Saturday, August 3, 2013

Chicken Butchering Day

Up and outside by 7:30 to start on the the chickens we butchered today.  Renee brought Derek, Brandon and Brandon's girl friend Brittni over.  Brandon wanted to watch it being done and to help out a little.   We butchered 5 hens and 4 roosters so it should be a little quieter around here.  I decided to bone these and grind them up.  We eat ground chicken and ground turkey instead of ground beef.  We have it all boned and will grind it in the morning.  I have all the bones and the things we couldn't bone in the roaster for some wonderful broth and should be a little chicken to can also.  We didn't finish up everything until 4, a long day.  We have to get a plucker, plucking takes forever and they are much better than doing it by hand.
Here are the weights of the dressed chickens:
1:13, 1:12, 2:14, 2, 2:1, 2.1, 1:11, 1:15 and the old rooster was 5:1.  The boned chicken weights a little over 10 lbs.

Here is the day in pictures:
Me plucking the chicken.

Ron does the gutting.

The roosters waiting their turn.

Ron inspection a chicken.

Brandon and I plucking one of the the roosters.

Me and Brandon and Brittni, Brandon's girl friend in the back ground.

Brandon acting like Brandon.

Bleaching everything down after we were done.  It takes a good hour to get everything bleached and cleaned up.

4 comments:

  1. Just wondering, why dont you just skin them if your going to grind it up for freezing. Wouldnt there be enough fat & flavor in the meat & bones for flavor in your broth?

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    1. Probably would have but I like the extra flavor.

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  2. I've been following your butchering posts. We're new to raising chickens and have a very small flock so we'll be doing the butchering ourselves when it's time. Thanks for sharing.

    ~Taylor-Made Ranch~
    Wolfe City, Texas

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    1. A couple of years ago I would have NEVER dreamed I would be butchering chickens. It's not for everyone but it is not bad at all. Time consuming but worth it. We are looking for a used plucker or my husband might make one. Our post mistress at our village of 250 made her own and am going to see about getting the plans she used today.
      Good luck on your adventures.

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