First Run of Cornish Cross Meat Birds and Super Excited!

[JessicaThistle]

Lisa: My husband built a plucker. That saves a ton of time!

I haven't decided when I will get my meatballs in the Spring. I started in June this year but I'm thinking more like April. In Oregon we usually have so much rain at that time of year, more than super cold temps. Chicken farming in pouring rain isn't very fun though. Fall is perfect weather for them. Mine were never happier when the temps cooled off!

 

[KCMOLisa]

Jealous! I want a plucker so bad! My brother said he would build me one if I do this again (which I'm definitely going to!), but we have to hand pluck this time. Ugh!

 

[LindaB220]

Yay! Successful camp day! 24 chickens tucked away in coolers to rest. I don't know how my DH and I pulled it off. We are both exhausted and sore but we did it. I don't know if we will eat or not. For now we will enjoy our vodka and juice to ease the sore and tired muscles. Tomorrow we will have buffalo steaks for dinner.

It took us 4 hours to set up, process 24 chickens and clean up. I think we were pretty quick for the two of us!

I am going to take a picture of my new evisceration table. It made things so much easier than just using a hose or clearing the kitchen counter!! You all must have one!

So, now what? With the meat chickens gone what will I do with myself until spring? My layers almost take care of themselves. I will be so lonely. Lol!

Twenty four done in 4 hrs? Outstandin!!!

. Do you have a plucker yet? If not and you are just plucking or skinning a most prodigous endeavor. You just get better and better. Congrats to hubby too.

Edited to add: Ah, I see y'all built a plucker. Fabulous.

 

[duluthralphie]

24 in 4 hours is amazing....

We just did 25 and it took us 8 hours, but we did a finish clean on them and then vacuum packed and labeled them all for sale.

We did 1 CX, not a special one and he weighed 7lbs 8 ounces dressed. He is got a place of honor lined up for him on Sunday when the kids are here.

I found I will never buy Black sex link again, way too hard to clean!


I was afraid I had not fed the birds enough, but we had gobs of fat in the cavity and on the birds!

They are now resting in the Beer Fridge waiting to be moved to Freezer Camp tomorrow night or Wednesday morning, Unless someone comes and buys them before that.


BTW a Red Sex Link rooster makes a great dinner!!! Easy to clean Leggy and fairly heavy around 4.5- 5 lbs dressed.

 

[JessicaThistle]

Yeah. I admit that I'm a bit spoiled since I have a handy husband that says, "if we are going to do this, we are going to do it right. Meaning as fast and efficient as possible!" I estimate that I eviscerated a chicken every 9 minutes. it seemed waaayyy longer than that.


Here's the table. So awesome! It's called a fish and game table. I got it at a farm store but maybe where hunting things are sold would sell it? It was a bit spendy at $89.99 but well worth saving for! I would have hunted for a cheaper price but we bought it on Saturday and camp day was Sunday. Not alot of time for research. Worth the money and even more value if you fish or hunt! A hose attaches to the faucet for running water. We have a drain hole outside that goes straight to the septic. So I stationed myself right over it so the drain hose drained right down the drain hole. It was an odd location but so much easier than sticking a bucket underneath!

 

[LindaB220]

Yeah. I admit that I'm a bit spoiled since I have a handy husband that says, "if we are going to do this, we are going to do it right. Meaning as fast and efficient as possible!" I estimate that I eviscerated a chicken every 9 minutes. it seemed waaayyy longer than that.


Here's the table. So awesome! It's called a fish and game table. I got it at a farm store but maybe where hunting things are sold would sell it? It was a bit spendy at $89.99 but well worth saving for! I would have hunted for a cheaper price but we bought it on Saturday and camp day was Sunday. Not alot of time for research. Worth the money and even more value if you fish or hunt! A hose attaches to the faucet for running water. We have a drain hole outside that goes straight to the septic. So I stationed myself right over it so the drain hose drained right down the drain hole. It was an odd location but so much easier than sticking a bucket underneath!

Amazing set up. And the price is reasonable. I found one for $60 but would have had to pay shipping.and not as nice as this with the sink. That one had pretty much a hole with the place to put your hose. So you did good.

 

[JessicaThistle]

Oh, I forgot. We kept one CX hen as she was the sweetest. I want to research what it takes to keep them alive for long periods to consider whether I want to hatch me some frogs.

Anyway, I decided to house her with my two little silkie hens. They are royalty as my hubby really loves them. They have a pretty big run but a tiny little coop as they are tiny and there are just two of them. Last night she was a bit freaked out and this morning one of the silkies was seriously picking on her. I think she was a big surprise to wake up to. Plus that silkie has "little chick" syndrome and wants everybody to think she is a real bad a$&. Today went on fine and they all got out to free range. Tonight, I put Sunny (my little CX hen) in the run with the silkies. She ate and then followed the silkies into their tiny house and settled in for the night with them. They didn't seem upset that she was there. It was so sweet.

What's so funny about it is Sunny is bigger than them but I think she will be on the bottom of their little pecking order. It doesn't matter though as long as she fits in an is happy.

Ralph: I haven't bagged and weighed yet, so I do still have some time left for processing. I like to let mine rest on ice for several days before. We don't have a beer fridge (although we should) I cooked a "fresh" chicken the last time and found that cooking a chicken that fresh is not a good idea. Nice flavor, texture of shoe leather. My husband was so irritated after all that work that he scraped his plate and went straight to bed.

Obviously he is pleased with the rested, post rigor, chickens as of late because he let me raise the second batch. I almost want to go get more chicks. I just love raising them!

 

[KCMOLisa]

Quote:
Love it!!!! I had to immediately look on Amazon and they have one that looks just like it for $80. I think my Amazon Prime might get a workout today. I was going to buy one of those white plastic tables for processing day anyway and they're about $40. I think the sink is worth the extra $$. Thanks for the pics. Now I just need the plucker and I will be ready to start my free range chicken empire.

 

[Double Kindness]

I'm definitely getting one of those tables too!!

It looks like I'm going to be processing my chickens in batches. I'm very excited to do ducks though, definitely need a plucker. That sink, did it have a built in scalder option? Nevermind, I had thought I saw a similar set up with a scalder too? Maybe I'm just daydreaming?

 

[duluthralphie]

I just showed my wife your table. She says we need 2 of them, instead of the makeshift table we have now. She says Menards had them at Xmas last year for $49. She almost bought them for the kids for camping.

We will now be looking for them. Hopefully cheap!


I bought a plucker on an auction last spring for $80. I plan to build a whiz bang cleaner, someday. We use to own a Laundromat and I have a ton of washers and dryers in one shed. I think they would make a good whiz bang plucker. BUT that would require me having the time to devote to designing and building one...


I cooked my last fresh chicken in July. I could not believe how tough it was. even the chicken noodle soup made out of the left overs ( which there was a lot of) was tough, flavorful but tough.


I turned the temp down on my beer fridge to 35 for aging... A beer fridge is handy, I keep my gopher feet in the freezer, which is enough to keep my wife out of my beer.