Okay.....I did it..well WE did it

[Ibicella]

Well rounded bunch of tips!

As part of your planning ahead: Try getting the chickens intended for slaughter after dark the night before when they are asleep on the roost and put them in a cage or pen with water but no food for the night. It's worth not running around like crazy trying to catch them when you already have a bunch of work ahead in butchering them.

For scalding, time is going to vary a little from chicken to chicken. Some can take up to a minute. Dunk for 30 seconds and then lift just enough to pull at a primary feather on the wing. If it comes out easily, then they are done. If not, keep them in there for 10 more seconds and try again. Just keep doing 10 second increments until that feather comes out easy!

 

[bj taylor]

such great information. the water in the bucket - is that to prevent splashing? when you go in @ night to get the ones you're going to do the next day - don't they wake up in a panic? do you hold them by the feet & tuck them under your arm? does their panic affect the taste of the meat? do you think buying a plucker & scalding tank is worthwhile when i will only be killing one or two at a time? i think i will be using the cone method as well. it's such a big step to kill your own food. it's much easier to pretend it comes from the food fairie.
thank you to all who have done this before and share your expertise/experience

 

[gg706]

12. The You tube videos is nothing compared to the real thing in terms of the fight the chickens have when life is ending. That part was tough. I prayed before the process and thanked GOD for providing us with food to eat and for the chickens to provide my family nutrients. This was the ultimate sacrifice for the chickens. We respect our animals. So, don't be shocked at this as we were.

I have watched the You Tube videos also. I was wondering about the very end, seems that they stop after cutting and then come back after the death. I am very worried I will not be able to handle it. Does it take a long time?

 

[mkeawsh]

such great information. the water in the bucket - is that to prevent splashing? when you go in @ night to get the ones you're going to do the next day - don't they wake up in a panic? do you hold them by the feet & tuck them under your arm? does their panic affect the taste of the meat? do you think buying a plucker & scalding tank is worthwhile when i will only be killing one or two at a time? i think i will be using the cone method as well. it's such a big step to kill your own food. it's much easier to pretend it comes from the food fairie.
thank you to all who have done this before and share your expertise/experience

Yep, that's why the water in a bucket. I just go in there at dusk when they are all settled and take them out one at a time and kill them. I incubated and brooded them in my house so they are quite tame, so I have no problem just taking them from their roost. And if you think it is easy for me to slaughter them when I have had them since an egg, well it's not. I have to put myself in a mind-set of why I am doing it and still kind of shut down emotionally.

 

[Smiles-N-Sunshine]

@Smiles.... Foodsaver is next on my list! Thanks for that info!! I know nothing about them soooo I'll need any help with info out there!! Thanks again!!

We bought the low-end model, which works but it's sometimes difficult to get a good vacuum going. At least for clumsy ol' me - maybe if I grew a third arm? Next time I'll get a refurbished high-end model.

I also bought a bunch of those styrofoam meat trays off ebay, which helps the presentation of a cut-up bird if that's important to you.

 

[Smiles-N-Sunshine]

it's such a big step to kill your own food. it's much easier to pretend it comes from the food fairie.

Yes it is, but it's so worth it! It changes your whole viewpoint about food - for me, anyway. Now that I've been raising my own meat, I go OFF when any is wasted. And I have a hard time buying factory-farmed meat any more.

Four years later, I pretty much concentrate on a swift and relatively painless slaughter, and how nice it is to have a freezer full of quality meat.

You don't have to buy a scalder, unless you want chicken skin on the meat. I always skin our poultry, because most of what I cook calls for skinless anyway.

 

[kjxoxo1]

@gg.... It felt like a long time..... I'm sorry in advance for this graphic information but after the first one jumped out of the cone at the very end of it's life, we placed a fish scoop net over the chicken legs to prevent this from happening. My brother even made the statement that none of our chickens did like the YouTube videos. Just prepare for the worse and hope for the best.

For me the plucker was totally worth it even if I was butchering one or two birds. The feathers were picked clean in 15 seconds. I'm not a lazy person but I can't stand hair...the little bitty fine ones, on my meat. This ez plucker solved that problem.

@smiles thanks for the styrofoam and food saver tips!!

@bj the water in the bucket to me was for easy cleanup afterwards.... The blood coagulates very fast and it makes it harder the clean up. I would have soapy water and let the blood drain into that. My thoughts is that it would help.

I'm happy with the results ( although I let my chickens get too big at 9 weeks. They could not fit in a gallon freezer bag.)

 

[mxpres]

Sounds like you did your home work before attempting the process,That is so important,And with anything new you will learn ways to do it quicker and better..Good job on the first attempt

 

[gg706]

No apologies...I appreciate the honesty. I needed to hear uncensored information from a begginer. I was thinking I would skin them because I dont cook alot of full bird food. The only thing I would want skin on is the legs. Will you be butchering again or was this experience too much? Thanks for the thread very informative.

@gg.... It felt like a long time..... I'm sorry in advance for this graphic information but after the first one jumped out of the cone at the very end of it's life, we placed a fish scoop net over the chicken legs to prevent this from happening. My brother even made the statement that none of our chickens did like the YouTube videos. Just prepare for the worse and hope for the best.
For me the plucker was totally worth it even if I was butchering one or two birds. The feathers were picked clean in 15 seconds. I'm not a lazy person but I can't stand hair...the little bitty fine ones, on my meat. This ez plucker solved that problem.

 

[halo]

So far I have skinned all the ones Ive done. It is so much quicker and easier, and I use all the chicken I cook skinless anyway.