Half-Processing Birds?

[Omniskies]

I am planning on renting a chicken plucker in eight weeks in order to dress out a bunch of quail and Cornish Rock. To lower the costs, I'm renting it with two other people, so we will all be dressing out birds on the same day.

With that in mind, I have five geese who like me about as much as I like them. I would really like them gone - the sooner the better - and my freezer seems like a perfect place for them. Is it possible to start processing them, then put them in the freezer for a few weeks before thawing them out and throwing them in the chicken plucker?

I was thinking about bleeding and cleaning them, but leaving the majority of the feathers on. Then on plucker-day, get them out, thaw them, and throw them in to get the rest of those meddlesome feathers off.

Will that work? Am I just stuck feeding these guys for another eight weeks?

 

[al6517]

Well I wouldn't freeze then thaw and re-freeze, plus the second time the feathers will be H3ll to pluck out. Perhaps breasting them out is a good option. No plucking, no mess, plenty of meat. I wouldn't do skinless for the whole carcass either they will cook out too dry without a great cook in the trenches. If not any of these options then I think ya gotta suck it up and do them all the way the first time. At this time of yr during duck & Goose hunting season, me & my bud's just breast them out right as soon as were done hunting for the day, then one guy get's all the meat for the whole week, Then every week we switch to somebody else in the rotation. We all make Jerky from them and we eat and share it during our long cold hours in the blind, that jerky is great plus we get to sample each others and bragg on who's is the best LOL.

AL

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

I'm with al on this; I love a whole goose but it's not worth the hassle, the breast is the majority of the meat anyway and cooking is a whole lot easier too.