Chicken (Poultry) Addiction Anonymous *Chat Thread*

[Muggsmagee]

I also wanted to add that we have had Bosnian refugees and Mexican transplants in the city in our area. We have been approached numerous times by them if we sell our chickens. I must say, I wish we as Americans felt that was the norm, to buy chickens from local farmers vs. factory and commercially farmed food sold at supermarkets. It is amazing to think so many of us don't know where our food comes from!

 

[Muggsmagee]

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I'm proud of your DIL for getting right in there and doing this with you. I don't think I will have a problem with doing the deed. It is the guts, and cutting, and plucking, ummm is there a resting period? It is the point A to point Z explanation I needed. From coop to plate. I may as well be a five year old that needs "how to" directions!

I really want my kids to learn to do this for themselves too. Heaven forbid as a nation we all need to learn to do this! I'd like to be ahead of the curve!

 

[Wild Trapper]

My Mom did chickens back when I was ten and we had to leave the farm. Being ten, I did want to help but didn't remember much beyond the part where they took an ax to the head and let them flop around. Then of course us kid were allowed to help with the plucking. Later, around 30 some odd years ago, Mom helped me do my first chickens that I butchered myself. Since I then knew no other way, I used the ax too and let them flop.

Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with the killing part, it was the flopping around that I didn't like. Since then I learned to slit the juggler and tie them up so they couldn't flop. Next ones, I will experiment with using a funnel or cone to restrain them. I think that will be even less of a mess.

I might suggest for those new to butchering, get some of those disposable rubber gloves to wear as it is kinda messy.

 

[daisychick]

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Muggs this reminds me of last summer. I had 9 young roosters that I needed to get rid of. I put an ad on CL and a really nice Mexican lady who could barely speak English called me. She came over and helped me catch all the guys and while we were doing that she told me all about the great stuff she cooks for her family with the chickens and roosters she is able to buy. I really liked her. When we caught them all and she asked how much total. I just couldn't help myself and I gave them to her for free. She started crying and gave me the biggest hug ever and it felt so good to know that I was providing lots of yummy dinners for her whole family and they were so thankful for it. I kept her number and she is always who I will call when I have extra roos that need to go. It was one of those feel good moments.

 

[daisychick]

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I grew up processing chickens. My grandma had a huge chicken barn and on weekends all the family would get together and we would do like 200 chickens in a day. My grandma would dispatch every single one and I was always by her side. I loved it as a kid, and I really loved the cleaning and plucking. It was a really fun childhood memory believe it or not. Then we would package all the chickens and each family member would take home like 20 fresh ones for the freezer. I so wish we could do that now. I still love the processing part but I still can't do the deed. I am going to try again this year and see if I can do it. I know how to do all the rest of it and like it.

 

[Muggsmagee]

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Muggs this reminds me of last summer. I had 9 young roosters that I needed to get rid of. I put an ad on CL and a really nice Mexican lady who could barely speak English called me. She came over and helped me catch all the guys and while we were doing that she told me all about the great stuff she cooks for her family with the chickens and roosters she is able to buy. I really liked her. When we caught them all and she asked how much total. I just couldn't help myself and I gave them to her for free. She started crying and gave me the biggest hug ever and it felt so good to know that I was providing lots of yummy dinners for her whole family and they were so thankful for it. I kept her number and she is always who I will call when I have extra roos that need to go. It was one of those feel good moments.

Made me tear up.... I loved your story Chandra! I'm a sentimental sap. Such a simple gift to give and it was win/win for the both of you. I love it!

 

[Wild Trapper]

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Daisy, That was a very kind jester of you. You do deserve a hug

for that.

I gave away some pullets to a lady that bought some off me. Later she returned the favor by giving me a Araucana rooster she called Cotton Tail, because he supposedly had white feathers in his tail, short rumpless tail that it is. Her only request was that I not tell her if I decided to eat him. He has found his happy home with my hens.

 

[Muggsmagee]

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I grew up processing chickens. My grandma had a huge chicken barn and on weekends all the family would get together and we would do like 200 chickens in a day. My grandma would dispatch every single one and I was always by her side. I loved it as a kid, and I really loved the cleaning and plucking. It was a really fun childhood memory believe it or not. Then we would package all the chickens and each family member would take home like 20 fresh ones for the freezer. I so wish we could do that now. I still love the processing part but I still can't do the deed. I am going to try again this year and see if I can do it. I know how to do all the rest of it and like it.

You know, one of the "problems" I'm facing is that we live on a main road, with no privacy. None! The farm around us rents the storage buildings behind our house to various businesses (tree and landscape companies, etc)...I have no where PRIVATE to do this messy business. I'm so afraid that someone driving or walking by our place will call animal control on us when we butcher our first birds!

We really need to find a place with lots of acreage and privacy....and barns!

 

[daisychick]

We used my grandma's garage for all the processing. We opened the big door and had tables all set up. The only thing we did outside was dispatch the birds and then right by the door we had the boiling pot of water to dip the birds to scald. Then we took them inside and had like an assembly line, a huge trashcan for plucking and then table for all the other steps. It was really a quick procedure. You could put up one of those tent sunshade things and hang a tarp on the road side or something like that.

 

[Muggsmagee]

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I'm going to have each of you on my shoulder when I do this! Great advice. Vegetarian featherz will be there too!

Here is a question...do you all just throw the feathers out? Is there something purposeful I could use them for?