I processed my very first chicken today

[twigcrafter]

I finally got up the nerve to process my runt Cornish X. It was about half the size of the others and had trouble getting around. I had to help it into the coop at night and just looking at it made me sad.

I hung it up in a gallon milk carton cone and waited for it to fall asleep. Well it never fell asleep so I did the deed with a utility knife. I talk to it the whole time and it went better than I thought it would.

My scald water was way too hot and the plucker tore up the skin and wings. My butcher skills were pretty good. I got all the guts out except a few scraggly bits.
Part of the wings were cooked and a few spots of breast meat.

It's resting in my fridge. I'll wait 2 days then boil it to make chicken salad. It was that small. Quite plump, but definitely not dinner size.
all in all, I'm pretty proud of myself. I'm a homesteader, not a crazy lady with meat birds stinking up my yard. lol 1 down 24 more to go! Just not today.

 

[Kiki]

Congratulations!
New the post pics of the process so we can learn from your...um...experience too!

 

[BantyChooks]

I finally got up the nerve to process my runt Cornish X. It was about half the size of the others and had trouble getting around. I had to help it into the coop at night and just looking at it made me sad.

I hung it up in a gallon milk carton cone and waited for it to fall asleep. Well it never fell asleep so I did the deed with a utility knife. I talk to it the whole time and it went better than I thought it would.

My scald water was way too hot and the plucker tore up the skin and wings. My butcher skills were pretty good. I got all the guts out except a few scraggly bits.
Part of the wings were cooked and a few spots of breast meat.

It's resting in my fridge. I'll wait 2 days then boil it to make chicken salad. It was that small. Quite plump, but definitely not dinner size.
all in all, I'm pretty proud of myself. I'm a homesteader, not a crazy lady with meat birds stinking up my yard. lol 1 down 24 more to go! Just not today.

Great job.

 

[twigcrafter]

thanks

 

[KoopOnTruckin]

How old was the runt that you culled? I had one that sounded almost identical, but I was able to keep him until 6.5 weeks. The last week he was "turtling" a few times a day, so after about 100 times flipping him back over, I culled him and butchered a few other males that were good sized. I hate to butcher just one bird, it takes so much time to set up and clean after that it's better to get at least a few done at a time.

Yes, rest assured that the next time will be easier. I like that you talked the whole time, that probably helps you as much as the bird. Good job!

 

[twigcrafter]

It was almost 8 weeks. Yikes. I've really have to step up my game plan. Thanks for asking. I lost track on their age. I purchased them 4/2/17 and they were close to 2 weeks old.

The others seem to be getting around just fine. I never heard of turtling. lol. I was planning on processing 2 that day, but the other slow one got right passed me and started eating. Guess it wasn't as slow as I thought.

 

[NDgoatgirlNV]

Good job on processing your first bird! The first one was the hardest for me, I do like you did, I talk to them throughout the initial process....I hold them and talk to them, I sing them a calming sad song...I cry with each bird whose life I take, I thank them for their sacrifice for my family and tell them I am sorry for what I have to do...
A very good friend of mine once told me....
" It is our jobs as their caretakers to make sure that they are allowed to be the animals they are meant to be that their lives are as full and happy as we can possibly make it.... It is also our jobs to make sure that they only EVER have one bad day and that it is done quickly and cleanly...."
I process my birds at 12 ish weeks, they yield about 7# of useable meat and bones for broth.

Here is a link to one of the photo and step by step instruction tutorials that helped me the first time I processed...I use a traffic cone...but this is basically how I process too...


https://www.thespruce.com/slaughter-chickens-for-meat-3016856