Butchering your roosters!

[BYCforlife]

I have a couple questions...
1 - Someone (edited to add: @BYCforlife it looks like it was you ) mentioned using a feed bag instead of a cone...do you just "hang" the bag somehow? How do you keep the chicken from flopping around in the bag since it is not as sturdy as a cone?
2 - As far as putting the bird in the fridge goes is there any reason they can't go straight from being gutted and rinsed to the freezer?

Thank you all for the posts here...they have really helped me prepare for our upcoming butchering session(s)

Hello! Thanks for replying. I would just put the chicken's head through the bag right on the chopping block, do your thing, and then hang the bad on a screw or nail on the wall. The chicken can be restrained by hand, but I don't think a chicken flopping around in a feed bag would bruise the meat.

 

[BYCforlife]

I know a feed bag is not as good as a restraining cone, but it is much cheaper.

 

[Crooked Chicken]

That's a great clean setup you have! Thanks for sharing!

Thank you. It really was a quick and easy setup. Took about 5 minutes to pull the stuff from garage to barn with my mower & wagon and about 5 more minutes to set up. Cleanup only took about 10 minutes once I brought some soapy water and scrubby out.

After the heads were removed and birds placed in the cones I held their feet for about a minute to keep them from flopping around.

I have a couple questions...
1 - Someone (edited to add: @BYCforlife it looks like it was you ) mentioned using a feed bag instead of a cone...do you just "hang" the bag somehow? How do you keep the chicken from flopping around in the bag since it is not as sturdy as a cone?
2 - As far as putting the bird in the fridge goes is there any reason they can't go straight from being gutted and rinsed to the freezer?

Thank you all for the posts here...they have really helped me prepare for our upcoming butchering session(s)

I'm not sure what the exact reason is, but I've just heard to let the meat "rest" for a couple of days before using or freezing. Maybe the same as letting deer meat age. ???

 

[rodeorulz]

Thanks BYCforlife, that makes sense! We're looking for cheap and not having to buy anything extra at the moment so the feed bag looks like a good way to go!

Thanks Crooked Chicken, we actually never "rest" our wild game (antelope, deer, elk, turkey, grouse, etc) and don't have any issues with it...so I'm wondering if it would be ok with the chicken but I'm new to this so hopefully someone will come up with a good "why" that will help me make a better informed decision Plus, I'm not sure we have the fridge room...so we would probably have to put them on ice in a cooler instead...that should work too right?

 

[Lookin4GoodLife]

2 - As far as putting the bird in the fridge goes is there any reason they can't go straight from being gutted and rinsed to the freezer?

My understanding is it has something to do with allowing rigor mortis to pass. Letting the meat sit in the refrigerator allows this to happen before you freeze it. If you freeze it directly, the meat doesn't have that opportunity and when it is thawed out, it will still have that chemical that causes it in there and can make the meat tough. I don't know for sure, this is just my understanding as read on the internet.

 

[Maeschak]

Thanks BYCforlife, that makes sense! We're looking for cheap and not having to buy anything extra at the moment so the feed bag looks like a good way to go!

Thanks Crooked Chicken, we actually never "rest" our wild game (antelope, deer, elk, turkey, grouse, etc) and don't have any issues with it...so I'm wondering if it would be ok with the chicken but I'm new to this so hopefully someone will come up with a good "why" that will help me make a better informed decision Plus, I'm not sure we have the fridge room...so we would probably have to put them on ice in a cooler instead...that should work too right?

Yes, you can rest them on ice in a cooler!

 

[RUNuts]

Thanks Crooked Chicken, we actually never "rest" our wild game (antelope, deer, elk, turkey, grouse, etc) and don't have any issues with it...so I'm wondering if it would be ok with the chicken but I'm new to this so hopefully someone will come up with a good "why" that will help me make a better informed decision Plus, I'm not sure we have the fridge room...so we would probably have to put them on ice in a cooler instead...that should work too right?

Yes, 24-48 hours above freezing will work in the frig or ice chest. If you are just making sausage, meat doesn't necessarily have to rest. But once you figure out the difference, you will know. I'm slow.

We would duck hunt and eat the same day. Tough, rough and hard to chew. But the ones from the same hunt sitting in the frig for a day were wonderfully different and easier to chew. Looking back, I now understand. Rigor mortis should be considered.

For the bigger animals, consider it. We had an old Stag. He was past his prime and was a cull. I can't imagine anything tougher. I tried slow cooking and stewing. Only difference was large lumps or the fibers. Tough! And the meat was rested!

Cheers!

 

[Molpet]

a if you like to eat rubber bands don't rest them , because that is what I thought I was eating ... but if you grind or pressure can them they don't need to rest... I have heard if you can get them in a pan before rigor mortis set you can cook them right away.. I am not that fast...

I put them in a cooler w/water, salt and ice , frozen milk and pop jugs, and change the jugs every 8 hours... trying to keep them at around 40f.. for a day or 2, turkeys 5 to 7 days bigger the bird longer it needs to rest.

I use a kitty litter jug cut off and held w/ screws and large washers as a cone.

I have a metal cone also and most of my birds do not fit in it so the neck sticks out. once in awhile a bird doesn't fit right in the jug and I use the cone.

 

[Parront]

* * * WARNING - Graphic photos * * *

Well, the deed was done today. My friend and her husband came over to assist and lend moral support. I set up this morning before they arrived. I made a couple of funnels out of some rolls of aluminum I had in the garage and nailed them to the side of the barn. Set my sawhorses out and put a heavy board across for a little table with a cutting board, pans to catch blood, various knives, clippers, bags, ice chest and the hose nearby.

I left Pearl and Cocoa in cages inside the coop until it was time so that they wouldn't be all excited and agitated. I gave each a hug and a smooch, I nearly cried, then carried them to the barn. My friend held one while I put the other in the cone. It was too narrow to pull his head through, so his head was cut off and then he was placed in the cone.

I really was surprised at how little blood there was. The process was repeated with the 2nd bird. After I removed the feathers I wanted we proceeded to skin them. Note: The wing and tail feathers do nut pull out easily from an unscalded bird. I pulled them as had as I could and they didn't budge. I ended up cutting some off. My friend wanted them for future Indian costumes for her grand kids.

All in all it really wasn't too awful an experience and I was so glad to have them here to help. I left the cones on the barn to use in the future if they aren't too big. Otherwise I'll make an attach a larger cone.

I had not planned to let the chickens eat any of the innards, but they showed up before I got everything cleaned up. One of the girls grabbed something out of the pan and ran around with it while everyone else followed. So, I decided to give it a shot. I cut up the organ meats and tossed them to the birds. They absolutely loved them.

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Good job! Way better than my first go at it!

 

[Crooked Chicken]

I forgot to mention, that since we are going to make soup with the roosters keeping the body intact wasn't necessary. Her husband pulled up on the breast bone and basically stretched the opening so it was super easy to clean out.