butchering roosters

[cybrchick]

We have never done this but recently found out that out of the 10 birds we have 7 are roos. Yay. Ive watched youtube videos on the butcher technique. Now, how many can realistically be killed in one day? Ive heard they need to be refrigerated for a few days before cooking or preparing for freezing. Is this true? We dont have a spare fridge so space is limited. So I'm guessing about 2 roos a week to kill until we are down to 1 roo. Is that realistic? (Hubby has to do that and so it has to take place on weekends)

What is the realistic time frame from capturing to killing and defeathering or skinning? How long does the bird drain? (Wasnt clear on the videos)

Any first timer tips?

 

[bobbi-j]

My husband and I have been butchering our chickens for years, and it takes 15-20 minutes per bird from start to finish. We lop off the heads, I hold them by the legs until they quit flopping, we scald, pick and gut them. We don't drain them, and I've never had a problem with the meat. I guess they "drain" after we chop the heads off, come to think of it... It will probably take you and your hubby longer if you've never done it before. Mine grew up butchering chickens, and I grew up hunting pheasant and ducks and learned how to clean them when I was about 12.

They do not necessarily have to be refrigerated before cooking or freezing. It can help tenderize them, I guess. Tried that last year when we butchered - I can't honestly say if it made any difference or not. If you don't have the extra space to do that, just plan on cooking them a little longer at a lower temp.

First timer tips.... Don't get your scalding water too hot. If it is, it will tear the skin. Unfortunately, I can't tell you what is "too hot". That's DH's department. I know you don't want it boiling. Maybe steaming? Just barely steaming.... You'll know when it's right. Like I said - if it's too hot, the skin will tear. If it's not warm enough, the feathers won't come out as easily. When it's just right, they come out with no effort at all. DH can pick a bird in a minute or less. (Again, the man has had years of practice.)

Keep us posted on how it all works out for you!

 

[CircleT]

Water temp at about 140 degrees if you are going to pluck them. I usually just skin mine, and somtimes I just cut off the leg quarters, wings and take the breast off of the bone, dont have to bother gutting them that way.

 

[bobbi-j]

If I'm going to can them, that's what I do. I don't bother with plucking or gutting. But, I do like to freeze a few, too. Glad you were able to provide an actual water temp. DH just guesstimates.

 

[cybrchick]

So do you just freeze the whole bird? (Minus bird parts removed during the butcher process - lol) Or once its butchered, you slice it up as breasts, legs, wings? I have no clue on this step. All the videos seem to stop here. Lol! Ive only bought chicken from the store so its all new. And we will probably try de feathering and skinning. I prefer skinless meat so I like that it can happen and not have the feather removal part. But things like fried chicken are best w the skin. I'm so nervous. I cried watching the videos. I'm hoping it gets easier. Dh, son and daughter are all excited. Daughter wants to use her .22 to kill the birds. Lol! (Thats not happening btw) I also have a bit of a weak stomach so I'm nervous about storing the fresh meat and then pulling it out to cook. Cuz it will look diff than the store. Even tho logically I know its way healthier. Its my emotional mentality I guess. Gotta get used to this farm life I wanted so much. Sigh

 

[CircleT]

Freezing it either way is ok.

 

[bobbi-j]

So do you just freeze the whole bird? (Minus bird parts removed during the butcher process - lol) Or once its butchered, you slice it up as breasts, legs, wings? I have no clue on this step. All the videos seem to stop here. Lol! Ive only bought chicken from the store so its all new. And we will probably try de feathering and skinning. I prefer skinless meat so I like that it can happen and not have the feather removal part. But things like fried chicken are best w the skin. I'm so nervous. I cried watching the videos. I'm hoping it gets easier. Dh, son and daughter are all excited. Daughter wants to use her .22 to kill the birds. Lol! (Thats not happening btw) I also have a bit of a weak stomach so I'm nervous about storing the fresh meat and then pulling it out to cook. Cuz it will look diff than the store. Even tho logically I know its way healthier. Its my emotional mentality I guess. Gotta get used to this farm life I wanted so much. Sigh

You can do it either way. I freeze the whole bird, skin on. That way if I want skinless meat for something, I can take it off before I cook it. But if I want to roast the chicken like I do a turkey, I can. I like to leave the skin on for grilling. I just pull out the whole bird, let it thaw, and then cut it up for frying or grilling, or roast it whole and de-bone the meat to use for soup, stew, or other things. As time goes on, it will get easier. I can't say it's exactly "easy" for me, but it's a decision we've made and I have made up my mind to just do it. I grew up a city girl in a Mpls. suburb, married a farmer and haven't looked back. Where I grew up, the attitude was, "animals are our friends". Not a food source. So, when we started raising our own meat, I had to just tell myself that this is what we do. I will admit, it's only been within the last few years I've agreed to let DH butcher the "pretty" chickens. Until then, we would get the Cornish cross meaties. It was much easier to butcher the "ugly white ones". I've been on the farm for 31 years. You may cry with the first several times you butcher, but you'll do fine. It's OK. It just shows that you care about your birds but are also being good, responsible flock managers.

 

[CircleT]

After you taste one you will never want another store bought chicken again.....what breed of chickens is it?

 

[cybrchick]

Rir and deleware. Out of 10 birds, we found 7 are roos. Poor hens! So if I can freeze them right away, I can butcher all or most on the same day? Some of the videos said putting in fridge for 3 days before setting up to cook or freeze. So I was confused. We obviously dont have fridge room for 7 birds at once! Lol!

 

[jesirose]

I think how you finish the processing steps is really dependent on how you like your chicken If you buy it from the store do you buy a whole one or already cut up?