One of my hens went broody 2 months ago, and hatched out 4 chicks. I don't know their gender yet, but am gearing up for all eventualities
. I have room for 4 more girls, and can fit in 1 more rooster, but if there are more cockerels I can't keep them. These are not meat birds - one is pure Barnevelder, and 3 are BarnevelderxEE, so might be called dual purpose? I have not butchered any of my chickens before; I've been working up to it, but so far they are all layers - until these chicks hatched. So, a few questions, with the understanding that I will be doing only one bird at a time - no mass butchering for me, so speed etc. is not such an issue. I am willing to take rather more time if the process/end result is better:
#1 - I am thinking that I will do the hatchet on the chopping block thing. I've done this once already, with a hen that needed to be put down, so know that I can (although she was in pain, and these possible cockerels will not be); any comments on the pros/cons of this?
#2 - Can you comment on dry v. wet plucking? I read that wet is easier, but think that dry must be less messy. The few British descriptions I have read tend towards dry plucking, whereas Americans seem to prefer the wet method.
#3 - Are there any good on line descriptions of the cleaning/eviscerating process? I think this step is the one that I have the least knowledge of, and which worries me the most.
Thanks in advance for any advice. I wasn't really planning on taking this step quite so soon, but now I am of two minds about hoping for all girls or looking forward to the experience of having an extra boy (or more). I guess, as they are 5 weeks now, that I have 3 months or so to learn
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#1 - I am thinking that I will do the hatchet on the chopping block thing. I've done this once already, with a hen that needed to be put down, so know that I can (although she was in pain, and these possible cockerels will not be); any comments on the pros/cons of this?
#2 - Can you comment on dry v. wet plucking? I read that wet is easier, but think that dry must be less messy. The few British descriptions I have read tend towards dry plucking, whereas Americans seem to prefer the wet method.
#3 - Are there any good on line descriptions of the cleaning/eviscerating process? I think this step is the one that I have the least knowledge of, and which worries me the most.
Thanks in advance for any advice. I wasn't really planning on taking this step quite so soon, but now I am of two minds about hoping for all girls or looking forward to the experience of having an extra boy (or more). I guess, as they are 5 weeks now, that I have 3 months or so to learn
