Killing, Plucking, Eviscerating, & Cutting Up Your Chicken - Graphic!

[katbriar]

Tell me what was the most difficult. It doesn't have to be! I have been raising birds for food since 1983 off and on.
I take notes each time about what would have made it faster, easier and more humane.
Since I hatch and raise so many, I have such a large supply of roosters I may only do "meaties" 2 times a year now if that.
I wouldn't think the water temp should change. When you do the pull test to see if the wing or tail feathers pull easily they are ready.
the farthest wingtips at the joint will tell you the most, as well as the tail feathers.
The trick is short frequent dunks (15-20 seconds) and swishes, check, dunk, swish, repeat. When the tail feathers pull easily dunk in ice water.
I HATE plucking since I have stiff hands from arthritis, so I have tried very hard to make it easy for me.

The plucking was hard. I wore out my hands pulling stiff quills and tore skin over the fatty places. I thought it was because the magic temperature (150 degrees) didn't function the same at 7,000 feet (it happens for baking/cooking) but maybe it was because I dunked two at a time and the second cooled to much by the time I'd got through plucking the first?

I did "test" by making sure the wing feathers slipped easily. But did not dunk in ice water.

I agree on the take notes and adjust approach. So trying at the end of this year to figure out what to do to make next year better.

Appreciate any advice/thoughts!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

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Yep, that's what happened to me, I do a little hotter water too. 160-165 did better for me, even with the heritage roos, what a difference a few degrees make! Pay special attention around the knee joints too. Its also harder feathers to pluck. DH swears he will get me a plucker built "soon"

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

oh meant to add, just dunk and pluck one at a time, it does go better that way.

 

[DesigningLife]

Thank you SO MUCH for this post! My sister has several aged hens that she wants to "replace" next spring and asked me to come and help her prepare them for the freezer but I can't remember much from when my ex-husband and I processed our own "meat" chickens years ago. All I remember is the mess, the smell, and hanging the chickens by their feet on a clothesline to bleed out before dunking and plucking (best done OUTSIDE with an old table, SHARP knives, and lots of rags handy). I got the "easier jobs" of hanging them, plucking and cutting/packaging for the freezer. This will definitely be bookmarked!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Thank you SO MUCH for this post! My sister has several aged hens that she wants to "replace" next spring and asked me to come and help her prepare them for the freezer but I can't remember much from when my ex-husband and I processed our own "meat" chickens years ago. All I remember is the mess, the smell, and hanging the chickens by their feet on a clothesline to bleed out before dunking and plucking (best done OUTSIDE with an old table, SHARP knives, and lots of rags handy). I got the "easier jobs" of hanging them, plucking and cutting/packaging for the freezer. This will definitely be bookmarked!

Quail are much easier than chickens to process. If i pluck them its maybe 10 minutes per bird.
They are really good fried up

For chickens, search it on you tube. Tons of good posts on there to make it less stressful for you and the birds too.

 

[katbriar]

oh meant to add, just dunk and pluck one at a time, it does go better that way.

I'll try that and the warmer water. Hope to have help this year- some friends have asked to split a batch, and my DH has so enjoyed the ones we put up this year I think he'll do anything to help next year.

In fact he's sitting on the couch right now looking through a new hatchery catalog and said, "I think wyandottes could really work for us." Could have knocked me over with a (chicken) feather.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote:

Mine really came around when I started doing turkeys. He really loved the flavor difference.
He does want the LF blue cochins, a good friend of ours has a gorgeous rooster!

 

[Chicken Pen]

Thank You for the informative picture tutorial, amazing what we forget when we don't do this regularly.

CP

 

[Nermina]

I searched all over internet for info on how to process chicken and your post with photos is absolutely THE BEST ! Thank you so much !!!

 

[youngchooklover]

Thanks i killed my first today.