Culling laying hens to eat?

[donrae]

Well, I found a place that is USDA inspected and charges $4.50/bird Do or full processing including being shrink wrapped. Can I let them hang out in the fridge for a couple days to rest after they are shrink wrapped??

Yes. Or, you can stick them directly in the freezer, and let them rest while they thaw. If you want chicken on Thursday, take it out of the freezer and into the refrigerator on say Monday. Either way works, resting before freezing or after.

 

[Chickenkeepr]

Great! A local woman was giving away nine 3 year old hens so I picked them up yesterday. A couple look pretty ratty due to being in the middle of a molt but overall they look to be in very good shape. They'll be going down with my 4 on Saturday.

 

[Chickenkeepr]

Tomorrow is the day! I'm excited, that's not weird, is it? The gentleman doing the processing told me to withhold food today, but I have no real way or doing that as I have an attached coop/run. Won't be a huge issue I hope. I know these are all going to be some pretty gangly, ugly hens once butchered but I sure hope they taste good. I have a new question as well. One of my hens (in the past 2 days) has developed a bit of a wheeze. I had a respiratory illness go through my small flock at the beginning of the summer and they were all successfully treated. Is she still ok to butcher/eat?