maybe next weekend (growl)..DH talked me into it

[roosmom]

I GIVE UP....too late today and not doing it tomorrow either. Kill chickens then have to go to work the next day? NO.

 

[Poler]

If I was you, I'd use this next week to your advantage.

What I do with my chickens, is I separate the ones that are for slaughter and feed them nothing but the layer protien feed for a week 6-7 days. 24 hours before you go to slaughter them, pull all feed. 12 hours before you go to slaughter them, pull their water, that way their crops and bladders arent full, and you have a bird that has a relatively clean system, no bugs, treats, etc.

Hope this helps.

 

[roosmom]

Poler that was a good suggestion but I dont think it will make a difference in the size, just the fat right? But I will try the other suggestions. Here is the killing day.
1 had everything ready like everyone said on here
2 started at 230pm
3 DH said he sharpened the ax, but It took two
swipes to take off the heads completely
4 the cone worked well for bleeding out, I held
the feet so they didnt come out of the cone
5 the drill plucker DH threw together didnt work
well
6 skin tore when we tried to pluck the first one so
DH skinned it
7 I dry plucked the second one and didnt find it
bad at all, just very time consuming, I should
get better in time
8 gutting was stinky on plucked one
9 we skinned the third one
10 number three not stinky at all
11 do not start late in the afternoon
12 need something to tie the feet together that
we can then just move to the hook to pluck if
we choose to pluck
13 need something strong to wash hands off the
smell (you just dont really notice it til you are
all done) lasts forever and a day
All in all, in was not a bad experience. I do not dread the next time at all. Thank you everyone for all the hints and secrets. It made a dreaded job much easier.

 

[Poler]

Glad it went well for you. Seemed like kind of a hectic day to start off with.