Well. I did it. :( Graphic description and guts photo.

[Renee']

Renee' :

Something that you may want to consider is prior to the 150 degree water dunk is to dunk him/her in a 5 gallon bucket of warm water with dish soap, you can give him/her a "pre" bath to scrub/wash off the poo. If they are extra poopy then maybe a quick rinse in a separate warm bucket before the 150 bath.

So I have a new question.... If the butt was filthy with poo and leftover rooster...and I scalded the chicken poo and all - did that scalding poo water taint the bird? Would you not want to eat it because of that?

Nope the bird wasn't tainted, it's just fine, the birds cavity is still "sealed" so nothing yucky can get inside.​

 

[ChickenAlgebra]

Nope, you did everything fine for a first timer! It's been so long for us, I can't remember the first time other than the fact that Mr Turkey who was supposed to be Christmas dinner is still running around here 11 years old now. The chickens were dispatched, but couldn't do Mr Turkey. Now he's a pet.

Just glad he's a mutt turkey, not a broad breasted type.

Liver looks healthy, just slightly fatty due to being an older bird. CX look different for processing because they are young birds.

The poo, no problems, it's still fine to eat the bird. CX are FILTHY beasties, and are likely way dirtier than your bird was. You dunk before you cut the bird up, thus nothing can get in.

 

[itsy]

Quote:
Heheheheh

Thanks for the tips and encouragement, guys!

For the record, I ended up going to the doc today for a tetanus shot and some antibiotics. That dang spur went into the bottom of my thumb and I was starting to feel pain in my joints on that hand and my wrist. ::shrug:: Maybe nothing would have happened - but better safe than sorry. Next lesson: Wear thick rubber gloves.

 

[ChickenAlgebra]

When we process birds with developed spurs, we yank em off after dunking, before plucking. They come off fine, and then no jabs from spurs

 

[Oregon Blues]

Everything looks fine to me.

The first one is difficult if you don't have anyone to show you how. You did fine.

Those are lungs at the very bottom of the photo. As fat as that bird was, I doubt she was laying. That's a lot of fat around her heart.

For next time, if you want the gizzard, it's a hard lump from up near the throat. It's silvery on the sides of it. You take your knife and slice along the edge where it is reddish, only on one side.

That opens it up and you shake out the ground grain and grit. Then there is a waxy looking layer of skin lining the gizzard that will peel out easily. Once that is done. you will recognize it as a gizzard.

The lungs aren't really much for culinary delight, but if you cook them up, the dogs will eat them.

If I've got one with a poopy butt, after the bird is killed, I wash the butt off with the garden hose. Then scald and go from there. But no, the dressed chicken isn't damaged and it should be perfectly safe to eat.

The smell will go away. It helps to rub your hands well with stainless steel. I've got stainless steel "soap", but wiping your hands on a stainless steel sink works, too.

 

[Theo]

Thanks, Itsy. I'm about to process my first bird, an 18 month old rooster, on Friday. Can't say that I'm looking forward to it. The gross picture does help quite a bit for steeling myself. I'd also want to know about poop in the scalding water and so forth, because I worry about those sorts of things. I am going to buy heavy duty rubber gloves. Thanks for the heads up.

Now, I've heard the bit about stainless steel before--I know it works, but how does it work?

 

[itsy]

Quote:
My pleasure, Theo. Good luck to you. Check out that link I referred to. It's up there in the meat sticky. Make sure you prepare!!

I hope you let everyone know how it goes.

Stainless steel helps with the smell of garlic on the hands, too. If you run cold water over something stainless and rub garlic hands over it - no more smell. They sell a fancy block of it in Bed Bath and Beyond - but I'd just as soon rub my hands on a stainless sink or spoon.

Also.... thanks for the tips, OB and CA.

 

[Hark]

O. M. G. you're my hero. As a vegetarian chicken owner (which I'm sure is the bane of the existence of most BYC forum members), I don't know how you did it. But it's super-hipster to use a traffic cone. Whoa.

 

[itsy]

Welcome to BYC, Hark.

I certainly don't feel like a hero! That wasn't fun or easy to do. I give props to everyone on here who has processed any animal.

My meat chicks were shipped today and I get them on Thursday. I'm nervous about raising them from chicks and then having enough strength to process them - but I am calmed by the fact that they will have happy chicken lives, that they will be raised in a clean environment, killed with respect and that their meat will be additive free.

 

[Dennq]

A big dollop of toothpaste on your hands will get rid of that chicken smell.

Also some Vicks vapo Rub under your nose on your top lip will numb your sense of smell so you don't have to smell everything.