Questions on Processing and Storing Chickens

[xochristo]

I'm getting ready to cull and process my first rooster, and I'm trying to figure out the timing of everything. This roo is really skittish and he has plenty of places to hide in the run, so I know I won't be able to pick him up until after the sun goes down.

My question is - how much processing do I need to do the same night? I know it's all going to take me a long time as I'm figuring everything out and I'd rather not be up all night processing the bird. After researching, I'm most comfortable with cervical dislocation. Would it be ok to then remove the head, drain the blood, and store it in the fridge? Then pluck and gut the next day? Or does that need to happen right away?

Thanks for your input!

 

[3KillerBs]

I'm getting ready to cull and process my first rooster, and I'm trying to figure out the timing of everything. This roo is really skittish and he has plenty of places to hide in the run, so I know I won't be able to pick him up until after the sun goes down.

My question is - how much processing do I need to do the same night? I know it's all going to take me a long time as I'm figuring everything out and I'd rather not be up all night processing the bird. After researching, I'm most comfortable with cervical dislocation. Would it be ok to then remove the head, drain the blood, and store it in the fridge? Then pluck and gut the next day? Or does that need to happen right away?

Thanks for your input!

You can catch him at night and put him into a pet carrier until morning.

 

[xochristo]

You can catch him at night and put him into a pet carrier until morning.

That might work! I don't have a pet carrier. I could get one, but more importantly, he's so skittish and fast I'm concerned he's going to be too hard to get out of the carrier and deal with at any time during the day.

 

[3KillerBs]

That might work! I don't have a pet carrier. I could get one, but more importantly, he's so skittish and fast I'm concerned he's going to be too hard to get out of the carrier and deal with at any time during the day.

Get him by the legs and hold him upside down.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/how-to-carry-a-chicken.1509468/#post-25346590

 

[Ridgerunner]

Would it be ok to then remove the head, drain the blood, and store it in the fridge? Then pluck and gut the next day? Or does that need to happen right away?

From a health and safe standpoint that would be fine as long as your refrigerator temperature is below 50 Fahrenheit, and it should be well below that. It is common practice to hang game birds for several days before processing but it has to be cool. That does not work in warm weather. Scotland is kind of famous for their hung pheasant.

The problem is that rigor mortis will have set in. The bird will be extremely stiff and hard to work with. My strong preference would be to pick him off of the roost that night and kill and process him the next morning. You do not need a big space at all. He doesn't need to exercise and many people withhold food so his internals are cleaner. He typically doesn't drink at night anyway so not watering him isn't cruel.

You could store him in the fridge until rigor mortis has passed, two or three days. If you wiggle the joints and they are really loose he is ready. My wife wouldn't like me storing an unprocessed chicken in her fridge, even if it is in a trash bag.

 

[xochristo]

From a health and safe standpoint that would be fine as long as your refrigerator temperature is below 50 Fahrenheit, and it should be well below that. It is common practice to hang game birds for several days before processing but it has to be cool. That does not work in warm weather. Scotland is kind of famous for their hung pheasant.

The problem is that rigor mortis will have set in. The bird will be extremely stiff and hard to work with. My strong preference would be to pick him off of the roost that night and kill and process him the next morning. You do not need a big space at all. He doesn't need to exercise and many people withhold food so his internals are cleaner. He typically doesn't drink at night anyway so not watering him isn't cruel.

You could store him in the fridge until rigor mortis has passed, two or three days. If you wiggle the joints and they are really loose he is ready. My wife wouldn't like me storing an unprocessed chicken in her fridge, even if it is in a trash bag.

I see, that all makes sense. I'll try your plan, thanks a bunch!

 

[Molpet]

I just had a hen beat up and dispatched last Tuesday or Wednesday. It was too hot and humid for me so I put her in the refrigerator intending to check daily for rigor mortis. Of course I forgot until Saturday. I was skinning her and it worked out great. Blood was set up so less mess

 

[Cinnamon Roll]

I usually process at night since it’s easier on the bird. If you skin it, the process doesn’t take very long. I take them off the roost, dim my headlamp way down so that the bird is as calm as possible then use my broomstick. After that it’s hung up, I remove the head, skin & gut it. Any further butchering is done before I package it a few days later.

Good luck with your culling.