Too small?

[Ab1010]

I honestly lost track of how old my meat birds are. They weigh at least three lbs but two I was hoping were 5. I just wanted smaller birds. Is it bad to butcher them now? Is their a weight that is too small? I know they are heavier then my full grown wellsummer.

 

[Molpet]

I honestly lost track of how old my meat birds are. They weigh at least three lbs but two I was hoping were 5. I just wanted smaller birds. Is it bad to butcher them now? Is their a weight that is too small? I know they are heavier then my full grown wellsummer.

Cornish hens are just CX harvest early

 

[Ab1010]

Cornish hens are just CX harvest early

Thanks, but I missed my appointment to have them done. I tried calling to reschedule but they never answered. Hopefully they will still want to work with me..

 

[NatJ]

Is it bad to butcher them now? Is their a weight that is too small?

They are edible at any age, any size.
Some people eat quail (mature size: well under 1 pound.)

 

[Molpet]

Thanks, but I missed my appointment to have them done. I tried calling to reschedule but they never answered. Hopefully they will still want to work with me..

I think you may need to find a friend that can butcher or learn how yourself.
Most places are booked up. Lots of people that don't normally get food animals did this year. By me they are booked until 2022.

 

[cassie]

I suggest you do what I did when, through no fault of my own, I had to butcher my first chicken. Go on the internet or the archives of BYC and find detailed instructions on how to kill and process a chicken. Print them out and then just go down the list and do one step at a time. Don't think about it. Just do it.

A couple comments. I killed my first chicken with a sharp pair of heavy duty pruning shears. Just lopped the head off. I later graduated to a sharp utility knife. Put a squirt or two of dish detergent in the scald water. When you scald the chicken if you can flick off the skin on the leg with your fingernail the scald is about right. If the chicken is scalded properly, the feathers come right off. Another thing, there is no reason you have to butcher them all the same day.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Just butchered my first yesterday. First Processing

It went smoothly, with minimal equipment - a bucket, a folding table, a sharp knife, running water, some ziploc bags, a cutting board (yes, I could have used the table), a way to hang the bird, a LARGE pot, and a heat source to warm it.

There are good posts hereat BYC on how to do it, a number of good websites, and plenty of decent youtube videos. If you have the materials/equipment and the time, I strongly encourage you to process your own- particularly if you are only doing a few at a time.

/edit a SHARP knife. Not merely Sharp or just sharp. Or a great pair of poultry shears. I used my favorite chef knife - but started with a smaller knife that wasn't as sharp as I thought it was.

 

[RoosterML]

Just butchered my first yesterday. First Processing

It went smoothly, with minimal equipment - a bucket, a folding table, a sharp knife, running water, some ziploc bags, a cutting board (yes, I could have used the table), a way to hang the bird, a LARGE pot, and a heat source to warm it.

There are good posts hereat BYC on how to do it, a number of good websites, and plenty of decent youtube videos. If you have the materials/equipment and the time, I strongly encourage you to process your own- particularly if you are only doing a few at a time.

/edit a SHARP knife. Not merely Sharp or just sharp. Or a great pair of poultry shears. I used my favorite chef knife - but started with a smaller knife that wasn't as sharp as I thought it was.

Congrats

 

[Ab1010]

I suggest you do what I did when, through no fault of my own, I had to butcher my first chicken. Go on the internet or the archives of BYC and find detailed instructions on how to kill and process a chicken. Print them out and then just go down the list and do one step at a time. Don't think about it. Just do it.

A couple comments. I killed my first chicken with a sharp pair of heavy duty pruning shears. Just lopped the head off. I later graduated to a sharp utility knife. Put a squirt or two of dish detergent in the scald water. When you scald the chicken if you can flick off the skin on the leg with your fingernail the scald is about right. If the chicken is scalded properly, the feathers come right off. Another thing, there is no reason you have to butcher them all the same day.

I am raising the birds for my family since I have been trying to encourage them to eat farm raised meat instead of factory meat. Honestly I'm a vegetarian and i don't know that I have it in me. Ive killed many things when I was little since my family are avid hunters but I haven't in many years. I guess i just have to make a friend or somehow get in the old mindset.. im honestly really nervous to do it in the first place.

 

[Ab1010]

I think you may need to find a friend that can butcher or learn how yourself.
Most places are booked up. Lots of people that don't normally get food animals did this year. By me they are booked until 2022.

Yeah most places are booked here too. I got lucky to even get in. I might be able to get my sister to help me. That girl doesn't mind killing or skining anything. I usualy make her cull for me. I know that's pathetic. I just don't have the stomach anymore.