Farm Life

How about some roasting ears to go with the chicken. I noticed while cutting up a half dozen ears there was a difference in the ease these 2 blades cut. Both are a full flat grind, one stainless the other 01 steel. Both sharpened on the same stone but the thinner one cut with greater ease. DM
 
Chicken and corn! I grill them both on charcoal all summer long and I can smell it now. Great picture, I'm ready for summer.

I guess it makes sense that a thinner blade will have less resistance and cut easier. And a thicker blade might be required when more force is needed. Just a thought.
 
Thanks Buck. Yes, we grill them on charcoal. I tend to agree with you. A thin fillet blade, next step up is Buck's Empress Trio kitchen blades. These cut very well. But to have enough spine for general duty work, starts with a 110. So, I compromise toward what I'll be using the knife for. Processing chickens and cutting up corn can be done decently with a kitchen knife or a 110. DM
 
I was just checking their weight and the larger hens are at 3.5 lbs. and the roosters at 4.25 lbs. after 45 days of feeding. I don't think I'll feed them until July. As our target weight is 6.5 lbs. for a live bird. I think some will arrive at this weight around June 12. Not bad for only 2 monthsand 1 week feeding. DM
 
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You're welcome Hawk. My kinfolks have been telling me they are getting rain. So, your neck of the woods should be wet. Been skinning any Crappie?
We enjoy this tasty project every year. DM
 
Skinning Crappie? I thought I was the only one who did that! Most people scale them. I like to skin them like a catfish, then role them in meal and put them on the grill (or in a pan). The meat just falls off the bone when you go to eat them. Yum.
 
We did process 3 and grilled them with corn for Tuesday's dinner. We soaked them in kosher salt water for 12 hrs. then washed and grilled them. They were tender and flavorful. These were like the size of Cornish Game Hens. Found in the frozen section in a super market. The hearts, livers and gizzards are in those sealed plastic bags. DM
 

Yes David we have sure had a lot of rain this year. Here are a couple that I fried the other day.;)
Nice looking trapper you got there.
 
David the wife got me an Alaskan Guide 110 for Christmas and I have really enjoyed using it . I just don't take a lot of pictures .:D
 
I use that one often on processing chickens. Here's a photo of a few I use. The middle knife is the Bass Pro 110. Good luck. DM
 
Ok, thanks Ged, here you go. This chicken has started showing the leg problem common for this breed. Though it can eat and drink it must be moved near the feeder. We suspect moving is painful. So, with it being of decent size (3 1/2 lbs.) we will go ahead and process him. DM
 
This photo (after processing) is of the liner in the gizzard. Which must be emptied of it's contents and peeled out before saving and cooking.
We weighed the bird before and after processing. It went from 3 1/2 lbs. live weight to 2 1/4 lbs. in the freezer. Very near a 35% loss. Which is not bad considering a deer processes out to a 50% loss. A steer done careful will lose 40%. Should I pluck them I could cut my loss to 33-32%. Still, a chicken is a good converter of feed, not requiring a large corral. DM
 
Those are very interesting statistics David. I am learning so much from this thread!
 
Thank you, Buck. The bird above was not quite 5 weeks old. Don't forget on pen raised animals you can then make use of the manure in your garden after composting. Our trees and shrubs do well on it. DM
 
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