Questions about the CX I just processed

[MontyJ]

THAT'S IT!!! I just smelled the water out of the hose and THAT is the funky chemically smell that I smelled on the chickens. I tasted a bit and YUCK! Thank you BJ!! If it wasn't for your post I never would have gone through the processing step by step and never would have thought of the hose.

That also explains why the wings were most affected. They are the thinnest, least dense meat, followed by the legs and thighs with the breat being the densest. That also explains why I smelled it during processing, because I was using the hose.

I have to go...I'm going to be late for work...but I think we have solved it!!!!

 

[catjac1975]

So it was bad water???? Are the other chickens no good too? What's in the water?

THAT'S IT!!! I just smelled the water out of the hose and THAT is the funky chemically smell that I smelled on the chickens. I tasted a bit and YUCK! Thank you BJ!! If it wasn't for your post I never would have gone through the processing step by step and never would have thought of the hose.

That also explains why the wings were most affected. They are the thinnest, least dense meat, followed by the legs and thighs with the breat being the densest. That also explains why I smelled it during processing, because I was using the hose.

I have to go...I'm going to be late for work...but I think we have solved it!!!!

 

[baymule]

Hoorah!!! Yay!!! Water hose chemical leaching!!! Now the bad part is the birds already butchered in the freezer. Well, at least you figured it out before butchering the others.

When you have a problem, bring it to TEG!

Is this the same water hose you used to water the chickens with? If so, they have been drinking the water and their meat is saturated with whatever is leaching out of the hose.

 

[Stubbornhillfarm]

Kind of scary strange Monty, but glad you have found the problem. I would hate for you to give up on the CX processing since they are so easy and way better than store bought.

Great detective work!

 

[Jared77]

Glad it was something simple. I wish there was a way to know if garden hoses would leech chemicals and taste bad. I hate hauling buckets.

 

[Ridgerunner]

As usual, something simple. Glad you figured it out.

 

[bj taylor]

monty, glad I could help
I think hoses are the worst. I try to run my hoses for a few minutes before filling pet bowls, topping off the water feature, watering new plants. I had heard/read they leach a lot of chemicals when sitting dormant.

by the way, i'm still curious why you're thinking of changing to lopping off the head? I think this is what I want to do, still using a cone. not sure what kind of tool/knife I need to do it. i'm a big baby & I want them to be dead instantly - no foul-ups on my part.

 

[ninnymary]

Monty, did you ever smell that hose in the past? Or is it something that just started? How old is it? I'm just wondering if it always smelled like that and you hadn't noticed or if it started smelling like that because it got old.

Mary

 

[MontyJ]

I can now definately confirm that it was the water from the hose. I just processed 4 birds using only water from the sink and there is no funky smell at all. The finished birds smell like a chicken should. I even used a different cooler because the one I originally used now smells like hose water. DW has it soaking in baking soda and water. I can still use it for drinks, but I will be very worried about using it for chickens or walleye. That sux too because that's my 5 day cooler. It holds ice for days even in the summer time. Guess I'll have to buy a new one if DW can't get the smell out.

It's not the water itself Cat, it's the water hose. I do believe the 4 chickens in the freezer are a lost cause. They soaked in that water for 3 days. Fortunately Bay, we always haul water from the kitchen to the coop. I wonder if the chickens would have even drank that water? I'm so glad they never got the chance!

Jared, taste the water. I don't think a higher quality hose or an older hose would be too bad. This hose was brand new and a cheapy at that. I bought it specifically for processing chickens so it would reach the processing area. I'm going to look for a potable water hose. That will solve that problem.

I am so happy. I'm going to BBQ one on Sunday to check the taste, but I think all is well!

Thanks to everyone for racking their brains on this.

 

[MontyJ]

monty, glad I could help
I think hoses are the worst. I try to run my hoses for a few minutes before filling pet bowls, topping off the water feature, watering new plants. I had heard/read they leach a lot of chemicals when sitting dormant.

by the way, i'm still curious why you're thinking of changing to lopping off the head? I think this is what I want to do, still using a cone. not sure what kind of tool/knife I need to do it. i'm a big baby & I want them to be dead instantly - no foul-ups on my part.

BJ, I can't thank you enough. You got me to going over the entire process which led me to the hose. I processed these 4 today exactly as I did the other day. Now that I know what the problem really was, I am going to continue to do it this way. Believe me, they die very fast when just cutting the arteries in the throat. Blood is removed from the brain and they are unconscious in seconds. The reflexes are still there, but you can't deprive any animals brain of blood for more than a few seconds with out it passing out. If you are quick, I believe it's humane. Once the blood stops flowing, I go ahead and sever the head from the neck while still in the cone. It takes about 1 minute from into the cone until all movement stops. When I did the first 5, I accidentally severed the head on the very last one. It acted the same as the others.

Mary, this hose was brand new. I never even thought to smell or taste the water that came through it.