Well I DID IT!! Pithing vs. Hatchet.... Graphic pics****

[Half-a-dozen]

I finally disbatched three Roos today. Whheww! Not as easy as I thought to work with. Thanks to that Pithing method things were much easier for the last two birds.

First bird.... I used the hatchet, and since it was the very first time for me to do this.....turned out a bit of a disaster.....

The proper tools (a sharp hatchet and a steady hand

!) would have made it a whole lot easier, but since it was just me doing it by myself, I had no choice.

Last two birds..... I used pithing for the disbatch and Ohhh boy!! What a difference. The birds in general were soooo much easier to work with. Plucking these as opposed to the one who got the hatchet.... Big difference as the feathers seemed to just slide right off. It all went much faster. For the last two I also had help, from my sis (LJ3is4me) and her man (a hunter). Nice not to have done it alone.

I was going to skin them. In pictures this seemed so much easier and faster, but I had the hardest time.... due to my inexperience, just trying to figure it out and cut the skin around the legs that I went with plucking instead. (sharp knives also an absolute must for next time. Oh and a running facet... so I dont have to recruit one of my kids for the job.

Here are the pics from today.....
BTW for the experts.... there is a pic of one of my boys holding an organ....What is it?

I still cant figure it out.

My set up for the day!

Plucking

The look on my face! - LOL .. I was not having an easy time!

Much easier working with running water

Trying to take a foot off! what a chore! Sharp knife a must!

Removing the innards

Innards.... I think I got it all

The unidentified organ!??

Almost done....My aching back! A higher sink set is also in the works for next time!

Yippie!!! My very first bird! All done! (didn't weigh it yet)- looks like a decent size tho?

Now using pithing... still not sure if I did this exactly right, but they bled out fine this way. I probably could have used a thinner knife too....

Ohh and help is here now! Yaaaa!!!

Plucking again... this time so much easier!

Moving along quickly now!

And that is pretty much it! Can't wait to cook em up!

Right now they are wrapped up in the fridge. I want to get some buttermilk to soak them in. Read somewhere on here this makes em yummy!

 

[Linda in San Diego]

Wow, quite a job. I may have to cull an egg eater soon, so I am looking for support, advice, etc. <sigh>?

 

[Poulets De Cajun]

Gees the beginning is ok, and the end is ok, its the middle that I can't get used to.

I steadily try to educate myself about this though, because I would like to raise my own meat birds one day.

Trying to desensitize myself to it I guess.

Thanks for the pics!

 

[Linda in San Diego]

BTW...What is the "mystery organ"? Anyone?

 

[fowltemptress]

I wish I had friends like you

The meat looks beautiful, I hope it's tasty.

 

[ninjapoodles]

OK, first? You are just too cute, even gutting chickens. I do NOT look that good when I'm up to my elbows in chicken-guts.

Good for you getting the job done! And you're not alone--we, too, found it (as beginners, anyway) MUCH trickier to skin that we thought it would be. Plucking went much smoother, especially on the pithed birds.

Congrats!

 

[Half-a-dozen]

Quote:
I always felt... (felt before doing)... that the hatchet was always the easier method, BUT if you were there for the disaster of me using a hatchet..... its easier to appreciate the pithing. (for me anyway

)
I am sure one with greater experience has no trouble at all with the hatchet.

 

[halo]

What a great series of pictures. Thanks for taking the time for posting them. I keep thinking....one day, I should be able to do this...its not rocket science, I can do this...(noIcantnoIcantnoIcant).

 

[Half-a-dozen]

Quote:
I'll offer support! -LOL If I can do this ANYONE can! I have been procrastinating for a year!! LOL LOL

I'll have to admit tho... a lot tougher (physically) than I expected! That skin is hard to cut... and the insides are completely glued to the rib cage! After DH got home and I told him ALL about it he was surprised! But then again... sharp knives would have been so much more beneficial! But what did I know!

 

[SterlingAcres]

Thanks for those pix!! They look great