Quick Processing Run Down for me please?

[aclee]

So we decided to do the processing ourselves. We have for sure, 5 people, maybe 6 and we'll rent a plucker, use a turkey fryer for a scalding pot. I am pretty sure I understand the basics from the videos and pictures I have seen, but I want to run it down and ask a couple questions...

1) Bird into kill cone
2) Slice Neck (one side? Both sides?)
3) Let bleed out (how long does that take?)
4) Into Scalder (140-150 degrees with a little dish detergent...right?)
5) Into cold water to cool skin so plucker doesn't rip it. (Is this the pink water?)
6) Into plucker
7) Remove head and feet
8) Seperate windpipe and crop from neck, cut off, then cut off neck (we're saving it for either stock or crab fishing)
9) Carefully cut around the vent to create an opening to remove intestines. Everything should come out pretty easily except lungs? (Should we get a lung scraper? We have about 35 birds)
10) Rinse entire bird, in and out and then put into a chest with lots of ice, and cold water (I plan to do 1-2 cups of salt in new trash barrels and then load them with the chickens, and layer with ice...should that be good to cool them down?)
11) Move to bags and into fridge for 24-48 hours (how long in the cold water with ice?)


We are going to part up some of them...should this be done before or after the long soak in the water and ice? Does it matter?


Thanks for the help!

 

[PunkinPeep]

2) One side should do it - right under the chin bone (not sure it's called that, but that makes it easy to identify).
9) I don't use a lung scraper, and once you get used to what your finger is looking for, i don't personally think you need one. I have also not ever butchered 35 chickens on the same day.

Also, on this step, i don't do it like any of the tutorials say to do it. I carefully cut a slit horizontally above the vent (tummy up) and get it big enough that i can get my hand in there. Then i pull out all the guts and then cut around the vent when i can see what i'm doing. I'm only telling you this to say - if you haven't done it before, leave yourself room to do it the way that is comfortable for you.


I would definitely cut them apart while you're butchering if you're going to do that. It just makes sense to do it all at once - and hopefully before rigor sets in.

Have fun!