Space needed for meat chickens

[aliciaFarmer]

PS I would LOVE to try one of those rotisseries!

 

[wyoDreamer]

I butchered 13 broilers all on one day. It is a lot of work. My husband ended up helping me do the last 6. He dipped them and ran them through the plucker before he gave them to me to butcher. My first batch was only 4 Cornish X, and I was glad that I started with a small batch to figure out the whole process..

 

[aliciaFarmer]

I butchered 13 broilers all on one day. It is a lot of work. My husband ended up helping me do the last 6. He dipped them and ran them through the plucker before he gave them to me to butcher. My first batch was only 4 Cornish X, and I was glad that I started with a small batch to figure out the whole process..

That's awesome! Definitely a lot for one day but so nice of your husband to help. Mine would help if it were a need but not if it were a desire, and in this case it's a desire (to have a freezer full of meat). He's funny.

Four sounds like a perfect starting number for sure. I think I'll practice after my next hatch. Surprisingly my last tiny hatch with my 5 month old broody only had 50% success rate but they were girls.

 

[RoosterML]

That's fantastic! I hadn't thought to keep so many in a smaller place like that because I thought it could be messy, but moving it frequently makes perfect sense. I had planned on them just being inside until about 3 weeks, then only in a coop at night and free ranging in about 1500sf from sunrise to sunset.

To start though, I decided that 12 is plenty for my first time around. Then I'll probably do 30ish or more twice a year. I just don't want to overwhelm myself the first time, especially because I want to do meat rabbits as well.

That was my first time doing this also with the 25. It was not bad at all. I would say the most work aside for keeping fresh water and moving the pen comes on processing day. We did all 25 at just over 9 weeks old took 3 of us 6 hours from start to finish granted there was also alot of beer consuming going on which may have slowed us down some. You could very easy split up the processing and do some every week or every other week nothing says they all have to go the same day. I to was thinking about doing some meat rabbits I have two females now and i may bring in a male in the future. I have never done meat rabbits but I hear its alot easier than chickens. Good luck with your venture.
Also YouTube was a great tool on learning how to eviscerate the chicken.

 

[RoosterML]

PS I would LOVE to try one of those rotisseries!

It was great, nice crispy skin. My mother is a sucker for all the infomercials. She buys all the stuff and it usually sits in the box unused later to be given to myself or my sister. I have it all from the pressure cooker to the Shamwows!!

 

[aliciaFarmer]

That was my first time doing this also with the 25. It was not bad at all. I would say the most work aside for keeping fresh water and moving the pen comes on processing day. We did all 25 at just over 9 weeks old took 3 of us 6 hours from start to finish granted there was also alot of beer consuming going on which may have slowed us down some. You could very easy split up the processing and do some every week or every other week nothing says they all have to go the same day. I to was thinking about doing some meat rabbits I have two females now and i may bring in a male in the future. I have never done meat rabbits but I hear its alot easier than chickens. Good luck with your venture.
Also YouTube was a great tool on learning how to eviscerate the chicken.

Since it may be just me processing, I will more than likely do it in a couple/few rounds. Though I'm sure if I needed help I could find some. I have the supplies to make a couple 5 gallon nipple feeders and hopefully that will help a bit. As it is, I already changed duck and chicken water three times a day though so couple more won't really be much more -- I need to get those waterers set up everywhere.

YouTube has been awesome! I haven't processed a chicken or rabbit before but I feel like I could now that I watched so many videos. Meat rabbits definitely look a lot easier.

That's so cute about your mom. And awesome for you and your sister! Crispy skin and pressure cookers are a must! ❤

 

[wyoDreamer]

Plucking is the worst part, my first 4 I hand plucked. I think those 4 otook as long as the 13 I did recently.
So thankful that my DH insisted on buying a chicken-plucker for me. It makes it realistic for us to raise our own chickens for meat now.
In fact, he offered our best friend to join us in the chicken raising. Terms, we will raise them at our place in the chicken tractor; he will come and help butcher them.
Not sure how many he will want. His wife is a city-girl, he was raised on a pig farm. This is right up his alley, but not so sure she will be open to it. She is more the "Meat comes on a tray and wrapped in plastic" type of gal. To give her credit, she is a pharmacist so being a germ-a-phobe is understandable.

 

[Morrigan]

You could very easy split up the processing and do some every week or every other week nothing says they all have to go the same day.

This is what we do. We raise between 20 and 25 meaties a year and do them in batches of between 4 and 6 at a time. We can do a batch that size in about 1 1/2 hours from start to finish, even with hand-plucking (which does get easier and quicker with practice). Aside from making butchering days more manageable, we like doing it that way for a couple of reasons. First, we can rest the birds in the fridge for a couple of days before further processing and freezing. Otherwise, I guess we would be managing the resting period in big coolers, which seems like a pain. Second, it gives us a variety of sizes. The first groups are around 6 pounds, which we like as whole roasters. The next group are around 7 lbs, and we cut those out into parts and freeze the breasts separate from the legs/thighs. The last groups we let get really big 8 t 11 lbs, and turn them into a year's supply of breakfast and Italian sausage.

She is more the "Meat comes on a tray and wrapped in plastic" type of gal. To give her credit, she is a pharmacist so being a germ-a-phobe is understandable.

I'm curious as to why she would think that the birds coming out of a factory farm and commercial slaughterhouse are more sanitary. The one thing I love about raising and processing my own is that I know that my birds were raised in fresh air, clean bedding and an open, and non-crowded environment, and that my butchering area is very clean.

 

[RUNuts]

I'm curious as to why she would think that the birds coming out of a factory farm and commercial slaughterhouse are more sanitary. The one thing I love about raising and processing my own is that I know that my birds were raised in fresh air, clean bedding and an open, and non-crowded environment, and that my butchering area is very clean.

Had a similar conversation. Something along the lines of the butcher houses are government regulated and therefore sanitary. Just like the supermarkets.

It was a beautiful little world that person lived in. And I inflicted reality.

Just talk to anyone who has ever been associated with food processing or sales and they will tell you. Had the grocery store guy tell me to wash every produce I bought from the store because...

We aren't the only ones with the 5 second rule.

 

[RoosterML]

First, we can rest the birds in the fridge for a couple of days before further processing and freezing. Otherwise, I guess we would be managing the resting period in big coolers, which seems like a pain.

I think I did read something about some people "resting" for a couple days before freezing. I guess it's to make it more tender? I really don't know. What we did was take a new rubber made plastic garage can, line with a heavy duty garbage bag. I put 2 of the large bags of ice in the garbage can and added some water. As I finished cleaning the birds I would drop them into the "icebath" always keeping an eye on the water level and made sure there was ice in it, adding more ice as needed.Once done with all 25 we had a few more beers then started the packaging into the heat shrink bags. I gave many away with great reviews from everyone. I don't know what the resting would do, they were not tough, nor did anyone else mention anything about toughness. By the way 25 birds fit perfectly in the large Rubbermaid garbage can. I will definitely do the same way next year.