I DID IT, but a few questions!!!

[TNBarnQueen]

After weeks of fretting...reading and watching everything I could find on butchering chickens....I was faced with 9 roos.....having been corn fed and fattened up for 8 weeks. We finally had a break in the weather so I decided today was the day. I had a friend who was suppose to help but...as usual...he baled on me. So....I was faced with "what do I do now". I decided that if I was going to raise my own meat chicks I may as well step up...put my big girl pants on and do it. After looking everywhere for a killing cone and countless blank looks when I asked....my husband took a very tall galvanized narrow thing that you put tall flowers in. Cut a hole in the bottom and wha la.....I was ready. I will admit cutting the first roo was hard. So...as accustom to what I was taught and practiced in my family... I explained to each roo how important a job it had in providing food for my family...yes..sounds strange but it made it much easier.
I did 5 today and run out of time. I am so thankful for the youtube link someone posted on a feed. Wonderful instruction in cleaning...course it took me much longer but I think with time I will get faster.
I have a couple questions. I noticed on the backs that the skin did not come off very easily and seemed to have had a yellow fatty substance under it. Is this normal? I was a bit disappointed with my final results. They seemed to have had very nice fleshy thighs and legs but the breasts seemed to have been small. Any thoughts on this??
I could not have ever done this without everyone on the BYC...thank you everyone!!

 

[wood&feathers]

What variety of bird were these fellas?

The birds we are used to seeing at the grocery are Cornish/Rock crosses. Dual purpose birds will indeed have less breast meat and longer, leaner legs. Some breeds will yield a pretty nice carcass if you slaughter as soon as the boys start trying to crow

on the ultimate DIY !

 

[PunkinPeep]

What kind of chickens were you butchering? The dual purpose breeds generally don't have the giant breast portions that "grocery store chickens" have. Ours usually produce about the right amount of breast meat for one serving.

I have never skinned a chicken, so i can't comment on the back skin.

And you will get faster with practice. You were much faster than i was my first time. It took me all day long to do just three. Props to you.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

YAY for you, for being strong and getting the job done all by yourself!!!

That's an impressive amount to do alone for the first time, you should feel very proud! Now you know a lot that will help make your next session go much easier & faster. Your birds sound typical, with nice corn-fed chicken fat under their skin, and the normal balance of dark to light meat in a regular (not Cornish X) chicken.

Enjoy your delicious home-grown meals! Those who want to share in the cooked results must promise to help butcher the next ones!

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

looks like your big girl pants fit just fine!

 

[mxpres]

the skin on the lower back is always a bit harder to get off..how did you go about skinning them?

 

[Raiquee]

I don't know what birds you did, but the yellow substance you may be talking about sounds like good ol' chicken fat to me!

Sounds like those boys ate good before their day was done!

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

Quote:
We do the same thing. Thank them for hatching and being a cockerel, tell them much how we enjoyed watching them and getting to know them, thank them for eating and growing well and bless them for feeding us.




The "thin" breast is normal for home grown chick (even more so if these were hatchery stock) - unless they are a breasty breed, like a true Cornish.

 

[Stefrobrts]

A first timer faced with 9 roos - I'd say you did pretty dang good! Tell us how they taste