Processing The Runt - Should I Eat Him?

[cassie]

Just a comment. If you get a good scald the feathers will come right off. A squirt of dish detergent in the scald water helps too. I forget what temperature to have the scald water but you can look it up. If you scald until you can just flick off the skin on the leg, you have it about right. A lot of people advocate skinning. I never tried it and since I could get the feathers off easily, I didn't see the point. But that's me.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Just a comment. If you get a good scald the feathers will come right off. A squirt of dish detergent in the scald water helps too. I forget what temperature to have the scald water but you can look it up. If you scald until you can just flick off the skin on the leg, you have it about right. A lot of people advocate skinning. I never tried it and since I could get the feathers off easily, I didn't see the point. But that's me.

I process almost exclusively old birds whose skin becomes leather during cooking, so I disrobe most of my birds. Very young males I go to the trouble of scalding and removing feathers

 

[GlicksChicks]

My large Black Copper Maran was butchered on Saturday the 22nd. He was frozen today, Monday the 24th.

The rooster was 4lb 7.4oz before processing. After processing, the yield was 2lb 15.2oz carcass and 7.4oz, equalling 3lb 4oz overall yield.

 

[GlicksChicks]

Just butchered a rooster, unknown age and breed, I did not raise him.

Chicken nuggets

A nugget cut open, just for science (My dog ate them after)

Heart, neck, and all the insides before taking them apart.

Intestines attached to tail.

The gizzard before being cleaned.

Gizzard being opened up, you can see the sack on the inside.

Cleaned gizzard

Rooster resting in the pot.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Good looking heart and gizzard.

 

[GlicksChicks]

Good looking heart and gizzard.

The rooster would say thank you for complimenting his things but he is soaking right now

 

[WingItRanch]

Thank you all for this thread! This is something I'm preparing myself for in the future.

Was an article ever written? I couldn't find it!