Culling Recommendations?

[feedman77]

I have the plucker you mentioned from tsc. It works well for plucking. But found if you remove the head and legs after the scaled plucks quicker and better as old cockerels legs hang them up while spinning.

 

[Smuvers Farm]

I have the plucker you mentioned from tsc. It works well for plucking. But found if you remove the head and legs after the scaled plucks quicker and better as old cockerels legs hang them up while spinning.

Thank you for the advice. I will definitely do that.

 

[Fairview01]

Also this pucker is at its best when 2 are being plucked. When only one is in the barrel it will always hang up. Not a problem just need to be attentive on the last one if there's an odd number to do.

 

[Cajun_MikeR]

Our processing (or should say MY, seeing as I'm the only one that does it) format is fairly straightforward and quick. Most of our chickens already have colored zip ties on at least one leg for extra identification purposes, so that makes it easier when actually processing. Also, for your first few times, only do a couple of birds in a day. You're going to be nervous, unsure, frustrated at times, and it's going to take a lot longer than you expected. As you learn (which you will just by seeing how everything is laid out while you're doing your first few), you'll improve your technique and get smoother/faster at it. The last time I processed (a few days ago), I did 13 birds and it took half a day (from catching the first to the last being sealed up and in the freezer).

I've got an old bow hanger (the kind that you use to hang your compound or crossbow in a tree while you're hunting deer from your climber) that is stuck in an old power pole at about chin level. I use this to hang a trimmed traffic cone from for the initial kill, then use the zip ties on the legs to hang the carcass while I process it.

With the old traffic cone, I've cut the square base off and the end of the cone trimmed back so I can easily reach in and pull the roo/chicken's head out the bottom. The cone has a hole in it to hang from the bow hanger. I place an old 5gal bucket underneath to catch blood and an old kitchen trash can (that I double bag) for entrails, feathers, etc.

For the actually beheading, I use an old PVC cutter. They're ratchet type, so you have to grip and release to make the cut, but have sharp blades and make quick work of things.I make sure the blade of the cutter is against the spine and once I start cutting I don't stop for anything. Once it is all the way closed (the bird is already dead at this point, but there still may be some skin holding the head on), I push the cutter away (blade still cutting skin) and pull the head down to remove it. Head goes into a trash can and I let the carcass drain of blood. Then the bird comes out of the cone, the cone gets set to the side, and the zip tied leg gets hooked over the bow hanger hook.

We don't eat a lot of chicken skin, so I just skin them out. I use the PVC cutter to cut off wings. I've got a Havalon knife (the blades change out and are scalpel sharp) that I use to skin with. I do it like any other game, around the base of a leg, then short slit along the leg and then start working all the skin off by running my fingers under it. Then using the same knife, I make a slit in the abdomen and cut around the vent, and everything goes into the trash can (I typically don't save hearts, livers, gizzards because we don't eat them but have saved them for friends from time to time). A good water hose to rinse outside and in, then use the PVC cutter to cut off feet. Then the cleaned carcass goes into a cooler filled with icewater and I move on to the next.

It takes me about 10mins start to finish, with start being going into the run to catch the bird and finish being me cleaning the tools before going to get the next bird. I'm not an expert, just an average guy that's hunted and cleaned game most of his life.

For finishing up (this is after all the killing/cleaning is done), I move inside to a large kitchen island with a cutting board and sharp knife. Typically, we don't do cuts, we just eat the whole bird (which ends up being 2 meals for my wife and I), so I split the bird above the thighs (leaving a breast end and a thigh end), then tuck the ends of the legs into the body cavity and vacuum seal them (standard vacuum sealer you can get just about anywhere) and put them in the freezer.

Just remember, either let them set and go through rigor before freezing or take them out a couple of days early to thaw and go through rigor before cooking.

 

[Smuvers Farm]

Our processing (or should say MY, seeing as I'm the only one that does it) format is fairly straightforward and quick. Most of our chickens already have colored zip ties on at least one leg for extra identification purposes, so that makes it easier when actually processing. Also, for your first few times, only do a couple of birds in a day. You're going to be nervous, unsure, frustrated at times, and it's going to take a lot longer than you expected. As you learn (which you will just by seeing how everything is laid out while you're doing your first few), you'll improve your technique and get smoother/faster at it. The last time I processed (a few days ago), I did 13 birds and it took half a day (from catching the first to the last being sealed up and in the freezer).

I've got an old bow hanger (the kind that you use to hang your compound or crossbow in a tree while you're hunting deer from your climber) that is stuck in an old power pole at about chin level. I use this to hang a trimmed traffic cone from for the initial kill, then use the zip ties on the legs to hang the carcass while I process it.

With the old traffic cone, I've cut the square base off and the end of the cone trimmed back so I can easily reach in and pull the roo/chicken's head out the bottom. The cone has a hole in it to hang from the bow hanger. I place an old 5gal bucket underneath to catch blood and an old kitchen trash can (that I double bag) for entrails, feathers, etc.

For the actually beheading, I use an old PVC cutter. They're ratchet type, so you have to grip and release to make the cut, but have sharp blades and make quick work of things.I make sure the blade of the cutter is against the spine and once I start cutting I don't stop for anything. Once it is all the way closed (the bird is already dead at this point, but there still may be some skin holding the head on), I push the cutter away (blade still cutting skin) and pull the head down to remove it. Head goes into a trash can and I let the carcass drain of blood. Then the bird comes out of the cone, the cone gets set to the side, and the zip tied leg gets hooked over the bow hanger hook.

We don't eat a lot of chicken skin, so I just skin them out. I use the PVC cutter to cut off wings. I've got a Havalon knife (the blades change out and are scalpel sharp) that I use to skin with. I do it like any other game, around the base of a leg, then short slit along the leg and then start working all the skin off by running my fingers under it. Then using the same knife, I make a slit in the abdomen and cut around the vent, and everything goes into the trash can (I typically don't save hearts, livers, gizzards because we don't eat them but have saved them for friends from time to time). A good water hose to rinse outside and in, then use the PVC cutter to cut off feet. Then the cleaned carcass goes into a cooler filled with icewater and I move on to the next.

It takes me about 10mins start to finish, with start being going into the run to catch the bird and finish being me cleaning the tools before going to get the next bird. I'm not an expert, just an average guy that's hunted and cleaned game most of his life.

For finishing up (this is after all the killing/cleaning is done), I move inside to a large kitchen island with a cutting board and sharp knife. Typically, we don't do cuts, we just eat the whole bird (which ends up being 2 meals for my wife and I), so I split the bird above the thighs (leaving a breast end and a thigh end), then tuck the ends of the legs into the body cavity and vacuum seal them (standard vacuum sealer you can get just about anywhere) and put them in the freezer.

Just remember, either let them set and go through rigor before freezing or take them out a couple of days early to thaw and go through rigor before cooking.

With your spelling each step out, I see there's quite a few other products I most likely will need before I can fully be *prepared*. Hadn't thought about an ice bath. Hadn't thought of just changing out the cone.

Thank you!

 

[Cajun_MikeR]

I use an old "Cube" cooler (I think it's an Igloo) and put a 20lb bag of ice in then fill with just enough water that I can fully submerge the carcasses under the ice. I can put about a dozen or so birds in it.

As far as whole tool kit, I make do with the following:

Bow hanger (or just something to suspend the cone and bird from)
Traffic cone (trimmed for my purposes, it will accommodate a large range of bird sizes)
Ratchet PVC cutter (you could use sharp shears but they'll require more grip strength)
Havalon knife (any sharp knife that you can easily manage, preferably 4in blade or less)
Hose with a multi function head (I use stream for internal and garden for external)
Catch bucket
Trash can
Cooler
Cutting board
Kitchen knife (for doing whatever type of portioning you want to do, if any)
Kitchen shears
Vacuum sealer and bags

That's it. Nothing fancy, nothing expensive, nothing specialized. No need to go spend a lot of money on tons of things that you may never use. I did forget to mention that I use kitchen shears to cut off necks at the body line (our old man dog, a very old German Shepherd Dog, gets the necks for being an old man dog).

If you're going to preserve the skin, then you'll need the plucker and other items which you've already identified for that process if you're going to do a lot of birds. Older birds done in smaller numbers, I've just plucked them by hand...didn't even bother to scald them...but it does take longer to pluck them by hand than it does to process them. I've tried plucking younger birds without scalding, it tends to tear the skin.

 

[Smuvers Farm]

I use an old "Cube" cooler (I think it's an Igloo) and put a 20lb bag of ice in then fill with just enough water that I can fully submerge the carcasses under the ice. I can put about a dozen or so birds in it.

As far as whole tool kit, I make do with the following:

Bow hanger (or just something to suspend the cone and bird from)
Traffic cone (trimmed for my purposes, it will accommodate a large range of bird sizes)
Ratchet PVC cutter (you could use sharp shears but they'll require more grip strength)
Havalon knife (any sharp knife that you can easily manage, preferably 4in blade or less)
Hose with a multi function head (I use stream for internal and garden for external)
Catch bucket
Trash can
Cooler
Cutting board
Kitchen knife (for doing whatever type of portioning you want to do, if any)
Kitchen shears
Vacuum sealer and bags

That's it. Nothing fancy, nothing expensive, nothing specialized. No need to go spend a lot of money on tons of things that you may never use. I did forget to mention that I use kitchen shears to cut off necks at the body line (our old man dog, a very old German Shepherd Dog, gets the necks for being an old man dog).

If you're going to preserve the skin, then you'll need the plucker and other items which you've already identified for that process if you're going to do a lot of birds. Older birds done in smaller numbers, I've just plucked them by hand...didn't even bother to scald them...but it does take longer to pluck them by hand than it does to process them. I've tried plucking younger birds without scalding, it tends to tear the skin.

Thanks again Mike. I'm now curious as to how much a chicken bleeds out. And what would a good disposal be? We live out on a few acres, no predators noted since we moved in (summer 2016), but I wouldn't want to just dump it... unless it can be composted...... damn, yet ANOTHER thing to research here on BYC!!! I never leave this site it seems! lol

We absolutely love chicken skin however, we tend to eat it separate from the chicken itself, so I'll probably skin the plucked chickens I plan to break down and leave the skin on the whole chickens.

I'd definitely keep the necks and feet, as I can homemade bone broth constantly. We don't eat the innards though. As another poster wrote, tastes like chewing on pennies to me. Very copper and iron-y flavors. Ugh.

I'll have to make sure I have the refrigerator room to let the chickens rest prior to freezing, as I'd forget which had or hadn't rested. Better adopt one way to do it and do it across the board. I've seen resting times stated between 24 hours to up to a week! What say you Mike?

And, how long do your chickens hang out in the ice bath? Just a quick cool down? And for what purpose? I am not a lifelong hunter, nor have I culled or dressed any animal. My military hubby will help with the processing... AFTER they're culled..... and my 8 year old stated he would help in the culling dept.

 

[aart]

Not Mike, but, I put the bottom edge of cone just inside top of 5 gal bucket for bleed out. Just did 3 cockerels, all blood, guts, and feathers fit in that 5gal bucket which I dumped in the woods on my land about 300 feet away from house(something will eat it or it will rot in place). Not sure I'd compost it, or burn it like some do, probably best to bury it a good 2-3 feet deep.

Ice bath, add some salt-keeps cubes from melting near as fast, is to cool carcass quickly. I leave them there for a couple few hours until I'm ready for final rinse/clean/cut up, then into fridge for at least 48 hours.

 

[Cajun_MikeR]

I personally would not try to compost blood and composting uncooked meat/offal is a big no no if I remember correctly. Been a while since I read up on composting, but we just do yard trimmings, old coop shavings, nesting box hay, garden weeds, etc. As far as the amount of blood in a chicken, it will surprise you as to exactly how little there is (maybe a 1/2C or less in a 5lb roo from what I've observed). You won't get it all out, but you'll get a good 3/4 of it.

As for the ice bath, it's just to cool the meat rapidly so it doesn't start trying to go bad while I'm processing birds. You always want to cool a carcass as soon as possible, whether it's chicken, rabbit, hog, deer, elk, etc. It's just good practice...and it will help keep the meat good if something happens and you get pulled away from what you're doing. It also gives you a stopping point (when they're all slaughtered and in the ice bath) where you can take a break for a bit before moving on to packaging.

As far as setting before freezing, I don't. All of mine get vacuum sealed & frozen the day of slaughter. When we're going to use a bird, I pull it out 2 days ahead of time and put it in the bottom of the fridge to thaw and set. Then I'll "exercise" it (move the limbs multiple times to make sure it's loose and not still in rigor) prior to doing any other prep (rub, marinade, etc).

 

[Smuvers Farm]

Thank you both for the follow up info, @aart and @Cajun_MikeR !