Needing some encouragement - butchering chickens this weekend

[hobbyfarmrookie]

Another hint. Instead of cutting the heads off with an axe and letting them flop around. I tie the legs together with string I take the other end and tie a loop. I take a shepard's hook that holds hanging plants (remove the baskets first) and put the loop over the hook. This allow the chicken to hang upside down, they will settle down in about 30 seconds. Hold the head, and slice each side of the neck severing the vein. They bleed out in one location because they are not flopping around.

 

[hobbyfarmrookie]

Ohio Farm Girl I loved your blog.

 

[TanksHill]

Hobbyfarm, the pictures on your blog are just beautiful!!!

 

[Beekissed]

I've got quite a few pics of my processing of the meaties this year if you are interested. Here's a pic of the major organs:

I have pics of the place to cut the neck, plucking, separating the anal attachments, killing cones, etc.

 

[Emerald]

I've got quite a few pics of my processing of the meaties this year if you are interested. Here's a pic of the major organs:

http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/6459_meat_chickens_processing_018.jpg

I have pics of the place to cut the neck, plucking, separating the anal attachments, killing cones, etc.

OMGOODNESS! I love chicken livers and hearts! And those look soooooo much better than the ones I have to buy!
Only thing is--when I cook those livers and hearts and eat them, the cats all line up and look at me like "Mommy? Why you eating my dinner?"
only one question? Where are the gizzards?

 

[Beekissed]

That is because these CX were raised truly free ranged and not horribly overfed.

I've seen the livers in the store of which you speak and those are the ones that I throw away when I find them in some very old roosters and layers. Yellow and squishy means old and diseased.... In the younger birds it is a result of high protein feed and fast metabolisms.

 

[curly_kate]

Another question I have: when you let the chicken 'age', is that after you wrap them up? Or are they supposed to just sit in the fridge for a little bit?

 

[Javamama]

You do this right after butchering - you want them to go through rigor and then relax to keep the meat from becoming tough.

 

[miss_thenorth]

My birds go in the freezer right away. I usually let them sit and have a slow thaw in the fridge for a few days. Never had a tough bird yet.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

Ohio Farm Girl I loved your blog.

thanks, HFR!!



so Bee. you wore me down. i got more creepy meat birds. sigh... i'm gonna go back and re-read your strategies (and FF's too!)... but they are already bothering me. ick. creepy dang meat!

here's the chicks:
http://adventuresinthegoodland.blogspot.com/2010/09/creepy-meat-its-back.html

let the creepy meat complaining BEGIN!


CK - i just loosely cover them in the fridge. if its longer than a couple days i'll put wrap over them.

are you ready for action?

hi java!