sumi

Rest in Peace 1980-2020
Joined
Sep 26, 2013
Messages
7,025
Reaction score
5,296
Points
337
Location
Ireland
Those crates would be so easy to make yourself! And so handy to have around too...
 

Beekissed

Mountain Sage
Joined
Jul 11, 2008
Messages
12,774
Reaction score
3,934
Points
437
Location
Mountains of WV
The outside sink/processing station still needs tweaking, paint and some sanding down, but I had to use it today to kill the last of the production hens I had gotten for soup meat. Will work on it later to complete the unit, but will show it in progress so you can get an idea how I used the bed frame to form the legs.

The bucket catches the guts and has a hole out the side about 3 in. from the bottom...that will soon have a PVC pipe to divert it away from my work area. Easy to slide that bucket in and out for disposal.

100_0074.JPG


Also used the neck vise Eli rigged up for me from a C clamp...it too needs a few tweaks, as it tended to get a little slimy and slick after several birds and didn't want to grip the flesh as well. It's a simple fix but I've got a few ideas to modify the whole thing by using a pipe vise instead.

100_0077.JPG
100_0079.JPG


In this pic, the bird has a double yolker egg in the oviduct, when I slit the oviduct to release the egg, I broke the shell and you can see the albumen leaking out.
100_0080.JPG


This skinning vise was an incredible help with my processing, as my old hands can't wrestle the skin off these old birds as easily anymore and, at this time of the year, that hide is like it's been glued on. To be able to use my own weight to leverage that skin downward is a HUGE help and this vise also keeps the carcass from getting so many feathers on it...at this time of year the old hens are molting, so feathers come out and fly everywhere.

Where has this thing been all my chickening life?????
 

CrealCritter

Sustainability Master
Joined
Jul 16, 2017
Messages
10,639
Reaction score
19,825
Points
377
Location
Zone 6B or 7 can't decide
I've never skinned a chicken before. I built a crealbilly plucker out of a pvc pipe cap some buggie cords and a length of thread all. But looks like your method is very effective - great work and thanks for sharing. pictures really help also.
 

Beekissed

Mountain Sage
Joined
Jul 11, 2008
Messages
12,774
Reaction score
3,934
Points
437
Location
Mountains of WV
I've never skinned a chicken before. I built a crealbilly plucker out of a pvc pipe cap some buggie cords and a length of thread all. But looks like your method is very effective - great work and thanks for sharing. pictures really help also.

I have no need for skin, as I can all my chicken, so it's just easier to skin them. Don't like having to heat the water, etc. for plucking when the skin will be discarded anyway.
 

CrealCritter

Sustainability Master
Joined
Jul 16, 2017
Messages
10,639
Reaction score
19,825
Points
377
Location
Zone 6B or 7 can't decide
I have no need for skin, as I can all my chicken, so it's just easier to skin them. Don't like having to heat the water, etc. for plucking when the skin will be discarded anyway.

Good point... So how do you get one of those full sized chickens in a canning jar? I've wanted to try and pressure can a few but couldn't figure out how to get it in a jar. Can you share your secret? I've seen whole canned chicken at the store.

Google image
F5o9DbJyvxQzvnoOAAXrOqLJHvL9A6TLiRIoNjYZu5M.jpg
 
Last edited:

Beekissed

Mountain Sage
Joined
Jul 11, 2008
Messages
12,774
Reaction score
3,934
Points
437
Location
Mountains of WV
Good point... So how do you get one of those full sized chickens in a canning jar? I've wanted to try and pressure can a few but couldn't figure out how to get it in a jar. Can you share your secret? I've seen whole canned chicken at the store.

Google image
View attachment 5215

One doesn't can them whole. Most will part them out and can the meatiest parts, sometimes with bone in, but mostly without the bones. I debone and chunk up my chicken now and raw pack it as per usual. The bones and less meaty parts are then cooked down for stock, picked and the picked meats canned as well, then the stock, with the fat being removed off the top of the stock and frozen for cooking in recipes later.

Rendered chicken fat, or schmaltz...

100_5188.jpg


Stock and canned chicken....

100_5193.jpg


Chicken on the left is from old hens, chicken on the right from young cockerels...
100_5206.jpg


Gelled stock being placed in the jar prior to canning...

100_5215.jpg
 

Beekissed

Mountain Sage
Joined
Jul 11, 2008
Messages
12,774
Reaction score
3,934
Points
437
Location
Mountains of WV
Next project is one we didn't choose. The old bathtub in our most used bathroom has a corroded drain and then developed a crack leading off from the drain area....then leaking under the tub and onto the floors, etc.

So, going today to order a tub and fixings from Lowe's and will put in a new one ASAP. Mom's an excellent plumber, so I'll merely assist and learn so that one day, maybe, when I grow up, I can be more like her. :D
 

milkmansdaughter

Super Self-Sufficient
Joined
Jul 31, 2017
Messages
1,308
Reaction score
1,541
Points
217
Location
Alabama
Come visit Meeeeee! I need a good plumber around here. Ive been a little too lazy to get to all the projects on my list here!:gig
 

Beekissed

Mountain Sage
Joined
Jul 11, 2008
Messages
12,774
Reaction score
3,934
Points
437
Location
Mountains of WV
Got the tub in and a new wall up...the new tub was not as flexible as the one we removed, so the wall got pretty gouged up getting it in...this is a very small bathroom. Just need to do some trimming on the tub, sanding and staining of the wall, putting towel and shower rods back in, etc.

Big changes in a small room, so looks very strange right now. I'm pretty pleased with the results so far, though.

We managed to put in shut off valves on the water lines behind the tub and that's always an improvement any time you can get those into your water lines.
 

Latest posts

Top