:/need to find someone to help teach me how to humanely process(for food) my chickens. they are currently 6 years old and i cannot get more until my current group are gone. i live in central ohio.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewforum.php?id=21 up top...sticky. and whatever you do...don't look up any vids by purplechicken. be forewarned. have a good supper! me, g
I can not help in person but if you google it or use the "search" in the above choices, put in butchering chickens or some such and you can find several in depth sites. It isn't the most pleasant thing but the end results, even with that old a chicken, cooked right- will be well worth it.
too cool-you people are from ALL over-thank you for answering my simple to you/difficult for me question-it DID enlighten me although I would still like to be present when its done because the pictures/explainations always leave SOMETHING out- thanks-katy in ohio
Katie, I just dispatched 12 birds to freezer camp today and it is never fun but we all look forward to the tasty meals. Your older birds need to be SLOW cooked so they come out tender. They are not like young fryers. I like to skin mine out. I cut off the first section of the wings and the feet and discard those along with the offal. You separate the crop from the neck and start pulling the skin down on the bird til you get to the vent (slipping the wings and legs out as you go). Then make a cross wise cut where the breast and abdomen meet (actually just under this spot), but be sure not to cut into the abdominal contents. you can then reach into the cavity and pull out the innards. Be sure to get the lungs and kidneys as you go and DON'T puncture the green bile sac. Cut off the tail and everything falls away leaving a pretty good looking (but under dressed) bird. Chill it in cold water for a while to bring the temp down fast. Happy eating.
katy, how central? like columbus? I'm just south of Dayton and could probably assist if you're not too far. Karla The first one I ever did, I cried, so I understand how you feel.
first off This is our first year having meat chickens besides our egg layers and I have convinced my self to only look at them as if they didn't make it to the freezer my family wouldn't eat if that helps or not sorry you have to take them to freezer camp
