Butchering photos---part 2

MamaDee said:

O.K., so I'm looking at these pics thinking I'd better invite our friend over who does deer. I have been butchering chickens for a few years now, but this is completely different. I wouldn't know how to begin.

Is this really something that you can read about online and attempt yourself? Well, hubby and I, anyway. Or should we have someone come over who has a clue at least about four legged creatures?

Last year I helped butcher 17 chickens in one day (50 total for the weekend) while 8 months pregnant....while keeping four children out of the way and happy. I thought that was pretty good. But these pics are giving me second thoughts.....I think I can get over the cuteness factor if the head goes early on--don't care for that. With chickens, either, but goat kids? Forget it!

Dee

Click to expand...

Dee...I am a 51 year old grandma and can do a goat the size the one in this picture by myself.

I prefer working on a goat all morning to dressing out stinky chickens, much less odor and nasty feathers. Really. So if you can do chickens, it really is the same. Just bigger, think of it in those terms. All animals are pretty much the same. Once they are dead, have the head off, the guts out and skin/feathers off, they are cut up the same. Just bigger peices. Don't let the size of the job overwhelm you. Only the tools may change a little.

Tools are important for this job. There is nothing as bad as your knives going dull on you half-way through this job! So make sure they are good and sharp and it will go fast. Actually, skinning the goat is easier with a duller knife sometimes as you can put the knife between layers without tearing...you just have to find a technique. So you need a variety of knives til you know what you like. If you are not a strong woman, you may need help. We all come in different sizes and shapes here. I am very strong, stronger than some men I know so I can do it by myself.

Psych yourself out by having your butchering location set up 1 or 2 days before you plan on doing the deed and visualizing yourself doing it. Think of the Native American women and the other cultures, whoever you admire and respect, where the women did/do this all the time...get into it with your head and find your zone. Have your killing zone clean and attractive to you and pleasant for the animal.

The day you kill the animal, say a prayer for it and thank God for the gift of food and the gift of a nice strong body to do this and the gift of eyes and ears to do this. Be happy. Enjoy the deed. You are rich and wealthy with food for your family. You will have protein your body needs to function. You can survive.

You are woman and I can hear your roar!