Where did you get your "processing" tools?

[Lil Chickie Mama]

Last time I butchered I did 3 roos and all I can say is: wow you learn so much each time and each time goes better! I had bought a new knife but it was junk and ended up having to buy a hatchet. I am having my husband make me a lung scraper after a picture of one I saw online that was connected to an air hose which you then use for a water stream. I looked up the price of many tools and they are SO expensive. I'm going to have to order online if I go that route as the local TSC's don't carry any and neither do any of the other feed stores. I am wanting to make a couple killing cones, anyone have a design? We have a couple welders and other tools as we run a large facility so I think it would be pretty easy to fashion. Where do you get your tools? What have you made yourself?

 

[KellyHM]

For an easy killing cone you can just cut the bottom out of a milk jug, turn it upside down, and stick the head out the bottom (mouth of the jug). Then whack the head off with a knife or garden shears. They can't flap much b/c of the jug and they bleed out nicely.

 

[kingmt]

Milk jug idea

lung scraper my wife just uses her finger but I seen a post on here that said they use one of those things to scalp a watermelon & bent it a little (I don't know what you use to scalp a watermelon but I bet Walmart would have it & wouldn't look at you as funny as if you asked for a lung scraper). I would like to see a link to that washer your talking about because that sounds like something is was planing to build. No hatchet is needed, all you need do is turn the bird up in the cone & cut on the side of the neck to bleed them out. You do need to scald the bird at 145F-150F if you are plucking & a plucker makes it so much faster & easer. I sale an inexpensive one that goes on a drill. If interested just look in my signature for the link or PM me.

 

[Le Canard de Barbarie]

I buy my knives from here.

My flushing type lung remover comes from here.

My killing cones came from Jaku.

 

[mmwb]

I use a Chicago Cutlery knife to kill, dress out, and cut up the birds. I use a traffic cone for a killing cone. Teaspoon to scrape out the lungs.

edit: I forgot: I also use a pair of pruning shears to cut off the head, feet, and wing tips. Likewise for quickly separating joints when cutting up the bird. Good kitchen shears will do the same.

 

[Peruvian]

I'm not really sure what 'tools' are necessary. I use the milk jug cones (be sure to cut the mouth out wider so their heads can come through. Any sharp knife works for dispatching and eviscerating. I use my fingers for removing the offal, including lungs.

The best 'tool' I have is the Whizbang plucker I built. Saves tons of time (2 birds plucked in 30 seconds). I have several photos of my processing set up at the bottom of this thread.

 

[hildymarie]

A good new sharp blade in a razer scraper does the cut nicely. I also bought some scalpal dealies from tractor supply that are sold for castrating but I misplaced them the last time we did critters in so had to use what we had. A good sharp paring knife can do the rest of the cutting tho I suspect the bladed dealy might do nicely for that too except for the cutting off legs etc.
Our clothes line in the side yard is actually high tensile wiring (we got tired of sagging clothes lines). We tie legs with recycled baling twine and hang'em high. One person holds the wings down and the other holds the head to make sure it is a good fast bleed so as to make it faster and less stress on the bird. I've called these overgrown meaties pteridactyls but come to think of it, the roosters were more like feathered dragons.
You dotn really need a lot of fancy accouterments unless you plan on hundreds at at time then you might want to use 'professional' tools.
I do like those links you posted, Le Canard de Barbarie; never knew where to look for such purpose specific items.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

I have a metal porch swing frame that I use for my killing station. I bolted a long 2X6 along the top and attatched 3 cones from it. I have one made from a cut-down traffic cone, one is a big plastic bleach bottle, and one is made from a plastic plant pot. I cut off the bottom & up the side, then formed the plastic into a cone shape.

Underneath each cone I have a wire tomato cage that holds a plastic bucket to catch the blood.

I found an inexpensive filet knife in the fishing dept at WalMart that does a good job of slitting the throats. For cleaning I use my KitchenAid kitchen shears & a regular kitchen utility knife. I pull the innards out with my gloved fingers, and can easily pry the lungs out with one finger.

I'm always on the lookout for more & better tools to use. Whenever I'm at a thrift store or garage sale I look for any good knives I could use. Our local grocery store sells Joyce Chen cutlery, I got a pair of her Unlimited scissors that were on clearance for $10, half price. I used them during today's processing session & was very impressed with their ease in cutting through the joints & the skin.

 

[Lil Chickie Mama]

Hmm, I'm looking into all the links and the companies you guys suggested. As for the bleach or milk jugs I think I'm going to still see if DH will make one for me. I found a pattern online and I hope it will work. Metal just seems like it would be more sanitary since plastic will hold onto chemicals and such. Then again it may just be in my head

I used my fingers last time for the lungs and the last 2 that I did they came out without a problem, but the kidneys (or something) wanted to stay stuck. Since we're building it out of spare bits around here anyway I figured it couldn't hurt to have one. Thank you for all the replies I hope they keep pouring in! I especially like the inexpensive stuff, I'm cheap!

 

[Lil Chickie Mama]

Quote:
I love this idea! I tried to catch the blood last time but it didn't work out so well.

So next time I'd like to try your method!