First Time Rooster Culling and Cleaning.

[LyleVertigo]

As my Naked Necks reach maturity I knew the time would come to where I had to start culling the extra roosters.
At first I thought I had 5 (4 NN + 1 EE) roosters, turned out I had 8.
Eight out of 15 Chickens were roosters. I planned on keeping the EE and the naked neck rooster that likes me the most.
I never culled a chicken before, watched a lot of videos on youtube until I felt comfortable and I went ahead and set up: a culling cone with extra hook for plucking, a camper stove outside with a pot full of water, one of those feather plucker attachments for a drill and a plastic working table for cleaning and my knife with lung scraper.

Killing a chicken turned out to be quite easy. You just quickly yank down on their head while in the cone and then slit the side of their necks to bleed out.

As you can see from the bumps, naked necks have much less feathers on them. One minute with the drill stripped them bare.
This was the first time I was cleaning and it turned out to be quite easy, cut both ends and pull everything through, only the lungs, heart and crop needed the scraper.

Now I have 6 birds in my fridge to prepare for seasoning and freezing tomorrow.

 

[McChooky]

As my Naked Necks reach maturity I knew the time would come to where I had to start culling the extra roosters.
At first I thought I had 5 (4 NN + 1 EE) roosters, turned out I had 8.
Eight out of 15 Chickens were roosters. I planned on keeping the EE and the naked neck rooster that likes me the most.
I never culled a chicken before, watched a lot of videos on youtube until I felt comfortable and I went ahead and set up: a culling cone with extra hook for plucking, a camper stove outside with a pot full of water, one of those feather plucker attachments for a drill and a plastic working table for cleaning and my knife with lung scraper.

Killing a chicken turned out to be quite easy. You just quickly yank down on their head while in the cone and then slit the side of their necks to bleed out.

View attachment 4211820

As you can see from the bumps, naked necks have much less feathers on them. One minute with the drill stripped them bare.
This was the first time I was cleaning and it turned out to be quite easy, cut both ends and pull everything through, only the lungs, heart and crop needed the scraper.

Now I have 6 birds in my fridge to prepare for seasoning and freezing tomorrow.

Wonder if they're easy to skin? The smell of scalding one with feathers grosses me out.I've never processed one myself but I've seen a lot of videos

 

[LyleVertigo]

Skinning is easy but the skin is the tastiest part of the chicken!
I really didn't smell anything too bad, the hot water doesn't smell as bad as the coop, and I do it outside so you don't smell it anyway unless you get your face in it. lol

Once you do it for the first time you will wonder what the big deal was XD

 

[McChooky]

Skinning is easy but the skin is the tastiest part of the chicken!
I really didn't smell anything too bad, the hot water doesn't smell as bad as the coop, and I do it outside so you don't smell it anyway unless you get your face in it. lol

Once you do it for the first time you will wonder what the big deal was XD

That's great to hear! I'd consider getting a couple naked necks if it makes it easier.For no more chickens than I'd be processing it really doesn't matter

 

[Slothinc]

This is the first I have ever heard of a drill plucker attachment. I will have to look that up. I have been considering getting some meat birds next year… very intimidated by the whole prospect though.

 

[Fluffy_Butt_Hutt]

I'm also interested in the plucker! I ended up soaking then plucking by hand... I wonder if there is a way I can DIY one

 

[LyleVertigo]

I'm also interested in the plucker! I ended up soaking then plucking by hand... I wonder if there is a way I can DIY one

I seen those drum machine pluckers go for hundreds of dollars and it makes no sense even if processing on a large scale because of how fast the drill bit was.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CNGM2L26

This is what I used. 60 bucks, so much cheaper and gets the job done.