Temps when butchering

[TNBarnQueen]

I was planning on butchering my group of roos this week. We have a cold front moving in and the temps are only going to be in the high 20's and 30's during the day. I was wondering if this affects the time frame on them bleeding out. Thanks!!

 

[wood&feathers]

They should bleed fine, but it may shorten the window for easy hand plucking. If you're scalding and using a plucker, no problem.

 

[DianeS]

Nope, no change. I asked the same question a few weeks ago, was told no change - and there was no change! LOL!

Everything was exactly the same. Same amount of time to bleed out, same amount of time before they got stiff, etc. The only thing that was different was how COLD the scalded feathers got, and how quickly! My fingers were red and freezing from the cold before we'd plucked all four roosters, and that was even with rubber kitchen gloves on, and inside the garage with no wind. I am unlikely to pluck in the cold again ever. I'll skin them, or figure out how to deal with the mess indoors, or something. That water even at 150 degrees got cold on the bird very fast. Brrrrr....

 

[TNBarnQueen]

I think I will use the wash bay in my stables where I bathe the horses. It is all enclosed and I can add heat. Yes...the water temp for scalding was another thing I was wondering about. If you scald the roo and it gets too cold before you finish plucking...can you dunk them a second time? Also....do you have to scald immediately? I was hoping to get all of them butchered and then move on to the rest of the process. I was told the smell is terrible when scalding and plucking...is that true? If it is not that bad I can take them in the house after bleeding out to process on the kitchen table. I have a pretty strong stomach but the rest of the family doesn't..LOL

 

[they'reHISchickens]

Wet scalded feathers have a smell all their own Keep it out of the house if you can!

 

[al6517]

Your fine on that, cold is great if you can process in it. They will bleed out the same.

AL

 

[Brunty_Farms]

Quote:
Not really, it just really sucks processing when it's this cold out. Hope you have a windbreak for yourself.

 

[DianeS]

Quote:
The bird doesn't have to STAY that hot, it just has to be that hot for a minute or two while in the scald water. It doesn't matter what happens to the temp of the bird once its removed from the scald water. It's just that it gets cold on your fingers and your fingers start to hurt. The feathers still come out the same even if the feathers get cold.

But if you realize that the feathers aren't coming out very well, then it means you didn't scald well enough. And in that case, yes, you can re-scald and they will come out easier if you get it right the second time.

Also....do you have to scald immediately? I was hoping to get all of them butchered and then move on to the rest of the process.

That's just fine. I also butcher all of them, then scald and pluck all of them.

I was told the smell is terrible when scalding and plucking...is that true? If it is not that bad I can take them in the house after bleeding out to process on the kitchen table. I have a pretty strong stomach but the rest of the family doesn't..LOL

The smell of the scalding part is horrendous. You won't forget the smell of scalded feathers anytime soon! Hot, wet feathers are awful. (But the Cornish X were worse than the dual purpose roos I've processed.) But once the feathers are plucked, the rest smells "normal", much like when you're rinising off the Thanksgiving turkey. I do scald indoors, because my sink is the largest thing I have to contain that much hot water. But I pluck in the garage (or outdoors) because the feathers do dry off and fly everywhere and cause a mess (plus, they still stink). Then I go back inside to eviscerate over the sink.

Hope that helps!​

 

[booker81]

Heh, I rinse off my chickens after dispatching and before scalding, keeps the water cleaner and less smell. I find the eviscerating smells more to me.

I dispatched in the garage and did the rest in the kitchen this weekend. I kept the fan on the stove on, just for what smell there might be, and just plucked as soon as I scalded. I could take out big clumps of feathers that way - they are easier to keep track of when wet I think. I just scalded and plucked, scalded and plucked. Your water doesn't have to be super crazy hot - I don't go over 150. I do the whole swish the bird in the scald water (I add a bit of dish soap as well), and the pull out and grab a wing feather. If the feather comes out, its' done scalding, if it doesn't, I dip back in and swish around some more, about 10 seconds each dunking until the wing feathers come out easily.