My husband came in from feeding and said the prolapsed chicken wasn't looking well. The prolapse was decreasing yesterday and she was eating and no one was pecking at her, but this morning she looked a little mopey and there was some bleeding, so I decided I would cull her.
I had to watch two YouTube videos just to make sure I knew what to do. I felt like a surgeon getting ready - except you know, I don't think surgeons have to sharpen their instruments. Then, as I was sharpening the knives, I felt like I was in some cartoon - the evil farmer sharpening her knives for the demise of the hero hen.
Anyway, besides the initial realization that my knife needed to be sharper and having to figure out a better way to get the jugular, things went ok - a little sad, but okay. I said thank you to her and sorry that she had to put up with me learning - but the water was hot enough that the feathers came right out. Cleaning out the innards was the hardest thing - but I didn't cut into anything like the rectum or the craw, so it all went relatively smoothly. I threw the chicken in a freezer bag and into the freezer and that was that - one relatively small stewing hen ready to go.
I know I am posting two blogs in a day, so do view the early blog to see pictures of our afternoon at the Volcano National Park. At least it isn't more sheep and more bananas!
2 comments:
It does seem cartoonish in a way. I haven't done one yet but I hope I can get up the nerve that you did.
You know, it helped that she was probably going to die slowly and painfully anyway - and once the feathers were off it was like dealing with a chicken from the market.
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