A buddy has a chicken farm. He always has 50-100 left that the transport guys won't take. He just kills and buries them, so I grabbed them off him this time.

That oughta keep you out of trouble for a bit. I don't envy you a bit.

What are the plans for all of those??

Well, I have my duck plucker mounted to the lathe right now, so pluck, and process for the freezer. Just got them in at midnight, so some are still warm ish even.

Plan is that despite my wife being able to skin a beaver, I finally brought something home that she really enjoys eating lol.

She likes deer and fish, but isn't a fan of most other stuff.

So this time I brought her 96 chickens lol. My buddy does 25,000 every 40 days or so. Antibiotic free.

Use to have all the chicken morts and deformed chicks I wanted when I trapped in Arkansas. No chicken houses around me here in Pa. I could make some fine predator bait from all the meat if I could get it.

I had to drive a bit, because there arent any near me either.


A few of these are 5 lbs, but a bunch are smaller. All were alive when I got there anyway.

I would save all the heads and guts for bear bait, but I am fresh out of freezer space now.

That's a lot of food there.

You should have hollered for some help! Looks like a fun day,...Now get off the puter and get it finished!

Very nice.

At least it isn't too hot outside today. Might give you a bit more processing time. If you have some extra coolers and cold water. Have seen salt added to ice , make a slurry , will drop temperature , below freezing. . To chill out . Nice bunch of eats there. Good luck. old243

Was there a chance you could have taken them alive and killed them as you butchered? By the time that last one gets gutted things might be tainting.
I am pretty picky though, so might not be an issue to some.

it is all in the scald , 142-149 degrees plunge them up and down a few times when a wing feather pulls right , start plucking you get a good feel for it after a while. you get to where you can count it off and be just about perfect

too cool or too short and they don't pull , too hot and the skin tears easily.

you can skin them also ?

I have eaten plenty of chickens/pheasant/ducks that were skinned not plucked, way faster.

Premium product as the grocery charges more for skinless. LOL

You just keep the thought of me pleasing my wife out of your head!

I likened it to ducks. Lots of days I go hunting and leave ducks in the cold till the next day.

I was a bit worried too, but:

-they were walking around still at 9 last night
-the shop concrete floor is cold, and i left the garage door open with a fan on them to speed cooling
--belly up with almost no feathers on the breast I figure I should be ok.

I have one of those cordless drill drum pluckers, and mount it in my lathe. Works really well. Maybe 45 seconds-1 minute a bird, and they are clean.

I have never tried the hot plunge method. I have a hot plate though and plenty of large pots, i should give it a whirl.

Clean them like a partridge.

Im going to have them all wrapped and in the freezer tonight.

Starting to clean shortly now that they are plucked


I am certainly not a farmer. Today is literally the second time in my life ive even held a dead chicken lol

huh.


I mean, I don't see why that wouldn't work, right?