Cooler ice only after process

[iwltfum]

It might surprise some to know that federal poultry regulations allow a chicken under 3 or 4 pounds a full 8 hours to get down to 40F (12 hours for above 4 pounds) and an additional 4 hours at 40-50 during the cut up process. That's a big reason why food safety is stressed so heavily on the kitchen side of things, because you have to assume your chicken has already sat for up to 14 hours above 40F if they come from a federally inspected facility. It's also a big reason why we never send our chickens to a processor. Usually a small scale processor is much faster than that, but they aren't required to be, so there is no guarantee.

 

[Compost King]

We can not raise our families in a bacteria-free bubble.

Well said, and besides attempting to do that will destroy someones immune system especially young children who need a mild exposure to many things to jump start their immune system.

 

[Compost King]

That's a good idea and I can see the value in that as well depending on limited space how hard a worker you are lol. I am really lazy! In my eyes it takes just as much effort to clean my scald pot, Defeatherer, stainless tables, knives, scissors dip pots and coolers after doing 50+ birds as it does to do 5. Now we have killed an occasional Hen or Rooster causing problems but just skinned them out inside on my cutting boards. I have the same outlook when it comes to putting up pastured pigs. I would rather spend all day 10 hours doing a years worth of butchery than 3 hours 5 times a year. Just me but I have commercial refrigeration and freezer to get stuff into in bunches.

Yep, you pluck your birds which requires more cleaning equipment. So my method probably will not work for you. Thats an awful lot of multiple cleanings to where getting more Ice and Coolers would be easier for you. I skin mine, my clean up is cleaning a table, a knife and putting straw I used to catch blood at the bottom of a hot compost pile with the offal (and I consider that play time because I am that weird guy who loves composting). I do not even use cones or anything else. To me less is more... as in more time to get other things done. Thats the price of keeping the skin though. It literally adds hours and dollars to your process.

Do the solution that works best for you.

 

[Parront]

have commercial refrigeration and freezer to get stuff into in bunches.

Green with envy here! Big Sears chest freezer was my best, now only small extra frig in the guest house.

 

[Parront]

assume your chicken has already sat for up to 14 hours above 40F if they come from a federally inspected facility.

This is exactly why I will take the home grown chicken if I get the chance! I assume they all have Samonella, Consumer Reports has some interesting issues on this subject.

 

[bag12day]

Green with envy here! Big Sears chest freezer was my best, now only small extra frig in the guest house.

Yeah my wife is at wits end, I have regular stainless fridge/ bottom freezer in the house and large Commercial chest and Commercial standup freezer and a one door comm. fridge in the sunroom and another old wild game aging plain fridge /freezer combo where I dry age my Deer, Bear, and Beef Primals. I keep frozen bait shad for catfishing in the freezer portion. I have another 25 Cu.ft Chest on order for the 25 turkeys we will have come Nov. I raise a few beef cows and slaughter one with my in-laws every other year and as of last year I am trading some of our organic pastured chickens for a pig raised on pasture/woods and the spent grain from a brewery in Ashville NC. Its a fraternity brother of my sons and he has a family that loves our chickens and eggs so its a great deal for all concerned.
What you said about the chicken is the same thing with the pork and beef we raise as well as my wild game for the most part. I know where its been, what it ate, how it died and how it gotten taken care of... and in large part we are raising our own "raw produce" now too. Lettuces, cabbages, root veggies, kales, collards, etc cause of all the E coli food illnesses and issues recently. I want to be in control of my food supply not mega mart.

 

[cajuncluckerswla]

I want to be in control of my food supply not mega mart.

Amen to that! It's got to the point that with many store bought items my body suffers. I think it might be because I have a sulfur allergy and that many preservatives they use have some amount sulfur in them.

I have recently discovered the heaven that is goat's milk. Where it has been hiding all my life I do not know because it was never in the stores, but thanks to all of this virus stuff our local goat dairy has started to advertise their products. They have a customer for life now.... lol!!!