butchering multiple birds

[Blue Skys]

I will be butchering about 10-15 birds in a few weeks. I was wondering what the best way to handle this many birds at one time is. We may break it up into 2 weekends, depending on how it goes.

should we kill several at a time and let them bleed out while we are plucking and gutting the others, or would it be best to start out doing one at a time until we get a good hang of it.

I butchered some years ago in 4-h but it's been YEARS, so I think I will be a little bit rusty.

What have you found that works for you?

 

[kingmt]

I would suggest no more then two at a time the first time. I have one bleeding out while I'm scalding & plucking another.

 

[jaku]

Depends on how many people you have. Either way, you should be able to do that in a day. 10-15 broilers is just getting warmed up around my house, and I only have two killing cones set up all the time. We are a three man kill operation. One guy is the killer/plucker/scalder. He puts two in the cones, and while they're draining, he's scalding/plucking in another station, bringing individual birds into the gutters as he gets them done. If the gutters start to get backed up, the first guy gets a break. I get everything set up early, before my crew even gets there. Be sure to have your set up well thought out ahead of time, and it will go smoothly.

 

[Blue Skys]

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There will be two of us, so that will work out. I've been reading a lot on here about supplies and setup. I can't wait now!

Thanks!

 

[bigredfeather]

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It's good to hear someone excited about butchering their own birds. Most people dread doing it. With an attitude like that, the work will likely be more enjoyable.

 

[retiredwithchicks]

We had a community affair last year. Boy across the street killed, another scolded/singed, 2 others plucked, 2 cut up and one packaged. Did 35 birds in half a day. My mother was the instructor, she had lots of knowledge and experience. She wants me to raise another batch this spring. So much easier to get a bird out of the freezer than to go find one at the store, live 17 miles away from store.

 

[Southerngirl]

You can easily do that many in a day!

We start out with 4 killed and bleeding out at a time. DH then plucks and I gut and cut. The more you do this you just get faster and faster and learn what works best for you. We have the radio on, some sweet tea, ice chests packed and ready and start early in the morning and are usually done in 4 hours with 25 of them.That does not include packaging time either. Count this as a whole day event.Our first batch we ever raised was before BYC and all the knowledge we learned here. We still laugh at that but benefited so much from our first time processing our own poultry. Good luck and just because you really want to do this means you will do a great job!

 

[VA from WV]

I'd actually -love- to attend a workshop that taught best practices for poultry butchering. You know, go beyond the usual business of lopping off their head and really explain the process in a lot of good detail about method and sanitation.

 

[jaku]

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This guide is REALLY good. It's on the Michigan Department of Agriculture's website, so the laws are Michigan specific, but Michigan has some of the strictest laws in the nation for poultry processing. It's easy to read, pretty short, and tells you everything you need to know.
http://www.miffs.org/PasturePoultry.pdf

 

[daleeper]

There are a few video's that have really helped us speed up on certain operations. One set is on the featherman plucker web site, where they have some videos showing the processes. The other does a real good job of showing how Polyface cuts up a chicken.

http://www.featherman.net/videodemos.html

I would like to see something like these on sanitation. Anyone got some links?