[iwltfum]

I would watch some youtube videos. Like over and over again. If you search "joel salatin chicken processing" on youtube you will find some excellent videos showing every detail of his style of processing. His son Daniel Salatin has some very good instructional videos about cutting the bird up into its various parts.

Also, I've heard drill pluckers are a pain and don't work as well as advertised. I know people that have tried them and just ended up hand plucking all their birds instead. Never used one personally, but I've heard plenty of horror stories.

35 is a decent number of birds if you have never processed before. I would definitely recruit at least three other people to help you and plan on it taking more than 4 or 5 hours - possibly all day. The first time my wife and I processed our meat birds years ago, it took significantly longer than expected, even though we had helped other people butcher their birds on several occasions.

 

[3KillerBs]

The first time I ever processed birds -- my "packing peanuts" -- I did only two the first day so that I could learn the process without stress.

 

[ChiknforME]

Thanks!! I have processed only a few before, 5 roosters to be exact! I think I will do a few before I have a ‘big’ day! I have a few buddies who have volunteered to help as well.
I have so traffic cones I am going to try and make hugging cones out of.
I am very interested in how the shrink bags will work. The metal straw vs the hike in the bag kind. Also if I part the bird out, will those bags work for legs,thighs, and what not?
very excited!

 

[iwltfum]

I am very interested in how the shrink bags will work. The metal straw vs the hike in the bag kind. Also if I part the bird out, will those bags work for legs,thighs, and what not?
very excited!

Shrink bags work great. We simply mash all the air out of the bag (with the chicken in it of course - hugging it against your chest works well to get the air out, plus they could use a good hug after all they been through), twist the end, slap on a zip tie, and dunk it. I've found the straw or puncturing the bag to be a nuisance. We barely have any air left in the bag with this method.
Yes, your shrink bags should work for parts too, but you will end up wasting alot of the bag potentially. Most vendors sell smaller bags for cut ups.

 

[iwltfum]

I forgot to mention that you might want to consider investing in some insulated rubber gloves (like the kind fishermen use, not the kitchen kind) for both the scald water and the shrink bag water. Doing one is fine without gloves, but you will be regretting not using something to protect your hand from that water after doing ten or twenty of them.

 

[ChiknforME]

I forgot to mention that you might want to consider investing in some insulated rubber gloves (like the kind fishermen use, not the kitchen kind) for both the scald water and the shrink bag water. Doing one is fine without gloves, but you will be regretting not using something to protect your hand from that water after doing ten or twenty of them.

Awesome advice!!!!! I remember my Grandad having a pair to pull pork with! Definitely a great piece of advice!

 

[ChiknforME]

Shrink bags work great. We simply mash all the air out of the bag (with the chicken in it of course - hugging it against your chest works well to get the air out, plus they could use a good hug after all they been through), twist the end, slap on a zip tie, and dunk it. I've found the straw or puncturing the bag to be a nuisance. We barely have any air left in the bag with this method.
Yes, your shrink bags should work for parts too, but you will end up wasting alot of the bag potentially. Most vendors sell smaller bags for cut ups.

great! What size bags are recommended for CornishCross? I am worried the 10in bags wind be large enough? Or will they?

 

[Parront]

I like to put them on ice in a big cooler after plucking. Then I can work on gutting them all at once. That gives the scald water time to heat up again, too. More ice than you think in as big a cooler as you have. I just got an old cooler at a yard sale with this in mind, $20.00 so I could not resist! It is an Igloo at least 4' long that they used on their fishing boat, and it has a small hatch in the lid just big enough to drop in a fish, or a chicken.

 

[bobbi-j]

If you get the scald water “juuuust right” (unfortunately I don’t know what that is as DH is in charge of that and can tell by feel) the feathers come right off without any effort. I think it’s a good idea to do a few before you have a “big day” just to get a feel for it.