INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[SallyinIndiana]

If there was a power outage or if the temps were low you might have some delay before lockdown. But you should not see much more than the air cell at the top and an internal pip ( the tip of the beak in the air cell). Also if you tap the egg on the side, if your light is bright enough you should see some movement. I can see tiny movements after day 14.

 

[Old Salt 1945]

Thanks for the link. I know my DH could take care of the kill. I have defeathered a bird before, one that a hawk killed. while not fun it was doable. It was the removing of the guts that got me, I just could not do it. I had the knife ready but the idea of putting my hand inside the bird well it unnerved me on that day.
What would you recommend for the hairs other than a propane torch or gas stove. Should I just skin the bird instead? If so do I do that after the gutting?

Got a box of matches? Or take it to your mother-in-law's house and use her gas stove. If you don't have a propane torch, just skin it. A couple of relief cuts and pull. It will just peel off with very little cutting.

Gut before skinning. That way, if you accidentally pop an intestine, it won't ruin the meat, just muddy up the meat, just the skin. Remember: you have had chicken poop all over your hands in caring for the birds. Intestine goo is just chicken poop in process. Not a big deal. You probably gave birth. Didn't throw away the icky, gooey baby did you?

Removing guts is not that big of a deal. Follow the instructions in the video and you'll be just fine, if you don't over-think it.

Wash the carcass in cold water, cut it up, and make some delicious pan-fried chicken. There are videos on youtube showing how to cut up a whole chicken.

Make your DH do all the icky stuff. Deride him mercilessly if he resists. Insult his manliness. Reward him appropriately if he complies. With fried chicken, of course.

John

 

[EmSteele]

...

How much different? Black sexlink hens can feather out anywhere from black with reddish chests, to almost completely black, to even mostly reddish with some black. As I mentioned before, none of the birds quoted in my last post are Welsummers, because Welly chicks are brown and chipmunk striped. Black copper Marans should not get reddish coloring in their chests, male or female, so I doubt that's what they are, either.[/quote
I really have no way to show the roo on here. I recently started on instagram but doesn't seem as if many here have it. So glad Quinstar could help me show the other pictures though! I do NOT have good reviews about Estes Hatchery AT ALL.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Quote: I'm thinking he would prefer chocolate snickers and milky way bars. Those he did not have to see get made. He is a little skittish when it comes to this part of having chickens. But this roo is getting too mean to keep with us having children that spend time with the chickens. I have 7 HRIR chicks right now and only need 2 / 3 to breed more HRIR. He is easily replaced. Just a minor delay until my HRIR can mate and I still have another Production RIR to keep mating my current hens.

 

[bradselig]

That's a shame. Orschelns gets all their chicks from Estes and been very happy with the birds. They all seem very healthy and never any issues. All my naked necks came from there as well as speckled Sussex and brown leghorns. Healthy as can be.

 

[EmSteele]

I've never had a problem with health of my chicks from them either. I've just been given the brush off from them numerous times over the the breed of these 2 chicks then they threw out breeds that don't match.the chicks . I love the chicks, just need better customer service..

 

[SallyinIndiana]

It was my understanding that hatcheries did not provide breed info on mixed batches of chicks. At least mine did not include a list of breeds with my mixed lot of roos.

 

[EmSteele]

The 2 I've been trying to I.D. were sold as BPR. We didn't notice the difference until they started feathering out. They are our first chickens. My pan fry mix are a little easier to I.D. fortunately!

 

[SallyinIndiana]

The 2 I've been trying to I.D. were sold as BPR. We didn't notice the difference until they started feathering out. They are our first chickens. My pan fry mix are a little easier to I.D. fortunately!

Well if they gave you the wrong chicks, they should at least refund you if not ship you the right ones. They might require pictures though. Sorry about it being your first chicks. My pan fry mix has some that are clearly this or that breed and others that are just red or black and could be one of many breeds.

 

[Old Salt 1945]

Mr Salt (thinking mister since most females don't call themselves old. Sorry if you are female.) and any others that have butchered their own chickens,
Once the killing, defeathering, and gutting part is done. What comes next if I plan to put the bird in my crockpot. He is at least 3 yrs old so not going to bake him.
I have this question posted in another thread too. In that thread I think I recall them posting not to cook the bird right after butchering. something about the bird needing to sit.
Tomorrow or Friday night will be the big night. How long should I plan for it to take?
I'm thinking the first step is to catch that roo, boil the water to mix with room temp water in a large bucket, once the water is around 190 then kill and drain bird while the water cools to 160 / 170. Dip, spin test feathers repeat till feathers come out easily. gut and remove neck. This is where I'm stuck at right now.

THANK YOU again for answering all of my questions.

Sally, "Old Salt" is a play on sailors. I adopted the moniker when I got interested in Salt Water Aquariums. You can call me John.

Watch the video

several times until you are familiar with the process. The last time I actually did this was when I was a 13 year old boy. That was 55 years ago.

You won't have the defeathering machine, so you have to hand pick all the feathers, just like I did back then.

Catch the chicken. I use a straightened coat hanger. Bend a hook on one end. At the open end i leave a 1 1/2" gap. At the bend it should taper down to about 3/8". This is for hooking the chicken's leg. I bend a loop on the other end for a handle and so I know which way the hook end is pointing. In one sweeping motion you swing the wire against his leg and pull toward you, snagging his leg above the ankle. Easiest way I have ever known to catch an unwilling chicken.

Remove the chicken's head and drop him in the grass. He will flop around "like a chicken with his head cut off". Now you know the origin of the term.

In a pot of hot water - not boiling, but nearly so - while holding the bird by the feet, dunk it in the water several times until the feathers easily pull off. You don't want to cook the skin, but under scalding will make the feather picking difficult.

Sit down and start picking feathers. Some will easily rub right off. Some of the flight feathers may take some effort to pull out. Mom always made me get all the little feathers off the neck because Dad liked the neck and wanted the skin on it. Avenge me. Skin the blasted neck and throw the skin away.

When picked clean, there will be some fine hairs on the skin (maybe 6 or 8 per square inch). Use a propane torch or gas stove or camp stove or some such to singe them off. Or you could use tweezers.

Gut the bird per the video. His instructions were excellent. If you have poultry shears or kitchen scissors, they will be better than a big old butcher knife. They could also take care of the beheading task.

Cut off the feet per the video. Remember, you are cutting the TENDONS at the joint, not the bone itself.

If you are doing the crockpot thing, save yourself the trouble of feather picking and just skin it.

For a 3-year old bird, you might want to pressure cook him first and then put him in the crock pot on low with sufficient liquid for an overnight low cook.

Have a supply of frozen pizzas ready in case the process goes to h*ll and you need a backup plan.

John