Too hot to handle?

Fuzzy_Hat_Farm

Chirping
10 Years
Jun 4, 2009
92
0
92
Maryland
Hazy, hot and humid…that’s our forecast in this area (Maryland) from June into September and sometimes later. Yuk. And now I’ve got at least 7 roos from hatches last Feb, Mar, and Apr. They aren’t “meat” birds, their EE’s, but somebody’s going to have to go to freezer camp. Right now they're getting along 'reasonably' well, but I know that can't last. I'd like to have a taste of fresh chicken before they all do each other in!
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Now I’ve gone goose hunting before and processed geese, but that was in January – reasonably cold weather. I can’t imagine processing these birds in 80-90 degree weather!
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Ugh! I’m guessing we’ll have to deal with them until the weather changes around October. Or is it possible to process them during the summer without completely losing my appetite? Any tips other than LOTS of ICE!!!
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I have three Turkey hens that I am gonnna have to do in the next few weeks.. I have just decided I am gonna have to go Mobster on em and setup a plastic "paint room" in my garage and attach a window a/c unit to it... Last time I tried to butcher in the heat I had to throw a few birds out as the flies had leaid eggs on them almost instantly and I couldnt stomach eating them ...
 
Oooohhhh, yum
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Like...eeww! That's just what I was imagining having happen, just didn't know if anyone had a special method that might workout.

I think we'll have to wait for fall. We just don't really have anyplace like a garage that we could do this in the a/c. I think I'm just going to have to keep suggesting we build that butchering shed!
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Hopefully they'll just have time to 'fatten up' a little.

Thanks for reply!
 
Atleast they are a dual purpose bird so you wont have to worry about heart attacks etc.. I have tried to slow down my BBB hens so I can wait til it gets cooler but they arent having any of that. I am worreid they will have leg problems soon otherwise.. NOw one thing I would reccomend if you did decide to go ahead do some.. Butcher one at a time.. My problem was that I would decapitate 4 or 5 and then skin and eviscerate them in turn , well that just gave the flies time to lay on them .. If I did it agian that hot I would just do one at a time ..
 
A tip ... place a cool wet towel or cheesecloth over the carcass and the flies can't reach the bird.
 
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Excellent Tip! I'm going to remember that one. We get lots of yellow-jackets in the summer and they are on the raw meat of anything within10 seconds, long before the flies show up.

Dan
 
I'm in South Florida & I've processed chickens in the summer. No, it's certainly NOT my favorite time of the year to do it, but it is manageable.

Set some big box or stand fans to blow on you & your work area.
Work in the shade of a tree or a beach umbrella, or set up a screen house.
Put out some fly paper or wasp traps to minimize the pests that land on the birds.
Don't have more than one bird plucked & setting out at one time.
You only have 7 birds to do, that's not too many for even one person to do. I have one bird hanging to bleed while I pluck & gut the previous candidate. Once he's cleaned out he goes right into the ice water.
You could even do the cleaning indoors, doing only the messiest slicing & plucking outside.
Or at least keep a cover on the gut bucket to keep the flies away.

Once you have them on your plate you'll think the effort was well worth it!
 
I weather that's too hot or too cold, I slaughter and bleed them outside, then drop them in a bucket, and take them inside. I toss the feathers in a bucket as I pluck, and gut in the sink. Cold water in half the sink to chill them in after they're gutted and clean, then into the fridge to age a few days.
 
I do like Dancing bear, killing outside, bring em in and pluck over the garbage can, clean in the sink, then stick 'em in a cooler back outside (to save fridge space)
 
I figured there had to be somebody out there that did this in warm weather and would know how to do this! It's starting to sound manageable. We've got a quick-set tent that we can put screen sides on, fans blowing over the ice, wet towels....there would be at least two of us working on it....sounds like we need to plan a summer BBQ
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