Question re: Meat bird products?

[iwltfum]

I just think about the amount of feed I paid for to feed them and it's easy!
But seriously, my wife and I own a farm where broiler chickens are one of our main money makers and we do all the butchering ourselves. My wife has still never killed a chicken. Although, she's eviscerated thousands at this point, which means I have dispatched, scalded, and plucked the same amount. In my head, I always maintain the birds as food. I certainly don't name any of them. I think about how much work has gone into raising these birds for meat and how I would just have to keep feeding them and how they would continue using up space if I were to not kill them. Stew birds (spent laying hens) are honestly a little more difficult, but it's the same mental process - not going to lay enough eggs to pay their rent, so they can't be around anymore...

 

[RUNuts]

So ...sorry for bringing this up. We all really really like our birds and its hard to face some topics.

But part of why I started to love poultry also was the idea of using it to protect the family with self sufficiency. Its still very hard for me to even think about meat harvesting the birds.

How do other people get over this bad feeling? Its hard to put them under the knife. But I have to. Not just for self sufficiency, I have too many drakes.

Mental preparedness. I thank the bird for the meat they will provide my family. Don't dwell. I use a cone and walked away from the first ones. You are making dinner, this is part of it.

Question #2; is there a cheaper equivalent to parrafin wax (for duck processing) that's cheaper? (This isn't cheap at all. And bees wax is worse!)

Scalding the duck is the hard part. Add a couple drops detergent to get past the water proofing of the feathers. They are harder to pluck than chickens. Wax is used to speed the fluff removal. Not required, so if you don't want to spend the money, hand pluck. Burn the hairs off over an open flame. I can never get all the hairs off. The flame singes them right off. Then wipe off the ashes.

Question #3; Can those Chicken shrink wrap bags be reused? (And is that even adviseable to try?)

I'd say no and no. Not worth the effort. The bag shrinks, you cut it open to get the bird out. I don't see how you could seal it to reuse one.

 

[nao57]

Thank you.

 

[Cintax]

I'm a hunter. Anytime I harvest an animal I feel an odd mixture of elation and remorse. There is nothing wrong with being sad about ending a life. I think this is just part of being human. I have always told myself, that if I ever lose that sadness or remorseful feeling; it would be the last hunting trip. I guess my point is you don't have to get over the remorseful feeling, I think it's important to accept those feelings are part of life.

 

[3KillerBs]

I'm a hunter. Anytime I harvest an animal I feel an odd mixture of elation and remorse. There is nothing wrong with being sad about ending a life. I think this is just part of being human. I have always told myself, that if I ever lose that sadness or remorseful feeling; it would be the last hunting trip. I guess my point is you don't have to get over the remorseful feeling, I think it's important to accept those feelings are part of life.

IMO, the feeling of reverent awe makes me determined to not waste anything from a chicken I killed myself.

 

[Andi44]

So ...sorry for bringing this up. We all really really like our birds and its hard to face some topics.

But part of why I started to love poultry also was the idea of using it to protect the family with self sufficiency. Its still very hard for me to even think about meat harvesting the birds.

How do other people get over this bad feeling? Its hard to put them under the knife. But I have to. Not just for self sufficiency, I have too many drakes.

Question #2; is there a cheaper equivalent to parrafin wax (for duck processing) that's cheaper? (This isn't cheap at all. And bees wax is worse!)

Question #3; Can those Chicken shrink wrap bags be reused? (And is that even adviseable to try?)


Thanks.

we just did our second round if meat birds at my house. I never thought I would be able to do it but it didn't bother me at all. I have over 50 pet chickens and I have always said they have such personalities. the meat birds were different. they don't care about you...they just want their food. We have bird tractors that we raised them in and we made sure they had food water and fans when it started to get hot. my husband and brother in law did the offing but I helped bag and clean and brought the chickens to them. and we now have too many drakes at our house as well and are going to have to do something. and no those bags can not be reused. they are one time use.