Red Ranger, live and not...

[dotporter]

I just dislike plucking because I have to monitor the scalding water to make sure it doesn't get too hot. If someone gifted me a proper scalder, I would probably be more open to plucking.

Maybe I'm doing it wrong. I just use a pot of water at a rolling boil and a pot of water with ice water. Couple of drops of dawn dish soap in the boiling water.

Dunk the bird in the boiling water quick (maybe do a couple quick dunks to move the feathers around and get to the skin), then dunk it in ice water.

I read it someplace, but you never know. I may have been doing it wrong all these years.

 

[Chickenheadmate]

Here's my 12 week old cockerel Red Ranger: View attachment 1470797
Now, remember that this is only the 3rd time I've butchered. Here he is ready for the refrigerator:
View attachment 1470802 The coffee cup is for perspective. The wing broke at that joint while he was flapping, so I cut it off.

Let me tell you, this guy did not want to leave this world. He never passed out until from lack of blood, then spasmed periodically long after this should have stopped. His head was off, so I know he was dead. Anyway, I couldn't really get my fingers between the neck and tubes, so used my knife to help. The skin was very hard to pull off. His gonads were the size of butter beans. Everything about him was a struggle (remember, I'm not a spring chicken and not muscley at all). Got him done and in the refrigerator, then bragged to my son DH want to rotisserie him, but I don't think we have a rotisserie on our grill.... may have to go shopping.

Lessons learned today: if the cord hanging him from the tree is old and iffy, replace it before he starts twitching. Sharpen, sharpen, sharpen that blade. Do it the night before trash pickup so you don't have to dig a hole.

What did you feed him?

 

[Artemis_MA]

In two or three weeks, I'll be doing my own broilers in - 4 red, 4 black, at least 5 of the total are cockerels (although two of the blacks think they are roosters). At least two are pullets. Will be first time, a couple one town over will come help me and make sure I do this job as painlessly as possible (for the birds). I plan to pluck, as I want to keep the skin on -- keeps meat from drying out when cooked, and if I make a meal prep that requires I remove some, I can do that then.

If I decide that raising meat birds is something I want to continue with.... I'll invest in a scalder & feather plucker.

 

[trudyg]

This guy came from an order of 10 Red Rangers, straight run, from Murray McMurray. At the same time, I got 5 buff orpingtons and an egyptian fayoumi. They were fed chick starter crumble for one 50 lb bag, then All-Flock crumble for the entire flock (includes 5 adult birds). They may have helped themselves to some of the last of the layer pellets, but the layer and chick foods ran out pretty much at the same time and the bigs are still pretty good at running them off.

I used a Henckle boning knife for all the job except the initial, killing, cut. For that I used a regular utility knife with a new blade. Just watch on the cockerels that you get past the feathers and into the skin with that cut--those neck feathers are tough and you don't want to cut feathers anyway but the skin/vein. One quick slit and blood runs right out. Then I used tree loppers to cut off the head, but could have done it easily enough with just the knife and a twist of the vertebra. Not so hard after all, once you wrap your mind around what you're doing and in what order.

 

[Mosey2003]

Maybe I'm doing it wrong. I just use a pot of water at a rolling boil and a pot of water with ice water. Couple of drops of dawn dish soap in the boiling water.

Dunk the bird in the boiling water quick (maybe do a couple quick dunks to move the feathers around and get to the skin), then dunk it in ice water.

I read it someplace, but you never know. I may have been doing it wrong all these years.

Hey, if it works for you, great!

I've always read that you're supposed to keep the water between 140-150, otherwise the skin is more likely to tear. I know myself that the last time I had it at 150, I did get some tearing. If a super quick dip in boiling followed by cold works, that would be easier. I always wondered if the cold dip wouldn't tighten the feathers back up.

 

[Mosey2003]

When I slit the throat, I try to use the back side of the knife to part the feathers, then roll the sharp side down to the skin. On my own birds, now I have gone to using the broomstick method (cervical dislocation) and fully pulling the head off once I feel it pop. But my friend hates that idea, so when we do her big batch this fall there will be a lot of cutting. I use a scalpel, actually.

 

[AudieWarren]

Skinning quail is so much easier than skinning a chicken.... I prefer to pluck. My husband and I tag team them. He guts and I pluck. We have some heritage birds at the moment, but plan on getting some Red Rangers in the spring. After seeing your bird dressed, I'm getting excited. Lol it's the simple things huh.

 

[AudieWarren]

Hey, if it works for you, great!

I've always read that you're supposed to keep the water between 140-150, otherwise the skin is more likely to tear. I know myself that the last time I had it at 150, I did get some tearing. If a super quick dip in boiling followed by cold works, that would be easier. I always wondered if the cold dip wouldn't tighten the feathers back up.

We use our fish frier. Wait for the water to boil and dunk for a few seconds. They pluck so easily. I think we're going to invest in a chicken pucker in September. We have bunch of cockerals to dress.

 

[AudieWarren]

When I slit the throat, I try to use the back side of the knife to part the feathers, then roll the sharp side down to the skin. On my own birds, now I have gone to using the broomstick method (cervical dislocation) and fully pulling the head off once I feel it pop. But my friend hates that idea, so when we do her big batch this fall there will be a lot of cutting. I use a scalpel, actually.

We have a chopping block... Sometimes we use that and sometimes we just wring the neck like nanny used to.

 

[Mosey2003]

I have an electric turkey fryer that I want to give a try. My friend has a propane one that we'll probably use for the big butcher this fall.

I tried head chopping once, it was so horrible. My hand-eye coordination is SO bad, I just can't do it. Would be easier if I could.