Processors near me

[KevinHicks]

Hi I live in Greensboro NC. Wondering where to take my birds for processing.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Any amish around you?
If not, you'll have to search for a government inspected meat processor. For chickens, they are few and far between. Most do hogs and cattle. When I looked around me, (I live in St. Louis, MO) the closest one was 70 miles away in Illinois. It wasn't feasible.
I ended up doing them all myself.

 

[KevinHicks]

Any amish around you?
If not, you'll have to search for a government inspected meat processor. For chickens, they are few and far between. Most do hogs and cattle. When I looked around me, (I live in St. Louis, MO) the closest one was 70 miles away in Illinois. It wasn't feasible.
I ended up doing them all myself.

Thanks for the reply. I’m willing to drive, I’ll have about 40 when they’re grown

 

[ChickenCanoe]

What are they? Cornish Cross?
If so, you can do a few at about 3.5 weeks as Cornish game hens and the rest over time so you don't have to do them all at once.
There's no reason they all have to be done at once or make it to 7 weeks.

 

[KevinHicks]

They are mostly buff Orpington and some are black sex link I think

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Oh, then you don't want to slaughter early. That would be like eating squab with even less meat. So you'll need to wait till they are a minimum of 15 weeks to get any size on them. That aging will create 2 conditions. Unlike Cornish X that only live 6-8 weeks, they haven't had time to run around and develop muscles. So the meat, especially legs and thighs will be much tougher, but they will taste better. Like real chicken flavor. Muscle use develops the taste of the species.
The secret to cooking those birds is Low and Slow. Low temps for a long time. I go for about 220 F till the meat falls off the bone. Cooking like a grocery store bird will yield tough meat. Best of all is to part out the carcass.
Imperative to let the bird rest before freezing or cooking.
Confining for a week prior to butchering can help the muscles ease a bit.