Processing tools and equipment

[horsesNchicks]

hello, we have 24 CornishX that are 2 weeks old and are going back and forth weather we will process them ourselves or have it done. Next batch we will probably get 50 chicks. We have not done this before but plan on continuing. I would like to know what you all recommend to purchase for processing. I am willing to make an investment if it will last for years to come, but my BF is handy so DIY advise would be great also. Thanks in advance.

 

[Maeschak]

hello, we have 24 CornishX that are 2 weeks old and are going back and forth weather we will process them ourselves or have it done. Next batch we will probably get 50 chicks. We have not done this before but plan on continuing. I would like to know what you all recommend to purchase for processing. I am willing to make an investment if it will last for years to come, but my BF is handy so DIY advise would be great also. Thanks in advance.

If you end up using the cone method (slicing the jugular) a traffic cone works just fine... no need to spend 30-40$ on a pretty silver one. (Although they really do look pretty!) Although, you will have to cut up the cone yourself which can be annoying- but these things will last and last. They are meant to be tough and out in the weather.
As for knives to cut the jugular, I use an Exacto knife and a pack of rounded blades. (The old school silver handled kind where the blade goes in and you screw the ring to tighten). It really beats trying to sharpen a knife to the point necessary to make cutting quick and easy. I have seen other folks on here recently who swear by the flexible tube cutters from home depot. Like this: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-Flexible-Tube-Cutter-99518/206743941 Although this will decapitate your bird instead of simply bleeding him out.
I have never used a plucker but I hear they are really worth it if you will be doing lots of plucking. (I think they are something like 300-700$ but not quite sure).
I would also recommend getting some sort of heating element and a nice large pot for scalding- most people use some sort of turkey fryer set up (it usually contains a propane heating element and a pot big enough to dunk your chicken). Personally, I do not have a turkey fryer set-up so I just heat water in the house and pour it into a 5 gallon bucket. I can usually scald several birds before the water temperature drops too much. Seeing as you will be doing a lot of butchering in the future I would purchase the turkey fryer set up.
All in all I would say your best investment will be helpers!
Good luck to you~

 

[SunHwaKwon]

I skin all mine since we rarely eat whole or bone-in chicken. I have a stump with three screws drilled into it to set the neck in and stretch the neck out. A hatchet from TSC that cost less than $10. I use my regular kitchen knives, mainly just a butcher knife and a smaller paring knife, and a cutting board. A trash can to throw stuff in until I dump it in the field for the vultures and whatever else. I do two batches of clean water and when I finish one it goes into one tub of water, when i finish the next I move the previous to a clean batch of water, dump the dirty water and refill and toss the more recent one in. In that way each is soaked twice in clean cool water. When I'm done they are stuffed into a stock pot and slow cooked until all the meat falls off. The meat is collected and cooled, then used that night or vacuum sealed and frozen. The bones stay in the pot and some vegetables like onion and carrot and seasonings are added and I make broth, which is also frozen.

 

[Maeschak]

PS- dont forget a thermometer to make sure your scald water is at the right temperature!

 

[aart]

Welcome to BYC!
Have you browsed the Meat Birds forum?

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Nope, Cornish X not Coturnix. They do seem very easy to process though. Imagine the skin comes right off like partridge. Chicken skinning is not that easy.

I like to use an exacto knife. Super sharp, not so long of blade to get in the way or cut yourself and quick blade change out when it does get dull. Cutting joints is more of a backward break so you only need to scour a ring around, bend joint backward to pop open then cut the tendons. Easy to do with a short blade like exacto knife.

Some grills have a side burner or even get hot enough on grill to heat the water. If yours doesn't then absolutely get a turkey fryer. I've done the heating water in kitchen to run back and forth adding boiling water to bring up temp after each bird and have to say, it's slow and gets old quick. People determined to go without a propane heat source have fair luck putting the hot water in a cooler for insulation. 155-160F is what you need, too hot and you burn the skin, too cold and the feathers won't be ready to pluck. Dunk, swish, take out and repeat. Keep dunking and swishing/plunging the bird until the feathers are ready. It's like wallpaper removal. Don't even start until it's ready to come off with ease or you'll be wasting time, energy and damaging the subsurface which in the birds case tearing it's skin. Can take 5 or more plunges. When the large tail or wing feathers release with the slightest effort is when it's ready then you can pluck the bird by handfuls at a time and have one clean in less than 5 minutes easy.

Tools I use:

Block of wood and hatchet- I'm old school. People really like the cone method though.
stock pot with heat source for scalding.
Cutting board and exacto knife.
large trash can with liner duct taped around it. Pain if it keeps falling in.
garden hose attached to water source. Clean table and final clean of birds.
Coolers with ice water to store birds.

Doing that many birds at once you may want shrink wrap bags too. When all done you put bird in bag, tie it then poke a hole to let air out prior to dunking in clean hot water to shrink seal the bag to bird. Put label over the hole you make. Very slick way to freezer ready the birds.

 

[DaveMorehouse]

Since you are raising Coturnix you may want to visit the Quail forum also. Many people use scissors to snip the tiny head off and then skin, rather than pluck, their quail. Best wishes for a fruitful harvest.

My apologies. The coffee put me in overdrive this morning. The fruitful harvest wish still applies though. Good luck.

 

[Molpet]

I just made my investment in processing materials and here is what I bought:

Plucker - $548.00 +shipping
fish filet table $69.00 -
kill cone $28.00
boning knives $15.92
shrink bags $34.95

Links should work. I already have a huge stock pot and propane burner for scalding, and plan to air cool before bagging in a huge chest freezer with a temperature controller.

I had CX and BR that didn't fit in the metal cone.. I seen on BYC where someone made one from a kitty litter jug, 3 screws to the support w/a large washer.. I keep them both up and if the bird doesn't fir in one it goes in the other LOL .. I process a few at a time as I need them usually.

 

[Mosey2003]

If there are other backyard chicken people in your area you could possibly rent a plucker out a day at a time, so that would offset the initial cost.

 

[Mosey2003]

Wow that is a great idea. I am new to chickens but will put it out there in our local ranchers and farmers FB groups. Thanks

No problem. I've seen it lots of places that people will do this, some have a little trailer with plucker, scalder, cones, etc that they bring. If I were going to do more than 10 at a time I would definitely pay a little to rent a scalder and plucker.