Second time around

[Agricola]

I finally got around to processing another chicken today. (Thanks again to everyone who posted on my thread after I did the first one, the advice helped). Overall the process went a little better. My main question now is about bleeding the chicken out.

I was going to try cutting the throat again, but with all that rooster waddle around there, I just wasn't sure where to cut. So I cut the head off with an axe. That killed him quick, but he did not seem to bleed out very well. For those of you who simply lop the heads off, what do you do to let it bleed it out? Do you just hang them upside down for a while? One person told to me to let them run out because the activity will pump the blood out. Not sure I buy that though. What do you all think?

 

[becky3086]

I have slit the throat and had them chopped off, some bled a lot, some bled a little. I didn't notice any difference.

 

[CARS]

Whether you cut the head off, or slit the throat you should hang them by the feet to let them bleed out. Or better yet, search for killing cones. The cone holds the bird in place while all the action takes place.

(or get lazy like me and take it to the processor

)

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

I was actually looking for a processing plant near me in King William Va. to do this job for me. I want to order and raise for about 12 weeks this summer some cornish x rocks. (about 75)...so that's why I was looking for a processing plant. any ideas???

 

[CARS]

D'Angelo N Va. :

I was actually looking for a processing plant near me in King William Va. to do this job for me. I want to order and raise for about 12 weeks this summer some cornish x rocks. (about 75)...so that's why I was looking for a processing plant. any ideas???

The yellow pages???? That's where I have found mine. Maybe talk to a meat locker (we call them "sausage shops" around here) to see if they have any ideas.​

 

[Ibicella]

Don't let them run around. You just end up bruising the meat and it makes it tough. All the flapping around the body does as the blood pressure goes down and the nerves go haywire from lack of brain contact pretty much pumps it out.

Hanging them upside down directly after either in a killing cone, a burlap bag, twine on a nail, or just holding them by the feet till they stop flapping seems to work pretty well. But you will notice different blood flow from each chicken. Some seem to bleed a lot, some don't seem to hardly at all.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Yay for you! How far did you beat your previous 3-hour record? Did you scald & pluck, did it go easier this time?

I found it helps to have a way to hang/hold the bird with its head down about chest high. You can use a variety of materials to make a cone, or simply bind the bird's wings to his sides with a few wraps of duct tape and hang him by his tied-together feet. You can hang them from a tree branch, fence post, clothesline, swingset or porch-swing frame, whatever, but it helps to have them hanging so you can have both hands free to work with.

You shouldn't be slicing through the bird's wattles or his feathers. I place the bird so his comb is facing away from me, the bottom of his throat is towards me. I grab the head & stretch his neck taut, and bend it slightly to one side. There is a featherless place right below the point of the jaw that's the best place to cut. Use a good sharp knife, it need not be big, just sharp. I use a filet knife I bought at the fishing dept at WalMart, I've also used utility knife blades. Make a deep decisive cut, the blood should flow out immediately & at a good rate. That will be enough to instantly kill your chicken. But bend the head the other way and cut the other side. Even though the bird is brain-dead the heart will still reflexively beat and help pump the blood out in addition to gravitational pull. You should notice a difference in the amount of blood remaining in the carcass.

Also, you may prefer a different method, but I hold the bird's head steady until it finishes wriggling, that way I can direct the blood into the bucket below instead of splattering all around.

Enjoy your next home-grown chicken dinner!

 

[Agricola]

Quote:

Thanks! It went a little faster this time, but I wasted a lot of time hemming and hawing about how to actually kill it before I just gave it the axe. Thanks for the description of how you cut the throat, I might try that next time. I have four left to do and I would like to get them all done before Monday. I did scald it this time, and it definitely helped with the wing feathers. The only problem was that then my hands were wet, and its cold here so I was freezing (go figure

), and the feathers would stick to my hands somewhat.

But overall it was a better experience. And tomorrow morning, there will be a little less noise.

 

[dancingbear]

I wouldn't just hold them upside down by the feet, unless you want to splattered with chicken blood from head to toe. I hang mine upside down by the feet, put a bucket on the ground under them to catch the blood. After the initial gushes of blood are done, I can let go and step back out of splatter range.

 

[crazybarnlady]

To find a processing plant: I'm in canada but the department of agriculture website lists all government certified abbatoirs (slaughterhouses) and any meat sold must be proccessed at one of these. Is there something comparable in your state?