Processing my first chicken ~Pictures added~

[booker81]

I was wondering if there was some silkie in there Nothing wrong with silkie chicken for dinner - lots of people around the world treasure that dark skin and meat (and I don't notice a difference in taste, but some say there is).

 

[The Red Rooster]

I was wondering if there was some silkie in there Nothing wrong with silkie chicken for dinner - lots of people around the world treasure that dark skin and meat (and I don't notice a difference in taste, but some say there is).

I does have a different taste (comparing it to store bought of course). He was very rubbery. He was not an old rooster either?

 

[booker81]

I may have missed it...how old was he? How long did he rest in the fridge?

Store chickens are generally 6-8 weeks old, and will be much softer than any chicken that is older - just how meat works

 

[Relheok]

Thanks for the posts guys. Good read.

 

[The Red Rooster]

I may have missed it...how old was he? How long did he rest in the fridge?

Store chickens are generally 6-8 weeks old, and will be much softer than any chicken that is older - just how meat works

He was almost a year old. No, I guess we didn't let him rest in the fridge. Was that a mistake?

 

[booker81]

Resting (just putting it in the fridge, covered or bagged) for 4 or 5 days at that age will make the meat tender up nicely Makes it less chewy

 

[paridisefarm2009]

That don't look like it was all gutted out ? was it ? looks like its butt is still there and its cooked ? I am curious did you gut it ?

 

[the_great_snag]

I would've just skinned it if you don't eat the skin anyway. FAR less work. As the above poster said, I hope you gutted it, but I suppose it would be edible either way if it was freshly killed.

 

[Twister303]

I'm doing my first batch of meat chickens this summer, so do you have any helpful hints for getting the scalding process right? Is there a preferred temperature? Or an amount of time at a certain temperature that seems to work just right? Since this is my first go round, I know I'm bound to make many mistakes, so I'd like to know as much as I can to try to get it right.

Especially the killing part, but secondly I don't want to waste any meat.

 

[paridisefarm2009]

I'm doing my first batch of meat chickens this summer, so do you have any helpful hints for getting the scalding process right? Is there a preferred temperature? Or an amount of time at a certain temperature that seems to work just right? Since this is my first go round, I know I'm bound to make many mistakes, so I'd like to know as much as I can to try to get it right.

Especially the killing part, but secondly I don't want to waste any meat.

Use a thermometer to maintain your temp. and don't keep the bird in the water too long or it could start to cook . there are SO many sites on the Internet that can walk you through the hole process it is actually nice to see every ones different way of doing things , from the killing to the scalding to plucking and gutting , there is one guy on this site that has a whole start to finish process .that I think was the first one I had read that gave me ideas . But before you do everything do your research and look around get yourself all set up how your confortable before you start this project and have fun , In a few weeks about 2 or 3, I will start to process my birds I have 29 big fat fatties right now, this will be my second time . so good luck and keep us all posted on how your doing. Jean