To Process or to Pay?

[Chicky Tocks]

I would have a party. A plucking party. Before the big day, process a few bird, prep them, fire up the barbeque grill and invite your friends! Nothing like nom noms, good conversation and a bird between your legs getting it's feathers plucked! Then....you can tar and feather the slowest plucker!

 

[countrybum]

Quote:

Well I will come talk to you all day and you can do my chickens for me.
Do you have 2 comfortable chairs?

 

[okiron]

Quote:
Hahahaha

 

[bowtieluvrs]

We processed our first 6 chickens yesterday. My husband grew up on a farm so he knew what he was doing, but as far as equipment we didn't have much into it. We borrowed from a big canning pot from a neighbor, we had a very sharp knife for killing, a nice carving knife for processing, a table to work on and a line to hang them from. I understand that using a cone is much easier and prevents broken wings (we ended up with one with a broken wing out of 6). It was fast, easy and cheap! I now have 6 beautiful chickens in my freezer and it took almost no time at all. Our next batch will have 25 birds so it will take a little longer. Still just a days worth of work though. I think if I were you I'd just spread it out over a weekend and do them all yourself.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

In this life you either have to spend money or spend time to get what you want. You'll have to decide for yourself which you'd rather spend to get your birds from your yard to your table.

Having little available $$$, I had no other choice but to process my birds myself. Although it will never be my favorite chore, I do get a lot of satisfaction knowing I've mastered this essential skill, and a connection with the many generations before me who have done this exact thing to provide food for their tables.

But I've never had 85 birds to process at once, and assuming they're Cornish Xs, they'll need to be done within a small window of time.

I haven't spent much $$$ on processing equipment either. Just for zip-ties, duct tape, plastic gloves & garbage can liners. I've collected some good knives & big stock pots from FreeCycle & the thrift stores. My favorite piece of equipment is a reclaimed porch swing frame, from which I can hang the birds to bleed & to pluck.

If I had $400 to spend for processing, I would buy:
*A turkey fryer to use for scalding
*Materials to make an electric-drill plucker
*A good filet knife
*A misting fan to blow on me while I work
*Refreshments for my friends who would come share the chore & the meat

I like the idea of doing a few yourself several days before having the processing party. Then everyone can taste the purpose of doing all this work while they're doing it.

 

[agnes_day]

Quote:

Well I will come talk to you all day and you can do my chickens for me.
Do you have 2 comfortable chairs?

nope but i have some old tires we can sit on! now i have to do it before the goats wake up...or they would try to help!

 

[Kali]

I'll do it for $200 and some free birds