We Quit Cigarettes

[FortCluck]

I think all barred chickens are crazy... but then I've known approximately four, so...

This one is mouthy she makes beautiful meat chicks though. She's calmed down a bit. Our red sex links are the craziest ones.

 

[BantyChooks]

I was a bit jittery the night before thinking about it, I didn't get much sleep. Once I got the first one done, my nerves called down. Husband did the deed to the last one, but I dressed all 3.

I skinned them so I didn't have to do any plucking. I guess that could be called cheating.

The second one I did was it orpington and that was a hot mess. I will never do an orpington again they have way too many feathers! It took forever with that one, but wetting the feathers really helped.

Did you do yours outside?

I bled mine out then brought them inside in a bucket and dressed them in my kitchen sink. It was so easy that way. I barely made a mess because I took everything out and tossed it in the trash.

Only issue I had was I smelt wet chicken feathers for hours afterwards and it wasn't even in my house It was just following me around. I even went to Walmart and I could still smell it

Oh, absolutely. I don't want that stench inside. I skin all of my birds as well; it's far easier, and I don't care for the skin much anyway.
I got myself a sweet little processing table last year with a faucet that could be hooked up to a hose. I love that thing more than I love most people. It's made the whole process take maybe half as long, whilst also reducing the amount of bloody water I get sprayed in my face! After several years of using equipment that I believe Kiki would pronounce "ghetto", it's a welcome change.

 

[FortCluck]

Oh, absolutely. I don't want that stench inside. I skin all of my birds as well; it's far easier, and I don't care for the skin much anyway.
I got myself a sweet little processing table last year with a faucet that could be hooked up to a hose. I love that thing more than I love most people. It's made the whole process take maybe half as long, whilst also reducing the amount of bloody water I get sprayed in my face! After several years of using equipment that I believe Kiki would pronounce "ghetto", it's a welcome change.

I saw a table like that and I want it.

The wet feather smell didn't stay. I opened windows turned on the fans and put in wax melts. My husband instantly took the trash bag out too. Can't even tell we did it.

He Lysol sprayed the counters and wiped out everything with disinfectant wipes.

My family doesn't need that skin according to me it's not healthy for you and this year we are supposed to be getting healthier as a family.

How do you cook your skinned chickens?

 

[BantyChooks]

I saw a table like that and I want it.

The wet feather smell didn't stay. I opened windows turned on the fans and put in wax melts. My husband instantly took the trash bag out too. Can't even tell we did it.

He Lysol sprayed the counters and wiped out everything with disinfectant wipes.

My family doesn't need that skin according to me it's not healthy for you and this year we are supposed to be getting healthier as a family.

How do you cook your skinned chickens?

Generally in the pressure cooker, or these days, in the instant pot. I put them in chili, or soup, or a sandwich.

 

[webbysmeme]

I butcher my own. I do get attached to some, but I hatch too much to keep them all, and I'd rather eat meat from a bird I raised and killed as humanely as possible than from a bird that was never loved, never got to go outside, never got to feel the sun on its face.

Sounds like you have a good heart. I would like to hatch some, but I had to shoot my rooster. He attacked me several times! The people here helped me know how to handle him.

 

[BantyChooks]

Sounds like you have a good heart. I would like to hatch some, but I had to shoot my rooster. He attacked me several times! The people here helped me know how to handle him.View attachment 2049646View attachment 2049646View attachment 2049649

Oh, my goodness. That could've ended a lot worse for you.

 

[CindyinSD]

Now I want to try quail

I haven't raised quail yet, but from what others have written, quail seem to be much easier to process than chickens. IMO, meat-birds like CX and red broilers are a lot easier than layer/heritage roosters. So are turkeys. It's hard for me to get my hand into the smaller body cavities of the layer cocks. I'm not sure how I'd manage processing quail. Maybe all you need to get in there is a couple of fingers. Or one could spatchcock first; empty out second, I suppose.

The thing about quail is that most folks seem to keep quail in cages. Not all the keepers here, but no one free ranges quail or keeps them in a coop and yard. I've seen a few vids of people keeping them in tractors, and of course those here who build aviaries for them. Seems like a lot of infrastructure to me, just to try them out, but I'm not sure whether I'd like keeping them in cages. I dunno. I can't seem to make up my mind about it.

 

[FortCluck]

Sounds like you have a good heart. I would like to hatch some, but I had to shoot my rooster. He attacked me several times! The people here helped me know how to handle him.View attachment 2049646View attachment 2049646View attachment 2049649

I'm in shock. I would've done the same to him. How awful! I'm sorry you had to go through that.

 

[BantyChooks]

I haven't raised quail yet, but from what others have written, quail seem to be much easier to process than chickens. IMO, meat-birds like CX and red broilers are a lot easier than layer/heritage roosters. So are turkeys. It's hard for me to get my hand into the smaller body cavities of the layer cocks. I'm not sure how I'd manage processing quail. Maybe all you need to get in there is a couple of fingers. Or one could spatchcock first; empty out second, I suppose.

The thing about quail is that most folks seem to keep quail in cages. Not all the keepers here, but no one free ranges quail or keeps them in a coop and yard. I've seen a few vids of people keeping them in tractors, and of course those here who build aviaries for them. Seems like a lot of infrastructure to me, just to try them out, but I'm not sure whether I'd like keeping them in cages. I dunno. I can't seem to make up my mind about it.

You're right about that. Quail will run off and never be seen again if they're allowed to free range.
I'd love an aviary. I do let my quail into a couple hundred square foot run now and then, but it's a real chore to catch them and lock them up every night.

 

[FortCluck]

I haven't raised quail yet, but from what others have written, quail seem to be much easier to process than chickens. IMO, meat-birds like CX and red broilers are a lot easier than layer/heritage roosters. So are turkeys. It's hard for me to get my hand into the smaller body cavities of the layer cocks. I'm not sure how I'd manage processing quail. Maybe all you need to get in there is a couple of fingers. Or one could spatchcock first; empty out second, I suppose.

The thing about quail is that most folks seem to keep quail in cages. Not all the keepers here, but no one free ranges quail or keeps them in a coop and yard. I've seen a few vids of people keeping them in tractors, and of course those here who build aviaries for them. Seems like a lot of infrastructure to me, just to try them out, but I'm not sure whether I'd like keeping them in cages. I dunno. I can't seem to make up my mind about it.

yeah I don't know what I want to do yet I'm not even sure that I want to do quail. It is a lot of building to me because I would have to build cages for them. Then if I put money into cages what happens if I don't even like processing them.

It definitely was harder to process the Easter Egger and Orpington. The cross that I made for meat birds was Jersey Giant and barred rock... The body cavity was perfect for processing. I was very happy with how it came out.