Posted: 6/5/2015 1:27:02 PM EDT
It's time for this guy to go We are most likely going to follow these directions unless anyone here sees a problem with it https://howlingduckranch.wordpress.com/2009/07/15/butchering-chickens/ Going to be using this knife to cut its throat so I don't mess up any of my nice ones 
So basically as I understand it Slam its head into a rock Put it in a milk jug and poke its head out the bottom Cut jugular vein Hang and let it bleed out Scald it in a pot Pluck Cut off its head with shears Cut out asshole and oil sack Reach in and scoop out all the guts Wash it real good Brine 24 hours Coq au vin I'll post picks were doing it around 8 tonight |
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When I was a kid, my buddy's grandmother chased a goose around her house with a serrated knife. She caught it in the basement and pretty much sawed its head off. You could hear the commotion for a block.
After that, they always bought their birds pre-deaded from the butcher shop. |
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I've processed somewhere between 60 and 100. Tie the legs together with a slip knot on one end of a cord, and a hook on the other end, so you can hang him upside down. Being upside down dis orientates them enough that they quiet down and don't flap. Don't need to do that head bashing nonsense. Need a sharp knife, I use a Mora. As he is hanging upside down, grasp his head and make a slit behind each ear. The blood will flow strong when you get the artery. At this point they will flap some, so step back to keep blood from splattering on you. You want him to bleed out completely, which is why you don't shoot him or cut off the head. The heart needs to keep beating as long as possible to pump the blood out, or the blood pools and settles in the joints, resulting in poorer quality on the table. I fillet off the breasts and take the legs/thighs. Not a whole lot of other meat on a layer breed bird. Then you don't need to bother gutting it. Very easy to do, I snicker at those paying $3 per bird to process. Edit to add - If you do the fillet, no need to scald and pluck. Just skin him enough to get the breasts and legs. |
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Have at it...
Butchering is not some mystical star wizard secret decoder ring stuff.... Take off or out the parts you don't recognize or want to eat. Add fire... Eat. You might want a longer blade to slice parts off. It would be easier but the razor will work if it's what you have. |
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Quoted:
I've processed somewhere between 60 and 100. Tie the legs together with a slip knot on one end of a cord, and a hook on the other end, so you can hang him upside down. Being upside down dis orientates them enough that they quiet down and don't flap. Don't need to do that head bashing nonsense. Need a sharp knife, I use a Mora. As he is hanging upside down, grasp his head and make a slit behind each ear. The blood will flow strong when you get the artery. At this point they will flap some, so step back to keep blood from splattering on you. You want him to bleed out completely, which is why you don't shoot him or cut off the head. The heart needs to keep beating as long as possible to pump the blood out, or the blood pools and settles in the joints, resulting in poorer quality on the table. I fillet off the breasts and take the legs/thighs. Not a whole lot of other meat on a layer breed bird. Then you don't need to bother gutting it. Very easy to do, I snicker at those paying $3 per bird to process. Edit to add - If you do the fillet, no need to scald and pluck. Just skin him enough to get the breasts and legs. I may do the fillet There is no way I'm going to pay someone else to process my birds |
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Quoted:
Have at it... Butchering is not some mystical star wizard secret decoder ring stuff.... Take off or out the parts you don't recognize or want to eat. Add fire... Eat. You might want a longer blade to slice parts off. It would be easier but the razor will work if it's what you have. I have a chefs knife to the actual butchering I am just going to use the razor to cut its neck I will be buying a new knife to do the butchering next time http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004TNWD40/ref=pd_aw_sim_468_2?refRID=1XQ2QMYHTRNFSFJE1Y78 |
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unless for some reason you are attempting to collect chicken blood, skip the 'hit head on table to knock out' followed by 'put in milk jug and cut jugular'. Employ one of these three methods instead. #1 chop of chicken's head with axe, hatchet, Chopping knife, whatever. #2 smack chicken in the head with the back of hatchet, hammer, whatever, not to just 'knock it out' but to kill it, then chop off head. #3 Grab by head. Twirl bird to wring it's neck, continue to twirl and bird and head will separate. Quick and humane. In all three, there will be blood pumping out for a little bit. This is fine, just don't wear white and try and snuggle it, hold it at arms length neck down and let the heart do some work for it's last few pumps. Additionally, I hate plucking birds, I just skin them |
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The way my Grandfather did it, wring its neck first, grab the head and wind the body up, then cut off the head. Its kind of like a soap in a sock, grab the neck (head) and then just swing it in circles, its quite easy and painless for the chicken since its neck is broken immediately. The alternative is to have a stump or low table, put the chickens head on it, step on the head to hold it still and chop its head off, its really not that hard. |
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You don't want to just cut the head off. You want to slit the veins so it doesn't just die and let the cock's heart beat to bleed it out. It is important to get as much of the blood out of the chick as possible.
We used to have this sheet metal thing that looks like a cone. You put the chicken in it so the head hangs out the bottom of the cone and rest of the body is in the cone and you hang it up. It give you access to the chicken's head and neck and the cone hold the body while it tries to flop around. |
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My wife and I cull quite a few every year, and we've pretty much got it down to a science...
Step 1, Cut it's head off... 
Step 2, let them hang to bleed out... 
Step 3, dunk it in a pot of boiling water for a count of 20... 
Step 4, then into a pot of cold water, the hot/cold bath makes it much easier to get all the feathers off including those darn pin feathers... 
Step 5, gut and clean like any other game bird... 
Step 6, Quarter or leave whole, depending on how you want to cook it. 
Depending on how old the Rooster is, will determine how tough the meat will be, pretty much anything older than a year is best used in casseroles and soups. 6 Months or so are the best for frying and other dishes using quartered pieces. |
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My wife and I cull quite a few every year, and we've pretty much got it down to a science... Step 1, Cut it's head off... http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy47/Gunslinger8O8/r6.jpg Step 2, let them hang to bleed out... http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy47/Gunslinger8O8/r7.jpg Step 3, dunk it in a pot of boiling water for a count of 20... http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy47/Gunslinger8O8/r8.jpg Step 4, then into a pot of cold water, the hot/cold bath makes it much easier to get all the feathers off including those darn pin feathers... http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy47/Gunslinger8O8/r11.jpg Step 5, gut and clean like any other game bird... http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy47/Gunslinger8O8/r13.jpg Step 6, Quarter or leave whole, depending on how you want to cook it. http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy47/Gunslinger8O8/r15.jpg Depending on how old the Rooster is, will determine how tough the meat will be, pretty much anything older than a year is best used in casseroles and soups. 6 Months or so are the best for frying and other dishes using quartered pieces. Thanks for your post Have you tried cutting its neck vs cutting its head off? |
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Have you tried cutting its neck vs cutting its head off? We save the necks for making broths and stock, so never tried to cut them right at the body. Simple chopping block with 2 nails in a "V" to hold the head in place. And on that subject, that little box cutter is going to make it a PITA to cut it's head off, better a large heavy bladed knife or hachett. |
| Pick up the rooster, place upside down, put in kill cone or old bleach bottle, slit besides the ears and let it bleed out. Breast and thigh the bird. not much else to deal with. No plucking the nasty bastards. Meaties go to processor at $2/bird. Roo's get killed at 6 mo at home, or as we tell our kiddo, off to freezer camp. |
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And if the fucker is 3 years old, put in some metal chompers to eat it  <--- your teeth will look like that otherwise lolCoq au Vin Translates to "Chicken with wine." That dish was developed fully FOR old roosters. It takes about 2 days to make properly (Cook, let sit, cook again.) See if you can find an old recipe for it, newer cookbooks seem to call for a simple dinner prep style of cooking (just a couple hours.) |
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Whatever you do don't try and break its neck by cracking it like a whip. It won't work and the chicken will shit all over your fancy fucking suede jacket. I can't even tell you how hard I laughed at this. Over and over. It actually hurt and I had for real laugh tears. Thanks. |
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Oh boy...
Get a traffic cone and cut the tip off. Nail a 2x4 on each side and attach to something so you have a "work station" Put bird in head first, The cone holds it well with head out bottom. Remove head and bleed out well. Gut, pluck, cook and eat at your pleasure. |
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Quoted: I can't even tell you how hard I laughed at this. Over and over. It actually hurt and I had for real laugh tears. Thanks. Quoted: Quoted: Whatever you do don't try and break its neck by cracking it like a whip. It won't work and the chicken will shit all over your fancy fucking suede jacket. I can't even tell you how hard I laughed at this. Over and over. It actually hurt and I had for real laugh tears. Thanks. |
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We save the necks for making broths and stock, so never tried to cut them right at the body. Simple chopping block with 2 nails in a "V" to hold the head in place. And on that subject, that little box cutter is going to make it a PITA to cut it's head off, better a large heavy bladed knife or hachett. Quoted:
Have you tried cutting its neck vs cutting its head off? We save the necks for making broths and stock, so never tried to cut them right at the body. Simple chopping block with 2 nails in a "V" to hold the head in place. And on that subject, that little box cutter is going to make it a PITA to cut it's head off, better a large heavy bladed knife or hachett. Pruning shears ....I'm lazy. Did the grab neck spin..then pluck. Our rooster is your twin...Americana ..angry lil shit...but he's big...and time to go. But we can't get close to him so...I think he's gonna get a head of lead...if we can't catch him.LOL My FIL swears he can hypnotize him to catch....I told him game on.....if he can beat the "Rex "challenge ill buy the drinks and pay for his medical LOL Thanks for the cool pictures .... Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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Quoted:
We save the necks for making broths and stock, so never tried to cut them right at the body. Simple chopping block with 2 nails in a "V" to hold the head in place. And on that subject, that little box cutter is going to make it a PITA to cut it's head off, better a large heavy bladed knife or hachett. Quoted:
Have you tried cutting its neck vs cutting its head off? We save the necks for making broths and stock, so never tried to cut them right at the body. Simple chopping block with 2 nails in a "V" to hold the head in place. And on that subject, that little box cutter is going to make it a PITA to cut it's head off, better a large heavy bladed knife or hachett. Shhhhh, let him try with that first. Should be hilarious 
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Coq au Vin Translates to "Chicken with wine." That dish was developed fully FOR old roosters. It takes about 2 days to make properly (Cook, let sit, cook again.) See if you can find an old recipe for it, newer cookbooks seem to call for a simple dinner prep style of cooking (just a couple hours.) Quoted:
Quoted:
And if the fucker is 3 years old, put in some metal chompers to eat it <--- your teeth will look like that otherwise lolCoq au Vin Translates to "Chicken with wine." That dish was developed fully FOR old roosters. It takes about 2 days to make properly (Cook, let sit, cook again.) See if you can find an old recipe for it, newer cookbooks seem to call for a simple dinner prep style of cooking (just a couple hours.) Carry on then. I was poking fun at GS808 for killing an old rooster and going straight to the grill. My teeth hurt for 2 days after that! (not really)
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But we can't get close to him so...I think he's gonna get a head of lead...if we can't catch him.LOL
I made a catch stick similar to those that Animal Control uses to deal with birds like that. I've been pecked (not really a big deal) and spurred (hurt and bleeds like a MoFo!) we have some that go willingly, and others that fight all the way. Easiest way is to just throw some feed down and wait for the greedy bastards to come for it. Carry on then. I was poking fun at GS808 for killing an old rooster and going straight to the grill. My teeth hurt for 2 days after that! (not really) That was one of the meanest, nastiest freaking birds I have ever dealt with. Once he spurred my wife for the third time it was over for him. Rotten little bugger was just as tough to eat as he was to deal with when alive. |
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although plenty sharp I wouldn't use a box cutter for your first bird
you want to make sure you find the arteries on your first try you will want a blade slightly longer than that... just in case ETA: if you start doing this more often get some good game shears I love my game shears... they make life easier |
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I've processed somewhere between 60 and 100. Tie the legs together with a slip knot on one end of a cord, and a hook on the other end, so you can hang him upside down. Being upside down dis orientates them enough that they quiet down and don't flap. Don't need to do that head bashing nonsense. Need a sharp knife, I use a Mora. As he is hanging upside down, grasp his head and make a slit behind each ear. The blood will flow strong when you get the artery. At this point they will flap some, so step back to keep blood from splattering on you. You want him to bleed out completely, which is why you don't shoot him or cut off the head. The heart needs to keep beating as long as possible to pump the blood out, or the blood pools and settles in the joints, resulting in poorer quality on the table. I fillet off the breasts and take the legs/thighs. Not a whole lot of other meat on a layer breed bird. Then you don't need to bother gutting it. Very easy to do, I snicker at those paying $3 per bird to process. Edit to add - If you do the fillet, no need to scald and pluck. Just skin him enough to get the breasts and legs. Great advice there, and is exactly how I do mine (done hundreds of chickens) down to Swedish mora and everything. I make sure it is razor sharp, the bird is calmed down, then lightly pass it along the carotid arteries so it doesn't even feel the cut and 90 percent of the time they will just lift their head confused and then pass out. The occasional one will flap around like crazy and sling blood in a 12' diameter circle. 
I get a couple of big stainless pots boiling and dunk them for 10-15 seconds while grabbing a few big feathers at the same time. Once the big feathers release easily quickly take them out of the water and plunge them into a bucket of cool/cold water to prevent the skin from over cooking and turning mushy/tearing easy while you are trying to pluck it. I made a homemade plucker that you put on a drill and it really sped up the process and now prefer plucking to skinning. After they are plucked I use an ax to chop of the rest of their neck close the shoulders and store the neck in the body cavity. 
To gut, lay it on its back and just pinch the loose skin where the rib cage ends, follow that line with your knife down and around the butt/glands (I don't save the tail either) and back around the to where you started. Reach in and grab the biggest handful of guts you can and pull them out firmly without squeezing too hard. You want to avoid rupturing their bile sac (greenish sac attached to the liver). Carefully cut it away from the liver, save the heart and gizzard too. Take your knife and run it down the seam of the gizzard, splitting it open. You should be able to pull the tough membrane off in one piece and now your gizzards won't be all rubbery when/if you cook them. Scrape out as much of the lungs (kinda orangish goo left over) as you can plus remove windpipe. Flex the lower foot joints (where the yellow scaly skin meets the meat) and lightly run your knife across it until you feel the tendon give way, don't push too hard and go right through it cutting yourself. Once the tension is out of the tendon trace your knife with the contours of the joint instead of sawing through it, it'll keep your knife a lot sharper. Rinse and chill thoroughly then dry and vacuum seal/bag the bird. 
I let mine age about 2 days in the refrigerator (nice and cold) to pass rigor mortis/relax the meat then eat fresh or freeze. You can eat them immediately after but I have had some chickens lock up so hard after cooking that you literaly barely could stick a fork in them, so now I age mine just to be safe. |
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Quoted:
Great advice there, and is exactly how I do mine (done hundreds of chickens) down to Swedish mora and everything. I make sure it is razor sharp, the bird is calmed down, then lightly pass it along the carotid arteries so it doesn't even feel the cut and 90 percent of the time they will just lift their head confused and then pass out. The occasional one will flap around like crazy and sling blood in a 12' diameter circle. http://i.imgur.com/8DQ1HDem.jpg http://i.imgur.com/ok44ZzAm.jpg I get a couple of big stainless pots boiling and dunk them for 10-15 seconds while grabbing a few big feathers at the same time. Once the big feathers release easily quickly take them out of the water and plunge them into a bucket of cool/cold water to prevent the skin from over cooking and turning mushy/tearing easy while you are trying to pluck it. I made a homemade plucker that you put on a drill and it really sped up the process and now prefer plucking to skinning. After they are plucked I use an ax to chop of the rest of their neck close the shoulders and store the neck in the body cavity. http://i.imgur.com/WeUrh6Mm.jpg To gut, lay it on its back and just pinch the loose skin where the rib cage ends, follow that line with your knife down and around the butt/glands (I don't save the tail either) and back around the to where you started. Reach in and grab the biggest handful of guts you can and pull them out firmly without squeezing too hard. You want to avoid rupturing their bile sac (greenish sac attached to the liver). Carefully cut it away from the liver, save the heart and gizzard too. Take your knife and run it down the seam of the gizzard, splitting it open. You should be able to pull the tough membrane off in one piece and now your gizzards won't be all rubbery when/if you cook them. Scrape out as much of the lungs (kinda orangish goo left over) as you can plus remove windpipe. Flex the lower foot joints (where the yellow scaly skin meets the meat) and lightly run your knife across it until you feel the tendon give way, don't push too hard and go right through it cutting yourself. Once the tension is out of the tendon trace your knife with the contours of the joint instead of sawing through it, it'll keep your knife a lot sharper. Rinse and chill thoroughly then dry and vacuum seal/bag the bird. http://i.imgur.com/fEncqbhm.jpg I let mine age about 2 days in the refrigerator (nice and cold) to pass rigor mortis/relax the meat then eat fresh or freeze. You can eat them immediately after but I have had some chickens lock up so hard after cooking that you literaly barely could stick a fork in them, so now I age mine just to be safe. Quoted:
Quoted:
I've processed somewhere between 60 and 100. Tie the legs together with a slip knot on one end of a cord, and a hook on the other end, so you can hang him upside down. Being upside down dis orientates them enough that they quiet down and don't flap. Don't need to do that head bashing nonsense. Need a sharp knife, I use a Mora. As he is hanging upside down, grasp his head and make a slit behind each ear. The blood will flow strong when you get the artery. At this point they will flap some, so step back to keep blood from splattering on you. You want him to bleed out completely, which is why you don't shoot him or cut off the head. The heart needs to keep beating as long as possible to pump the blood out, or the blood pools and settles in the joints, resulting in poorer quality on the table. I fillet off the breasts and take the legs/thighs. Not a whole lot of other meat on a layer breed bird. Then you don't need to bother gutting it. Very easy to do, I snicker at those paying $3 per bird to process. Edit to add - If you do the fillet, no need to scald and pluck. Just skin him enough to get the breasts and legs. Great advice there, and is exactly how I do mine (done hundreds of chickens) down to Swedish mora and everything. I make sure it is razor sharp, the bird is calmed down, then lightly pass it along the carotid arteries so it doesn't even feel the cut and 90 percent of the time they will just lift their head confused and then pass out. The occasional one will flap around like crazy and sling blood in a 12' diameter circle. http://i.imgur.com/8DQ1HDem.jpg http://i.imgur.com/ok44ZzAm.jpg I get a couple of big stainless pots boiling and dunk them for 10-15 seconds while grabbing a few big feathers at the same time. Once the big feathers release easily quickly take them out of the water and plunge them into a bucket of cool/cold water to prevent the skin from over cooking and turning mushy/tearing easy while you are trying to pluck it. I made a homemade plucker that you put on a drill and it really sped up the process and now prefer plucking to skinning. After they are plucked I use an ax to chop of the rest of their neck close the shoulders and store the neck in the body cavity. http://i.imgur.com/WeUrh6Mm.jpg To gut, lay it on its back and just pinch the loose skin where the rib cage ends, follow that line with your knife down and around the butt/glands (I don't save the tail either) and back around the to where you started. Reach in and grab the biggest handful of guts you can and pull them out firmly without squeezing too hard. You want to avoid rupturing their bile sac (greenish sac attached to the liver). Carefully cut it away from the liver, save the heart and gizzard too. Take your knife and run it down the seam of the gizzard, splitting it open. You should be able to pull the tough membrane off in one piece and now your gizzards won't be all rubbery when/if you cook them. Scrape out as much of the lungs (kinda orangish goo left over) as you can plus remove windpipe. Flex the lower foot joints (where the yellow scaly skin meets the meat) and lightly run your knife across it until you feel the tendon give way, don't push too hard and go right through it cutting yourself. Once the tension is out of the tendon trace your knife with the contours of the joint instead of sawing through it, it'll keep your knife a lot sharper. Rinse and chill thoroughly then dry and vacuum seal/bag the bird. http://i.imgur.com/fEncqbhm.jpg I let mine age about 2 days in the refrigerator (nice and cold) to pass rigor mortis/relax the meat then eat fresh or freeze. You can eat them immediately after but I have had some chickens lock up so hard after cooking that you literaly barely could stick a fork in them, so now I age mine just to be safe. Thanks for your post I'll definitely be leaving him in the fridge for a few days thanks for the tip |
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Quoted:
although plenty sharp I wouldn't use a box cutter for your first bird you want to make sure you find the arteries on your first try you will want a blade slightly longer than that... just in case ETA: if you start doing this more often get some good game shears I love my game shears... they make life easier Ok I will reluctantly use my zt its razed sharp and 3" long I ordered a mora today for the other two birds |
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Quoted:
I've processed somewhere between 60 and 100. Tie the legs together with a slip knot on one end of a cord, and a hook on the other end, so you can hang him upside down. Being upside down dis orientates them enough that they quiet down and don't flap. Don't need to do that head bashing nonsense. Need a sharp knife, I use a Mora. As he is hanging upside down, grasp his head and make a slit behind each ear. The blood will flow strong when you get the artery. At this point they will flap some, so step back to keep blood from splattering on you. You want him to bleed out completely, which is why you don't shoot him or cut off the head. The heart needs to keep beating as long as possible to pump the blood out, or the blood pools and settles in the joints, resulting in poorer quality on the table. I fillet off the breasts and take the legs/thighs. Not a whole lot of other meat on a layer breed bird. Then you don't need to bother gutting it. Very easy to do, I snicker at those paying $3 per bird to process. Edit to add - If you do the fillet, no need to scald and pluck. Just skin him enough to get the breasts and legs. This is the way I kill. But with a fresh razor blade for the cut. But I pluck and clean but depending on how you plan on cooking this sounds like a good way to go. |