Chicken Roast
Posted 5th May 2009 at 12:41 PM by pisa
Just a copy and paste of my post, for my further reference. 
As in the title I had to do the deed again, our cockerels are a menace to the hens and have to go.
The last time I did it, I used a Chinese cleaver with a VERY sharp blade, but still had to use 3 strikes to sever the head from the neck. Very traumatic for me, and the rooster couldn't tell me how he felt about it either.
So this time I investigated again, and came again to the conclusion a quick chop would have to be done. I still don't trust my hands to go through pulling the neck.
But this time I did a few things different, and even though the experience is still unpleasant, it went a lot better.
First: I put a baby sock over the roosters head, which kept him very quiet and spared me the sight of his eyes.
Second: a sharpened axe, as I figured the point-loading works better with a smaller slightly curved blade.
Third: as I have to do it on my own, I tied the feet AND the head to the saw stools under the chopping block. Kept him in position with the neck nicely stretched.
Fourth: started plucking within 5 mins of the kill and finished it while the body is still warm. SOOO much easier, didn't even have to use hot soapy water!
The bird is now hanging while it takes me to re-acquaint myself with the butchering techniques ( http://butcherachicken.blogspot.com/) and have a cuppa tea!
Just thought I'd post again, as I find it always stressful, and browsing through the internet one can come across some very strange and gruesome stuff, but also very helpful, as the above blog!
PS: AND I'm sober, didn't need scotch to calm my nerves this time!
As in the title I had to do the deed again, our cockerels are a menace to the hens and have to go.
The last time I did it, I used a Chinese cleaver with a VERY sharp blade, but still had to use 3 strikes to sever the head from the neck. Very traumatic for me, and the rooster couldn't tell me how he felt about it either.
So this time I investigated again, and came again to the conclusion a quick chop would have to be done. I still don't trust my hands to go through pulling the neck.
But this time I did a few things different, and even though the experience is still unpleasant, it went a lot better.
First: I put a baby sock over the roosters head, which kept him very quiet and spared me the sight of his eyes.
Second: a sharpened axe, as I figured the point-loading works better with a smaller slightly curved blade.
Third: as I have to do it on my own, I tied the feet AND the head to the saw stools under the chopping block. Kept him in position with the neck nicely stretched.
Fourth: started plucking within 5 mins of the kill and finished it while the body is still warm. SOOO much easier, didn't even have to use hot soapy water!
The bird is now hanging while it takes me to re-acquaint myself with the butchering techniques ( http://butcherachicken.blogspot.com/) and have a cuppa tea!
Just thought I'd post again, as I find it always stressful, and browsing through the internet one can come across some very strange and gruesome stuff, but also very helpful, as the above blog!
PS: AND I'm sober, didn't need scotch to calm my nerves this time!
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