Most important aspect of butchering?

[Andrea72]

Thank you guys.....This was exactly was I was looking for.

 

[chickendeal]

I would like to also suggest to withhold any food for 24 hours so the crawl is empty and don't forget to skin the gizzards before moving to the next bird

 

[Elke Beck]

I would like to also suggest to withhold any food for 24 hours so the crawl is empty and don't forget to skin the gizzards before moving to the next bird

What happens if you do not skin the gizzard before moving on? I ask because I always process each chicken all the way through, then start on the next. I have to do it alone, and I do not want to end up not being able to finish a bird because something comes up.

I only withhold food overnight, and they seem to be clean enough. The intestines are not completely empty, but they are empty enough that there is room to manuver and there is not a lot of leakage. But I do not have a good place to separate the birds for 24 hours, but I can put them in the dog crate overnight.

 

[BCMaraniac]

What happens if you do not skin the gizzard before moving on? I ask because I always process each chicken all the way through, then start on the next. I have to do it alone, and I do not want to end up not being able to finish a bird because something comes up.

I only withhold food overnight, and they seem to be clean enough. The intestines are not completely empty, but they are empty enough that there is room to manuver and there is not a lot of leakage. But I do not have a good place to separate the birds for 24 hours, but I can put them in the dog crate overnight.

I only withhold food overnight as well, but leave them in their pen and usually all I ever have from the vent is a little clear yellowish green fluid. There is a little stuff in their crop, but that is about it.

 

[chickendeal]

What happens if you do not skin the gizzard before moving on?  I ask because I always process each chicken all the way through, then start on the next.  I have to do it alone, and I do not want to end up not being able to finish a bird because something comes up. the only reason I say don't forget to skin the gizzard befor moving on is if its in water it can get water in it and leak out into your water and you can find the strangest stuff in a gizzard I've found glass and one time found a shoestring

I only withhold food overnight, and they seem to be clean enough.  The intestines are not completely empty, but they are empty enough that there is room to manuver and there is not a lot of leakage.  But I do not have a good place to separate the birds for 24 hours, but I can put them in the dog crate overnight.

 

[Alaska Fowl INC]

 

[Keggen]

We've culled two roosters and already have learned a lot! The first time we used an improvised cone style killing but the bird was too big, flopped around a lot and made a big mess! The second time was today actually and this time we lowered him into a clean garbage can with a new, clean bag (one of the big cans) and the mess was contained. I think the darkness of the can and bag also calmed it somewhat.

As well as the sharp knives I also needed one of those kitchen shears for snipping through bones (then neck especially).

I agree with those who mention videos; watching them was tremendously helpful!

 

[leahcim823]

Great advice!! We are raising our first batch of meat birds (20) and we have 6pullets that are red sex links we are going to keep for pets/eggs!!!

 

[hotrodflash]

Thanks!! Loving the replies, all great stuff to know.

Is it true what they say about butchering away from the rest of the chickens? So they won't be traumatized or is that just being overly dramatic? Do chickens know or even care? You would think it would cause a commotion.

We did 9 cockerels and I had to look at the ground to make sure where my broody and her 10 day old chicks were, she would grab anything I dropped to her and give it to the chicks. Then they started grabbing the internal bits and gobbled them down. The others stood around and waited for something to be tossed to them like the lungs, kidney and other small bits. I saved the livers to give to them another day, They also grabbed the pin feathers as we squeezed them out of the skin. They are omnivores and they don't care who it was as long as they get some.

 

[Ryoohkey]

what do yall do with the left over parts of the chickens just give them to the others begging for food?