Processed my first chicken

[dichotomymom]

I agree that some people are just too tender hearted to pull it off and in that case, maybe helping with cutting up and bagging? After all, I still think anyone who eats meat should have their hands in at least some of the processing pie.

 

[goldeneggtees]

Hi dichotomymom, yea, I'll have to admit, I'm a big softy when it comes to animals. I kinda wish I wasn't at times. Raising your own meat and eating is a much better alternative to buying but I'm not sure it's for me. I'm sure I could help in the processing after the fact.

Now, if my family were starving, maybe it would be a different story.

 

[dichotomymom]

Quote:
It takes all kinds! Lord knows, I wouldn't have been able to do it even just a few years ago!

 

[Slywoody]

Experience is the whole key. I started out watching and helping my parents as a child about 55 yrs ago. Eventually, i could do the whole job myself. The more you do, the better the system and the faster it will go and the birds will look great and taste great too. So, don't give up. Just keep learning as you go. Good luck.

BTW, Get your children involved too. Great learning experience for them. Didn't hurt me a bit.

 

[The Chicken People]

I wouldnt use dish soap

just dunk it in scalding water...swish it around awile then the same in cold water it should pluck easy... and use a sharp axe to take the head right off!

 

[ijon1]

If you don't want to pluck and smell them feathers. Skin that little bird. It works good.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Skinning is a possibility if the bird is still fairly young. Your roosters will be harder to skin than a pullet the same age. I don't know the age that it becomes really hard to skin a rooster. I think that will vary depending on our body strength and endurance. My wife could not do it because of her arthritis. I did not have much trouble with one that was about 18 or so weeks old, but I tried skinning a rooster that was 30 weeks old. That was real hard and I'm in pretty decent shape. I had no trouble with pullets the same age.

One trick I've learned while skinning them, cut the feet off first. Makes it a lot easier for me to skin the legs. And if you skin them, the meat will dry out faster than meat with the skin still on. Remember that when you decide how to age them.

 

[jaku]

I choose to raise and butcher my own, but modern conveniences are as nice as self sufficiency. It's GOOD that we can go to the store and buy food. I mean, I'm not going to make my own clothes, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to wear them.

 

[dichotomymom]

I think everyone has a responsibility to learn the trades they are capable of (I for one use electricity but I'm not about to try and rewire my house) so that we can be as self reliant as possible but no man is an island.

 

[teach1rusl]

I'd just had the same thought! Hope I can still drive my car even though I don't know how to build one!
Seriously though, between the stress (for me) of killing the chicken, the time investment in plucking and gutting it, and the money involved in raising it to the age of processing (feed etc.), it just doesn't seem worth it to me. Is it worth it financially (a Kroger bird can be had at under $5)? Or is it an issue of not supporting commercial poultry farms? Or is it simply knowing where your food is coming from? I am curious...

ETA: And congrats on making it through your first processing!!