Interrupted processing

[K0k0shka]

UPDATE: I butchered and gutted the cockerels Friday night, put them in the fridge with ice packs, and scalded & plucked them on Saturday. Gutting with the feathers on, sticking to everything, was annoying but doable. Interrupting the process didn’t make plucking harder or any different the next day. The bodies were still flexible enough to be maneuvered easily, not stiff at all. It took me forever to pluck 5 back to back, so I’m glad I didn’t have to do it all Friday night! This worked out really well, thanks again for the suggestion!

 

[Folly's place]

I think that gutting them immediately is essential.
BTW, for saving birds for necropsies, the pathologist recommended dipping the whole bird in cold water, so the feathers were wet, and the carcass cooled way faster. Chicken feathers are insulating, and he said that the fast chill in very cold water helped a lot to improve carcass quality.
Something to consider; kill, dip in ice water, then gut, and deal with plucking later.
Mary

 

[raingarden]

If you dunk them in the ice water after gutting then they will cool off from the inside and the outside.

When I'm in a hurry they are skinned, then spatchcocked, then gutted, then chilled.

Spatchcocking makes them super easy to gut. You don't have to reach up into the cavity to tease out the lungs.

 

[K0k0shka]

BTW, for saving birds for necropsies, the pathologist recommended dipping the whole bird in cold water, so the feathers were wet, and the carcass cooled way faster. Chicken feathers are insulating, and he said that the fast chill in very cold water helped a lot to improve carcass quality.
Something to consider; kill, dip in ice water, then gut, and deal with plucking later.
Mary

Oh that's a great idea, thanks!