Washingtonians

[ultasol]

Quote:
You can use the shears to remove the neck low to the body, the end joint on the wings (unless you are going to fry them), and the feet. Cut the preachers nose off below th etips of the tailfeathers( and if you can cut the vent through at the same time it will help). Then from the opening at the neck witht he neck end pointing up take the shears and cut from the neck opeing to the openeing you cut ewhen taking the tail feathers off along the side of the spine you can open it up and just push the innards out with the tip of the shears and youa re done. I skin my birds, even if I fry them we remove the skin anyway ( its good eating but not so heart heathy). IT only takes a minute or two to do it like that. If you tie one foot from the ceiling or a branch you can make it so much easier to clean and also faster.

Thanks for the tips! I usually cut the wings and feet off with a clean pair of branch trimmers. LOL

I can teach you an easy way to remove the wings and feet like a butcher does,.. no breaking of bone required. All bone remains intact. Remind me at Stevenson and I can show you the landmarks on a live bird (obviously won't be butchering at the show). It's super quick, one quick cut for each wing/foot. Same with thighs, I can take thighs off in record time too, it's removing the darn breasts that slow me way down.

 

[PitterPatterPalace]

Thanks for the B-day wishes. It was a good night.

 

[Chickielady]

Quote:
Most, even in flood, are sparkling clear due to clay soils and constant "flushing"'
Sparkling clean, clear and fantastic waterways & lakes here.
Wonderful drinking water, mostly soft.
You will love it.

That is great news that almost all are clear, but what stood out in your post was soft water. We don't drink the water that comes out of the faucet in Oskaloosa, we fill our 7 gallon water containers up at Wal-Mart. Soft water, cool.



From the head water guy in our town
"Our water comes from well down in the bottoms. Very high mineral content. This means HARD water. City of Lawrence shoots for a hardness of 100, ours is 325 +. This mineral content also carries a small amount of taste aswell.
"

All the water on the west COAST is soft water.
Our personal water here comes from a rain water collection system so is super soft, deliscious and I use hardly and dish, laundry or body soaps due to the softness, and rarely have to use conditioner or detangler, even though my hair is fine, and all my life I have had to use detangler/conditioer.
We use NO fabric softeners.
Water east of the Cascades/Sierras is more alkaline in that they receive less rainfall.
Research the area where you are planning to move, ask 4321 or RFF they are on wells, I think.

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Quote:
Thanks for the tips! I usually cut the wings and feet off with a clean pair of branch trimmers. LOL

I can teach you an easy way to remove the wings and feet like a butcher does,.. no breaking of bone required. All bone remains intact. Remind me at Stevenson and I can show you the landmarks on a live bird (obviously won't be butchering at the show). It's super quick, one quick cut for each wing/foot. Same with thighs, I can take thighs off in record time too, it's removing the darn breasts that slow me way down.

Aww, come on, it could be a life info-mercial for the kids!! LOL

 

[Chickielady]

Quote:
Thanks for the tips! I usually cut the wings and feet off with a clean pair of branch trimmers. LOL

I can teach you an easy way to remove the wings and feet like a butcher does,.. no breaking of bone required. All bone remains intact. Remind me at Stevenson and I can show you the landmarks on a live bird (obviously won't be butchering at the show). It's super quick, one quick cut for each wing/foot. Same with thighs, I can take thighs off in record time too, it's removing the darn breasts that slow me way down.

I always break the joint, bend the wings back & a light sharp knife severe tendons & skin.
Flip the carcass over & bend the leg way out, popping the hip joint, svere the tendons & cut the skin all the way around the upper thigh at the body.
Breast up, cut through the center, and across the back at the 'waistline', then cut the back & bottom in half.
I worked in Safeway as a butcher/wrapper for a while.
Learned lots of tricks.
I talked to DH last night about the meaty chicks coming, and the Cornish Cockerals over some of the Buckeye hens to be perpetual good eggs, that when we want to, we can hatch a few meaties Cornish X Buckeye meaty chicks out when ever the freezer gets low.
I also told him he has to build the plucker, and that Zgoat, JB & others are willing to go in on sharing the plucker, and having freezer camp-pot luck days at each other's house when butcher day comes.
He is very intrigued.
he started researching parts & plans before he left, so he will continue when he gets home.
Cool, huh ?
I know he can build a good lightweight, easy to travel plucker, he is really really good at stuff like that.
I will keep you all updated.

 

[DIYSeattle]

I never breasted any of my birds. My dad and grandfather would have taken a peach limb to me for wasting the meat.

Plucking is the hardest part and most time consuming. Im going to try the shears on teh bantam as soon as I can. Maybe Ill call my budy and see if he had processed any bantams with the same method.

I dont think Ill get to go to the Stevenson show. I need a trip though. Its about 3 hours from Seattle?

 

[Chickielady]

Quote:
In addition to having to want to quit, I really have found that sometimes when nagged, a person wants to smoke or dip all the more...defiance.
Even if the person kinda wanted to quit, they continue just to piss you off.

 

[Chickielady]

How can you throw the breast away ??
I only throw the head, neck & feet away.
I hate plucking, wet feathers stuck everywhere...I also hate to put my hand up in the gut cavity, as if something may grab me.........ewwwwwwwwwww
But I do it.............

 

[Chickielady]

Well, I am bottle feeding one baby bunny, who is several weeks old, but for somereason (maybe teeth) mommie is not nursing him anymore.
So, he got some bottle feeding & poly vi sol today...his little tummy was empty.
You have to check the babies every few days, they can be starving right in the same nest with the fatties.
I also have 2 Amd pipping, 1 hatched this morning, and 7 game pips that belong to Boldogkennel...she will be flipping out if she knew...pip day is tomorrow !
Early birdies!

 

[Chickielady]

OK, off to get cleaned up, got cleaning to do, sick of the rain.
I planted sun flowers in 8 pack plastic dealy-bobs yesterday, and nothing left to plant in til I get to the hardware for more 8 pack containers.
All else is fine, so see ya all later.
I am interested in the egg bound hen...I have never had an egg boud, so I am watching...and wondering about molasses in the water, supposed to act as a laxative ???
I did watch the pics from jbear, poor hen!!!
The hen didn't seem all that stressed either, like she liked the water stizt bath!