we DID eat it in soup. we didn't have high expectations for the bird being half bantie and a rooster. it was more about DOING.

BUUUUUT.... remember how I couldn't get the ax to swing right and it was too heavy?

My friend had mentioned I needed to make sure the ax was sharp. my husband had just used it, and I had stuck it in the goat house and when I got it out I realized it was DULL. I couldn't find the hatchet anywhere (it was there, just not in a good place to see, apparently), so I turned on the grinder, squinted, and did my first sharpening job. I hate that sound!

I told my husband this whole story, and how I couldn't hit the same spot twice. he questioned me again on which ax I had used.

After informing me NOW that he had once purchased an ax for me with a smaller handle (a fact he didn't tell me before, nor did he put it somewhere I could find it) he told me....WE HAD BUTCHERED THE CHICKEN WITH A SPLITTING MAUL!!!! Yup, now we have a splitting maul with a rather sharp side to it. He laughed so hard over this, and said we could just as easy have crushed it's skull as chopped its head off. No wonder it took her two times too!

So, I guess butchering in the future will be easy compared to this, and maybe I should pay more attention when he talks about his tools.

-- marcee (thathope@mwt.net), January 22, 2002

Answers

That's precious Marcee. Sounds just like something I'd do. Thanks for sharing. I'll be joining the ranks of brave chicken-butchering ladies soon.

-- Ann Markson (tngreenacres@hotmail.com), January 22, 2002.

well marcee,, at least NOW you knwo the differance between a maul and an axe. Something that might work better for you,,would be a machette,,lighter,, not as ackward,, and easy to sharpen.

-- Stan (sopal@net-port.com), January 22, 2002.

I used to us an ax, but my aim was just as bad. Now we hang the chicken up by feet, grab its head and with a sharp hunting knife cut the head off. Be careful not to cut your finger off! We like this method better for a number of reasons. 1.) You don't have to worry about your aim 2.) The chicken stays cleaner because it is not running around in the dirt with its head cut off 3.) Because it is not running around flopping all over the place, it does not bruise the meat

-- Jay (candlebn@maxminn.com), January 22, 2002.

Marcee...I found that a good-quality kitchen meat cleaver works excellent for me. It has just enough weight to get the job done, but it's not as awkward as a hatchet or an axe can sometimes be.

-- Marcia (HrMr@webtv.net), January 22, 2002.

I, too, just hang them by the feet. But you needn't cut the head off, just cut the juglar. Make a quick slice just under the jaw on the left side. Also, if you look in the archives, you'll find this subject very well covered. GL!

-- Brad (homefixer@SacoRiver.net), January 22, 2002.

Another advantage of hanging them by the feet. It drains the blood out.

-- jay (candlebn@maxminn.com), January 22, 2002.

When I was growing up and that was a long time ago my aunt that raised 100 fryers a year for her family would grab a chicken by his feet and wing tips then place the head under her shoe and pull the head off. After this she would put them in a wire cone to allow for bleeding and keep them under control while they did. I know this sounds a little bit unhumane but then again is it worse than two hits of the axe.

-- gail missouri ozarks (gef@getgoin.net), January 22, 2002.

I also cut the juglar, and by holding the head, can drain the carcass of blood without a lot of flapping/bruising. (I still don't like to clean the chickens, tho. I much prefer EATING them.)

-- Jim NE KY (Jedeweese@earthlink.net), January 22, 2002.