I have mixed mutts and we are looking for TWO things..

[Momagain1]

we were given these birds...when they were about 2 weeks..
but since they are mixed breeds..I'm not even sure they'd be worth it to send to freezer camp...??

We have several roos and several hens..but I have enuf' egg hens..

these are about oh...4 months now..give or take a week..when can we freezer camp them?
they are doing nothing but eating!

These are def. not meat birds..BUT I cant even call them dual purpose birds..

If we butchered them, do you think it would be worth it to do it? I can maybe
boil the birds, pick the meat off and then take the broth and can it..

WDYT? or is it just not worth it? I'd hate to kill them for no reason..??

AND TWO:

PLEASE anyone semi local that dcan come over and help us do the first butchering??
we are in central IL...

we have no equipment either..gonna have to make it easy and cheap to do...

 

[Illia]

All I have for "equipment" is a good sharp knife, a freezer, a weapon (you can use an axe or tree loppers or such) and a building and rope to hang the bird from.

I send all mine to "freezer camp." That way I or the dogs can enjoy them weeks later.



To me, even if it is some skinny production bird, meat is meat and still worth it, especially if you have dogs. What I do is hang them, cut the head off, skin them, then bag and freeze them.

 

[Momagain1]

what age would you freezer camp yours?? if you had mixed breeds...

 

[Illia]

5 months and up. Some faster growing breeds can be done even at 4 months. If I want to enjoy something tender, I usually butcher a bird at 4-6 months, and mark the bag as "young" to tell it apart from, say, the birds in the freezer who are 7 months to 4 years old.

 

[Edwards' East of Eden]

We have a thread where we're building spreadsheet of processing helpers and teachers - go add your info that you're looking for help, or scroll through and see if someone in your area is already on the list!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=539602

 

[KenK]

Here is a thread I started on the subject.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=534747

 

[kfacres]

what do you call central IL?

Any chicken can be butchered and consumed... the only difference is the ammount of meat one may have on it...

I see no reason you couldn't butcher your birds

 

[Momagain1]

Quote:
yeah I had already checked it..no one local...

central IL -- we are 1/2 hr north of Spfld..

 

[kfacres]

Quote:
yeah I had already checked it..no one local...

central IL -- we are 1/2 hr north of Spfld..

what town... last time I checked, I was only 70 miles NW of Springfield... I bet that's more local than most people on here are...

 

[KenK]

I agree that it would be nice to find someone to help and show you how to do it. However; you can figure it out yourself with some of the great posts here. "Frugal" has step by step instructions that I think are in one of the stickies and "Booker81". has detailed instructions with photos posted somewhere.