a method and apparatus for partially cutting hock joints , and letting feet remain attached to the rest of the carcass by skin and one or more tendons , exposing the hock joint by folding feet , and hanging the carcasses in the evisceration shackles by hock joints , the method unambiguously ensures that if a carcass is condemned by an inspector , the feet belonging to that carcass are condemned as well . furthermore , this invention solves the even more intractable problem of capturing folded feet , separating feet from the carcass while leaving the carcass still hanging in the shackles , transferring feet into an infeed paw cutter wheel , and cutting knuckle portion to produce chicken paws ready for further processing .