Best way to skin a bird

[dustponds10]

Well I have some genetic hackle chickens that I am breeding and I am wanting to skin some chickens before I start to harvest my genetic hackle stock. I am wondring what the best way to skin them is. I have been told to remove the head and then to cut down the breast to the anus and from there just skin it out by breaking the legs off at the knees and disconecting the wings and then it should all be smooth sailing is this correct? I am harvesting the feather as well so I need full skins. Any help would be awesome. Thanks

 

[cutlass1972]

I have only skinned a few, but I did it pretty much exactly as you said and it came out fine for me. What are you saving the feathers for?

 

[Olive Hill]

That's pretty much how I do it. But backwards. I start at the legs and work towards the head. Mostly because when I've done it I've had the birds hanging up by their feet, so cutting from legs towards the head is away from where they're hooked up and therefore more effective. If they're not hanging I suppose that doesn't make a difference.

 

[dustponds10]

My birds are genetic hackle birds for tying flies and that is why I am wondering on how to get the skin. I tie a bunch of flies and hope to produce some nice feathers and put some out on the market once I have what I have my eyes on.

 

[goldnchocolate]

I hope you have an easier time than I have been having. Today's chicken was a little easier than the last one. Here is a wonderful video showing how to do it. They make it look so easy.

 

[silkiechicken]

Quote:
If you're just going for the sickles and hackles, what you said would work just fine.

I cut off the head, cut off the feet, cut off the wing tips, make the first incision just above the vent, slice upwards till you've "unzipped" the bird bottom to top, then pull skin down from the neck, pull wings through jacket arm holes, then pull down back, and over the legs like a set of neoprene waders. Then for food purposes, I just lop off the tail and cut around the vent to pull out all the abdominal guts at the same time.