North Carolina

[Hollowoakfarm]

"I don't know what to feel today. Today is processing day and while I am going to be sad to see some chickens go, I just can't afford to feed them if they aren't laying when feed prices are just SO expensive!!"


Hi all, Still a newbie or new egg.. questions. I have done the deed twice before and wanted to know how you do it??? Ok, the chickens, nothing else. smiles.... I guess i do it old school or so this is how the old timers tell me to do it.... Tried to twist the neck....big fail. finally manage to chop the head off. Boiled water and duck the poor thing, burnt my hands plucking both. Then off to the kitchen to clean and got in trouble for stinking up the house.... Plus my hands were too big to fit in the little hen and again messed up my hand. sheesh. Tell me there is an easier way...please.

Ok, basic infor. I have a small flock of maybe soon to be 42. I already know I will have alot of (as you all say) freezer boys and my older girls have stopped laying this past summer.... The missus wants to let her favs just become a yard chicken but the others will need to go as well... Have given some away for stews but most people want me to kill and clean them first???? huh, why would I do that??? If I do it all, I plan to keep them.........

I have since learned you just need hot water, but the plucking and cleaning, is there an easier way. I hope... And no, I can not afford a machine that cleans the feathers and know if I used the missus washing machine to spin the feathers off, I would be living with the chickens... Ok, guys don't tell me no one else thought of that yet?????

I am enjoying all the posts and am slowly getting into the swing of things here.
thanks for letting me become a part of you all....

Well, unless I specifically want a roasting bird, we just skin 'em. Fast and easy. No hot water. No floating feathers. And since I'm going to dismantle them before freezing, I can not feel guilty about ripping them wide open to clean them out, salvaging edibles. Then I take them in, cut them up, freeze the meaty bits and cook down and debone the boney bits for soups and chicken salad and such. Can or freeze that and the broth. If It's an older bird, the whole thing goes in the soup pot. Yeah, the skin adds flavor, but it's no longer worth it to me.

 

[ramirezframing]

I skin as well, have never plucked a bird in my life. So I guess that's why I never thought of the dryer machine

 

[tick22]

Well, unless I specifically want a roasting bird, we just skin 'em. Fast and easy. No hot water. No floating feathers. And since I'm going to dismantle them before freezing, I can not feel guilty about ripping them wide open to clean them out, salvaging edibles. Then I take them in, cut them up, freeze the meaty bits and cook down and debone the boney bits for soups and chicken salad and such. Can or freeze that and the broth. If It's an older bird, the whole thing goes in the soup pot. Yeah, the skin adds flavor, but it's no longer worth it to me.

Ok, so I can skin them as well. I think the older guys around where I live just love to see me get in trouble from the missus. They always seem to tell me the hardest and worse way to do things. sheesh. yes, these are older chickens, so Chicken and dumplings,soups, etc are what they will be used for... Ok, before I ask the old folks and get in trouble again, to skin, you cut up from the buttucks, (notice the polite language) bottom side to the neck and pull..... You can tell, I am really new to this.... As for the freezer boys, I will just wait and let them get at least 6 months, I guess beofre I decide to skin or roast... Ok, again, the older guys tell me about 6 months... it that a good time or should I let them get older????

and thanks to those that answer. Think of me as an older man who has become a dumb 12 year old... Well the missus tells me all the time I am regressing backwards all the time and that she did not hook up with a 12 year old. laughs. I just look at her and tell her I still love ya even if you look different than when we met. That normally gets me a hug and a kiss instead of the normal, weird look ...

 

[tick22]

I skin as well, have never plucked a bird in my life. So I guess that's why I never thought of the dryer machine

I have watched videos of those plucking machines while trying to find out how to pluck feathers...
ok, then I look at the washing machine. Thinking mmm, a spin cycle that should do the trick.. But I always chicken out. I think I really don't have a death wish as everyone else thinks I have...

 

[Coop Scoop Boogie]

We chop heads and skin. I probably do it wrong
but I start at the neck and work down.......taking
off wing tips and ending with inerds attached to
the skin to make it a bit easier to pull them out.

don't know if that is much help

 

[scottcaddy]

Quote: I think that must you have a few good stories, that I have not read about yet?

Scott

 

[Hollowoakfarm]

We chop heads and skin. I probably do it wrong
but I start at the neck and work down.......taking
off wing tips and ending with inerds attached to
the skin to make it a bit easier to pull them out.

don't know if that is much help

We do it pretty much the same. Once the head is off, there's an easy starting place on skin. We snip off the lower legs and wingtips, split the skin starting at the neck and going down the breast, puling out wings and legs. Most of the skin will pull off, leaving the tail behind. Then we cut into the belly, pull it open and gut it, spilling the guts we don't want into the large lined trash can at the end of our work table. The vent is of course attached to the innards. When we get that far, we snip either side of the vent, then across the back of it and remove it with the innards. The tail feathers go along with it. Then just wash and do whatever. Best chicken and dumplings you'll ever eat, too!

 

[ramirezframing]

We do it pretty much the same. Once the head is off, there's an easy starting place on skin. We snip off the lower legs and wingtips, split the skin starting at the neck and going down the breast, puling out wings and legs. Most of the skin will pull off, leaving the tail behind. Then we cut into the belly, pull it open and gut it, spilling the guts we don't want into the large lined trash can at the end of our work table. The vent is of course attached to the innards. When we get that far, we snip either side of the vent, then across the back of it and remove it with the innards. The tail feathers go along with it. Then just wash and do whatever. Best chicken and dumplings you'll ever eat, too!

same here, just if you ever do a 40 lb turkey, you might need help

 

[Hollowoakfarm]

Quote: That's a fact! We've pretty much quit doing turkeys, as I'm not much help these days.

Good Morning, all you Happy People!

Of course I didn't get as much done as I planned yesterday. I never do. Still, I got some stuff done, so I'm ahead of the game. I think.

After a long discussion with hubby yesterday...when I could get him to quit laughing...we decided to accept that puppy.

We may end up with just four large pets if he doesn't work out, but "nothing ventured, nothing gained".

Chickies are still growing, as are the baby bunnies. More next month! Yay!

Enjoy the day!

 

[NewHomesteader2010]

Well...we ended up processing 7 birds yesterday - out of them, the teenager was a BREEZE (and I got to do him...woot). I was the official bird catcher and deed do-er while the DH was the "official" doing everything else (haha). Had Alex here to "supervise" and remind us what we're doing as well as walk us through the skinning process. She also checked on my sweet mama who went up against the predator.

She was in rough shape yesterday afternoon, just standing, eyes pretty much shut - no visible wounds anywhere. We did find mites (AHHH) and planned to do a dusting today (suggestions on how often after the initial dusting??). Sadly, last night, despite giving mama some vitamins and scrambled eggs, she passed quietly while in my lap!!

She was one of the 2 birds we had decided no matter what they would be our family birds because they were just so sweet and just great broodies/mamas. I am sure her sister is going to be a bit lost without her. My flock definitely will not be the same. RIP Olivia, my sweet splash Cochin...you will be dearly missed!!

I am going to try and enjoy myself today as DH is taking me out on a date today to celebrate my growing another year older!!

I think from now on, I will just say I am 29 and holding!! LOL I hope everyone has a great day!!