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

[CluckyCharms]

My caramel corn and Cherry Coke tasted a lot better going down than they did coming back up.

Very interesting tutorial - very helpful as well (still totally never doing it though).

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

My caramel corn and Cherry Coke tasted a lot better going down than they did coming back up.

Very interesting tutorial - very helpful as well (still totally never doing it though).

Sorry to hear that, i understand your repulsion but it does say "graphic". I do this to ensure my family is eating safe healthy food without "additives". If they cant tell me what it is i am not feeding it to my kids, or my husband.

 

[CluckyCharms]

Sorry to hear that, i understand your repulsion but it does say "graphic". I do this to ensure my family is eating safe healthy food without "additives". If they cant tell me what it is i am not feeding it to my kids, or my husband.

Oh I totally agree with you - and I even e-mailed this tutorial to my husband. We do plan on getting "meat birds" at some point, but I'm never doing it (he said he doesn't mind doing it, so I said YAY because I do! lol) It's a great tutorial.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Oh I totally agree with you - and I even e-mailed this tutorial to my husband. We do plan on getting "meat birds" at some point, but I'm never doing it (he said he doesn't mind doing it, so I said YAY because I do! lol) It's a great tutorial.

I was able to "do it" when i was younger... its really bothered my conscience since i spend so much time with all my birds now. I am looking into an Amish butcher near us to see if it will still keep me below my budget. I know that this family follows traditional compassion for these birds. Have had several referrals from people like us. I guess i feel they deserve good treatment even when they give their life to feed our family. If they can't, i will do it myself, rather than they be treated without respect and love they deserve.

 

[LightningTFarm]

One of the most important things to keep in mind in order to kill them quickly and humanely is that your knife must be very sharp. It pays to sharpen your knife just before you start. It makes it easier on the bird and easier on you. We just butchered three extra drakes this weekend, and my cousin helped. When he was a kid in South Louisiana he'd just wring the chicken's necks or chop off their heads with a hatchet and then let them run all over the place. I insisted that we use a gallon vinegar bottle with the top and bottom cut off as a killing cone, which he thought was very strange. Once we used it, however, he thought it was a great idea. We didn't bother to pluck the ducks, we just skinned them, as we plan on making a big duck and oyster gumbo with them. We have to wait for this same cousin to come visiting again from Louisiana so he can bring the good oysters!! He'll be back soon though, to go deer hunting on our farm, so we don't have long to wait! Meanwhile, the boys are safely in the freezer.

 

[Nicholie Olie]

Wow this is super helpful

... I really want to start killing my own chickens but i'm really nervous about doing it ... Hopefully this helps some when it's my turn to slaughter.

 

[ellandeeranch]

Very handy post. I'm planning on this weekend or next, depending on whether or not we're in town.

Thanks!

 

[Arielle]

THanks for bringing this thread to light.

Just today I had the experience of home slaughtering. A fellow well versed in poultry and other farm animals kindly took the time to show me a quick method of kill and pluck. I was amazed that we could do two in about 10 minutes. He was an excellent plucker, and finished mine for me. He used a little different method; one that I will try again.

He pointed out the fine hairs about 1.5 inches and to use a torch or rolled newspaper lit on fire to remove the zillion tiny hairs.

DH said he had a torch! yeah!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

OK i sucked it up and did 6 tonight, my brother and i, and my oldest daughter. Brother did the throat slit and the hot water dunk. both of us plucked, I did the gutting. went fast, we will finish Sunday. Glad he was here to do the deed, i guess that was my barrier after raising them from babies. Just couldn't do the cut

. I feel good knowing they had a lot of love when they were alive

 

[Dylon]

Very informative!