The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[delisha]

Quote: When they are big enough..I go by weight. Usually i butcher out when they are just starting to have hormonal issues. Probably an average of 12 weeks. My birds are large so you have to go by your birds.

 

[Yardfarm Family]

Hi Claire,

I was wondering the name of the feed you are using? I feed soy free as well, and am trying to learn all the feeds that are produced without it as a point of refrence. Countryside organics was not an option as it doesn't deliver to my area. Thanks for your help!

MB

Hi, I am using Cashton Farm Organics, I believe they ship but I get mine from Feed store here in Illinois.
~Claire

 

[delisha]

Tanning with brains

Carefully slice the animal from the chin, along the belly, to almost anal end. Remove the head and put the brains in a plastic container with a tight lid and into the fridge. You may want to leave a description of the contents for the unwary if you have a communal fridge. If you are careful in removing the brains, you can keep the skull well intact as the beginning of a skull collection. Cut around male anatomy and the anal area, being careful not to cut into internal organs and such. Continue cutting along the center of the bird tail to the end. This gets tricky here cutting the tail. You have to go very slow if you want to save the whole tail. Next from the belly cut, slice along the underneath side of the wings and legs of the bird. Now you are ready to separate as much fat and tissue as possible from the hide by using your thumbs and fore fingers of both hands to peel the hide from the carcass.


Remove the fat and tissue from the “flesh side” of the hide, compared to the other side of the hide, which has the nice soft feathers of the animal. When working with a small animal like a bird you can stretch and tack the hide on a piece of plywood, side of a barn, or other very flat surface to help you in the fleshing process. You can also hold the hide down with one hand on your leg while scrapping the flesh from the hide with your other hand. It is somewhat tricky, but this whole process takes lots of patience.

do you want me to go on?

 

[Mumsy]

I can give you some ideas about tanning with brains..but that is all I know..

oh..it will not upload files..just pictures

Have you personally tanned with brains del? I have seen the process done and it is not for me. The smell is bad and my gag reflex could not handle it.

 

[insanity]

Have you personally tanned with brains del? I have seen the process done and it is not for me. The smell is bad and my gag reflex could not handle it.

I tried it once, the neighbors where not happy. i wouldn't recommend it for the weak stomached.

 

[Pullet Surprise]

Quote: We used corn meal in my high school zoology class for skinning critters, it helped with the rubbing off of any leftover residue on the skin and did a darn decent job of drying the skin. It worked very well! Wow...that was a blast from the past........and why do I even remember that?

 

[delisha]

Hide

 

[Mumsy]

I tried it once, the neighbors where not happy. i wouldn't recommend it for the weak stomached.

I don't have a weak stomach but I have a keen sense of smell.

 

[delisha]

Not me..but I have cooked the brains

 

[delisha]

Scrape the flesh from the hide with a dull butter knife that has very small-serrated edges gently scraping the fat from the hide. You can use a knife, but you have to be very careful that you do not cut the hide with the edge of your knife, which ruins the hide. To scrape with a knife, begin by coming into the hide at a 90′ degree angle. Do not angle your blade as if carving this will slice the hide. Bring you knife in at a 90 degree angle and taking short downward strokes to remove the flesh and tissue. As the hide dries some, it may be a little easier in the removal process. Keep at it until you remove all the fat, tissue, and flesh. Once you have done this, the hide is now “rawhide” and can be rolled up and put in a paper sack, in the frig


Brains
Add a good 1/2 cup of fresh water, rain water if you have any, and bring the brains with the water to a light boil, turn off the heat, set aside, and let the brains cool.

Once the liquid has cooled, rub the mixture into the flesh side of the hide. Do this until the flesh side of the hide is well soaked with the brain mixture. You can if you wish to insure a good braining, is to soak a light small cloth in the remaining brain mixture and lay it onto the flesh side of the hide. Roll up the hide with the cloth and let it sit overnight in a cool dark safe place. In the morning roll out the hide remove the cloth, wring as much water and moisture as you can from the hide.