Processing chickens, Salatin style

[Buster]

Last week goats, this week, chickens.

My friend Grady shown processing birds in this video, is going to show me the Salatin style of poultry processing tomorrow. We will be processing some 100 broilers first thing in the morning.

I generally dread processing day, but I am oddly excited this time. He has the whole Featherman setup, so that is part of it, but it is much more than that.

I have admired Joel Salatin for quite some time now. Barbara Kingsolver showed me the way to this lifestyle, but it was Salatin who pushed me over the edge with the whole raise-your-own-meat-bird thing with his books. I distinctly recall another hero Michael Pollin (author of The Omnivore's Dilemma) describing his experience processing his first chicken at Polyface. Now here I am about to have that very same experience. Not at Polyface, but the next best thing. At the hands of a Polyface apprentice. I am excited indeed.

So am I weird or what?

[I thought about posting this in the meat bird section on BYC, but weary of all the grief given anyone who even mentions Salatin's name over there. I figured you folks would understand.]

 

[bibliophile birds]

how dare you mention Salatin or suggest that sustainable farming practices are valid?!?!?





oh wait, wrong forum...

i learned processing from watching Polyface videos, but i still don't really have it down. i mean, i get the job done, quick and painless, but it could be neater and a bit more skillful. of course, i have neither a Featherman nor an experienced work force to assist me, so that could be my problem.

you should take some videos to share with us.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

oh golly i wish we had a featherman pro... we are The Worst Pluckers EVER. seriously.

we did our meats on monday. easy and fun..except for the bad plucking and all. we've really got our system down and i think its easier with at least two workers. we have a special table (whacked together base and a stainless top) that really helps. and we work on a slight incline so we can hose our the work surface.

100 would make for a long day tho. be sure to get all your posting in tonite otherwise your arms will be too tired to type!

so um... weird... um.. is that in relation to chickens or just in general?
;-) (just kidding)

and no not weird. we look forward to processing days. its good community, good 'part of the circle of life', good work, good gratitude, and good BBQ of course.

full report expected

 

[TanksHill]

Take pictures!!!! Ok that sound morbid and gross but I would love to see some of your process. Good luck!!

gina

 

[big brown horse]

Cool Buster! I can't wait to hear all about it first hand.

I just re-read that part in Omnivore's Dilemma btw, to help prepare for my first chicken processing adventure a few weeks ago.