We "dispatched" 4 Buff Orpingtons this weekend... here's my story...

[Farmer Kitty]

If you stick them, as she did with the pithing, and give a quarter twist, you don't have to do the scalding. The one that was skinned probably had thinner skin. I had two hens do that but, the other one and the roos haven't.

I catch, put in cone, slit throat, debrain (stick and 1/4 turn), let bleed out, pluck, and gut. I do not deal with the hot water. I find it goes much easier and I don't have feathers sticking to me this way.

 

[RJ_Hythloday]

Quote:
Someone mentioned skinning in a post recently. I guess it would prevent any need to pluck? How's it work out for you?

 

[DawnSuiter]

Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay :

The water is only 145 to 150 degree F.

In at least SOME circumstances (and I don't know about these 5 gallon buckes specifically) the temperature of the water is irrelevant. The contact with anything that you intend to put in your mouth causes transferrance (sp?)

I will check on it for next time as another testing method. None of our buckets are clean enough to do that and are so old I doubt they can be cleaned... our Great Pyranese uses one as a chew/throw toy.. he's tuff

 

[Sunny Side Up]

So many folks gripe about plucking, but to me it's not the worst part of the job. It certainly helps to plunge them in hot water to open their pores. You can use any metal stock pot, even if it's only big enough to wet half the bird at a time. But it's better if you have one big enough to dip the whole bird into, head(less) first, and tall enough to swish the bird up & down a bit, to get the water under the feathers & onto the skin.

Until next butchering day, be on the lookout for such a pot, on Freecycle, at the thrift stores, to borrow from a friend. I'd like to find a turkey fryer, it could both heat and hold the scalding water.

Have you eaten any of the birds yet? I hope they're delicious!

 

[DawnSuiter]

Hi Sunny, we haven't eaten one yet, but plan to soon. There was a sale on pork this last week so we've been eating that for a few days... ribs, chops, sausage... yum!

Since these are our first chickens, I'm a little nervous about it... will we like it? How different are they etc... but we will plug on through and give it our best shot. We're committed to the idea of not buying store bought chicken anymore since we can now grow our own.

I'll tell you though... just like is said... I haven't thought the same of meat since I did the deed. It's a really eye opening experience for sure.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

We only just started processing our own chickens for meat this year, and I find it really adds to the enjoyment of the meal to know where the meat comes from, to know it's clean & healthy, been raised with care & kindness, been fed a wholesome diet, enjoyed fresh air, green grass & sunshine, and was processed humanely. (Or tried to, I also had difficulty with pithing) I have more gratitude for home-grown meat, knowing all the effort it took to raise the birds, keep them safe & healthy, and what it cost them to feed me. I don't want to waste a morsel of their meat. Often I'll stretch it in soups, stews, salads & chilis, to make it last longer.

We just had an oven-roasted Cornish X tonight (fantastic!) but with standard or mixed breeds I'll often slow simmer them until their meat falls off the bones, separate the white from the dark, and freeze it for later use.

[Let us know how you enjoy your chickens!

 

[Cetawin]

I am sorry your experience was so shuddering. My personal opinion is that pithing is a cruel manner to attempt killing. Especially, when it is the first time you are dispatching because it is too easy to get wrong. I prefer a good sharp knife to cut the throat clean back to the spinal area or a good machette. One whack and the deed is done. Try using a cone to avoid the flapping and jumping when removing the head.

Just for purposes of definition...

Pithing is a slaughtering technique in which the brain of the animal is scrambled with a tool inserted through the hole in the skull created by captive bolt stunning. Pithing further immobilizes the animal after stunning and before exsanguination. A knife is not going to 'scramble the brains', it is merely going to immobile the animal, so it is very much alive.

This method also refers to a procedure used in biology classes to immobilize a specimen, by inserting a needle up through the base of the skull (from the back) and then wiggling the needle around, scrambling the brain. It allows for dissecting the frog, as well as observing its living physiology, such as the beating heart and expansion and contraction of the lungs, without causing unnecessary pain to the animal. The specimen remains living because respiration continues through the skin without cerebral control, but it feels no pain once the spine is initially severed.


I hope your next experience is better.