How to professionally harvest an aggressive roo

[LizStreithorst]

Would be pretty hard to find that thread...but you might browse thru the meat birds section to look for tips:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/meat-birds-etc.21/

I found this blog very helpful as I prepared to slaughter my first bird:
http://ramblingredneckmom.blogspot.com/2011/04/how-to-process-chickens-at-home.html


Was your neighbor unable to help?

OMG, aart. I just now saw the link to the blog. That's it! It's what I was hunting for and could not find.

 

[LizStreithorst]

Now that I'm sure that I'll know what I'm doing my next chore will be to catch them. I made a hook out of a coat hanger like I saw in a video but when I tried it I missed the leg and the chickens all scattered. I think that my best bet will be to do it at night while they are roosting like has been recommended in this thread.

I have a dog grooming shop in my house with a cage bank. I think that my best bet is to catch one by the legs and carry him up-side-down rather that trying to cover his wings and carry him. Then I can put him in a cage till morning when I will do the deed. Do you think that can two in the same night or will they be too freaked out after I have caught the first one?

I would rather process 2 at the same time and get the job over with in one fell swoop. Do y'all think that my plan is a good one? If not I'd appreciate your advice.

 

[aart]

I put birds in crates at night (after dark) the night before slaughtering, easy to 'catch' them off the roost, just hold their wings down. Give water but no feed, that will empty their intestines so less chance of contaminating meat when gutting.
The I slaughter first thing in the morning, having set up all my equipment the day before.

 

[LizStreithorst]

What about grabbing them by the legs? I think that it would be easier for me. Bad idea?

 

[Folly's place]

Also, for those times when you need to catch a bird during the day, a big long handled fish net is best. Otherwise, at night when roosting, with a small flashlight, causes the least disturbance.
Mary

 

[313759]

I'd just wait until night time when they're all roosted then grab them by the legs so they can't get away as easily. Then you could use the paracord idea to have'em set in place and unable to escape.

Or at least that's how I would do it. Catching the birds during the day is an absolute pain.

 

[Ridgerunner]

What about grabbing them by the legs? I think that it would be easier for me. Bad idea?

I consider that a good idea.

 

[Kris5902]

Catch and contain at night, but I find it easier to process in the early morning. There’s better light for visibility, and it’s still relatively cool out. You should set aside about an hour per bird for the first time (it won’t take that long, but then you won’t feel pressured and will have time for clean up), the more you do it the faster it goes, but don’t expect to break any speed records at first. Do them one at a time if you can, so the second doesn’t stiffen up while you pluck and eviscerate the first.

Also one thing that is very important is a decent table for working on. My last three birds were done on a small TV sized table, as my larger ones were all being used elsewhere... it took me much longer and my back didn’t forgive me for it for days! Sawhorses with a plastic covered (staple it down!) chunk of 3/4” plywood about 3x4’ worked very well for me.

 

[Ebony Rose]

You could easily process 20+ birds that way, if you had the desire (and the cage space). Will you be plucking them or removing skin (and feathers) at the same time? I remove skin and feathers at the same time, then cut the leg quarters off of the carcass, and then the breast quarters. That leaves me with a carcass with only the meager back meat and the internal organs. I like the heart and livers so I open up the carcass (very easy to do without all the meat in the way), and grab the bits that I want, then "dump" the offal into a the bowl that I used for the feathers and skin, for later burial. Rinse the carcass and simmer for several hours, then freeze the cooled chicken stock in 1 cup portions in zip lock baggies. Cooled bones are thrown out to the chickens to pick clean, and then later the dogs are let out to finish what the birds did not. As hard as dispatching your birds can be for you, the angst should be softened by knowing that you'll give them the same respect and kindness in their deaths as you gave them in life. Blessings.

 

[Kris5902]

Although we ended up skinning the last three we did, I still scalded and plucked them... mostly for the practice. Another thing to note is the part I found the worst of the entire process was the scalding and plucking. That was where the smell was most unpleasant. Make sure you’re standing upwind of your pot.