Chicken Butchering

The job is done. 

It was messy and time-consuming, but we raised the chickens and know what went into their meat.  That means a lot.  But, we are ALL glad the job is done.

We intended to split the processing over two days, but we had such excellent help that all were done on Thursday!  Out of this straight-run order (that means I didn’t specify cockerels or pullets when I ordered, the company chooses for me), we ended up with about 23 cockerels and 10 pullets.  Some of the cockerels were HUGE.  We are talking they look like, and weigh about as much as, small turkeys.  At least this year I won’t have to roast two birds at a time to have leftover meat.

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Eric, Kevin Methe, and Zeke prepping the propane tank and torch to help heat the water.

Our plucker (on loan from my parents).  A plastic sheet was laid underneath to catch feathers for easy disposal.  This machine removes all feathers quickly and efficiently.

Our cutting table.  Legs and innards are removed.  Birds are looked over quickly before being sent to the wash tubs.

My mom in grey shirt, my MIL in the orange shirt, Graham is the little guy in the photo above.  Washing the tubs and coolers.  Michelle Methe, below, helping to prepare the coolers.

Grandpa & Grandma Green Acres, above, having a strawberry treat before the processing begins.  Grandma Green Acres is giving Mr. J and Graham a lesson … there were many teaching moments this day.

It took us a while to get everything going, but we were processing much earlier than last year.  The goal was to get going by 8am, but we still had a lot of set-up, so probably didn’t catch the first bird until 9am.

 

Miss E and Angelina – about the same age and fast friends.  They have much in common.

Dash, Michelle, and Miss M2 visiting and filling with coolers and water tubs with water.

 

And so it begins.  Two at a time.  Grandpa Green Acres said something about it not being a good thing being next this time – to the chicken!

Mr. J jumped right into the work

If you are looking for pretty, don’t look at these pics!  We are in everyday clothes, hair in pony tails, no make-up and all business today.  Michelle and I working side by side – all the better to visit.

My dad (above) was the jokester, but everyone was laughing and having such a good time.  He made it so much fun that we forgot it was work.

Next step after feather removal and singeing is getting the feet removed.  These two, Zeke and Mr. J, were responsible for this task.

My MIL, Grandma Green Acres, gave several lessons throughout the cutting/cleaning process.  She’s a former teacher and the kids wanted to learn as much as possible.  Miss E and Angelina, who is giving a piggy-back ride to Miss E2 (she and Angelina share the same first name) are listening in on Grandma’s lesson.

Mr. J removing feathers with the plucking machine.

Miss M2 learning how to use the propane torch to singe the birds, above and learning how to loosen the feathers with hot water, below.

 

Miss R plucking pin feathers, above.  And, I’m not sure what kind of expression she’s showing, below!

 

Miss R taking a turn at the plucker, below.  Her dad, Kevin, supervising.

Below, instructing Miss M2 on the removal of feet.  Yes, that’s me trying to be helpful.

About an hour or so into the work, our neighbor came over with her two kids.  She wanted her kids to experience the process and remembered butchering chickens as a kid, too.  They watched, tried and learned along with our crew.  She cut up quite a few of the gizzards and also reserved some organ meat, which we freely gave as we weren’t planning to use it this year except to save a few for the cats.  She and the kids stayed for lunch, too.  It added further impromptu fun to our day.

After the outside work was done, we left the carcasses in cold water to cool while we ate together at the house.  Later in the day a few of us cleaned each bird thoroughly, tied the roasters up and sealed them in FoodSaver bags.

  All 33 birds were frozen in single layer and will be distributed in the coming weeks.  It is a good job done well. 

Thank you to everyone who helped.  

The crew for this year:  Grandma & Grandpa Green Acres, Grandma & Grandpa Golden Acres, Kevin & Michelle Methe Family, Lebahn Family, Eric & Suzie Lahlum Family …that’s 9 adults and 13 kids – less one older girl (they took turns) and the four youngest kiddos she watched inside the house.

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Dash took a ton of pictures, because Miss M2 Methe and Miss R Methe – who were not too sure about the whole process - decided to get their hands dirty.  I didn’t give the full ‘second by second’ replay on the blog (Miss R & Miss M2, expect your copies by mail on a CD in the not too distant future!).