MY LATEST DIY PROJECT

[sumi]

Those crates would be so easy to make yourself! And so handy to have around too...

 

[Beekissed]

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.

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.

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.

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]

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]

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]

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

 

[Beekissed]

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
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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...

Stock and canned chicken....

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

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

 

[Beekissed]

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.

 

[sumi]

Your mom is wonderful, Bee

 

[milkmansdaughter]

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!

 

[Beekissed]

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.