This past week I butchered 2 roosters. Somehow I just wasn't very confident in the chicken meat I have gotten from chickens that I've butchered myself. (It's a little new to me and I'm still learning). I was afraid that the meat was in some way inferior to the nice juicy ones you get at the store. Too tough, stringy, less appetizing (after the butchering experience) etc. etc.
My neighbor across the street is a meat inspector. Yesterday I was joking and told him I should have had him come inspect my chickens, make sure I had done a good job. LOL> What he told me was astounding.
He told me that the things he looks for in commercially grown meats, would not be found in the meat I processed at home.
He went on to tell me how the chickens are, in his words "pumped full" of chemicals from the day they hatch to the day they are processed. He said they are hatched and processed in 40 days' time. In order to do that, it takes a LOT of chemicals to grow them so fast and un-naturally.
What he looks for.........things that grow wrong............tumors etc., diseases resulting from chemicals.
I knew they did that stuff, but was not even remotely aware of how bad it is. Can you imagine what we have been eating ? No wonder cancer is on the rise. I've been aware of the chemicals used on non-organic grown vegetables and such, but guess I've just "trusted" that meat was ok.
After that, I think that even if my chickens are tough as jerky, that will be just fine. I think I will just have to get a little more practice at the butchering, and "get-over-it". That certainly gives me more confidence to know that even if I do it wrong, it's STILL better than what I'd get at the store. Think I'll get out my McMurray catalog and order some meat chickens.
Geeeee, I just never knew !!!!!
Meat inspector told me.......................
wow, I knew that commercial chickens were fed lots of steroids and antibiotics, because at one time I looked into buying a poultry farm. The chicken growers insist that you use their feed, medications, etc.
I bought my DH a book on home butchering last year and he does quite well with turkeys and chickens. Unfortunately, he has been working night shift, 6 days a week, so he isn't exactly wanting to butcher chickens on his only day off. I've been thinking that maybe I can do it myself. The very worst I can do is make a big mess of it and have to cook a bunch of pieces down for soup or stew.
Do you pluck feathers or do you just skin them?
Fortunately, I've got folks around me who raise meat chickens organically and humanely. I haven't noticed the meat being tough, but I have noticed it is a little more chicken-y, maybe gamey? I make these birds stretch, too... a roast, then we keep the leftover picked meat for another meal, and then I make a stock with the bones. Three meals out of one bird.
Scary. There's nothing like hearing stuff like that right from the horse's mouth, PeggieK. Stories like these, as well as driving behind these tractor trailers with a thousand chickens stuffed into tiny cages has cured me of buying commercial chicken or eggs any more.
Zeppy, that is also what I noticed , a somewhat stronger flavor. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but you nailed it. The meat seemed a little darker.
I just thought I was maybe being a little too self-critical and it was my imagination. But no, I think you said what I was perplexed about.
I wonder if the Cornish x Rocks that McMurray sells would be closer to the ones we're used to from the store. Their catalog says they're mostly whiter meated.
Hmstyl, I guess I did a little of both...........plucked and skinned. Some of the skin seemed a little thick to me so I took it off in some places.
I didn't know what the heck I was doin !!!!!!! But I was careful to not let the meat get tainted by the intestine contents. They were pretty choppy looking when I got finished, but it was some of the cleanest and prettiest looking chicken I'd ever seen. I'm sure with a little practice, it gets a little easier, although it will never be one of my favorite chores. Ugh !!!!
But if it keeps my family from being exposed to cancer-causing chemicals from commercial meats, it's well worth the effort. That's got to be a lot easier to "get over" than someone in my family having to deal with the consequences of what they put in our foods. That is something we might not ever ..........."get over".
Sorry, but it seems funny to me that none of you has known how to butcher and dress out a chicken. Now, don't all get mad and come beat up on me! I grew up on a small farm in Ohio, raised by parents from farms in Georgia. I learned very young how to do it.
First, chop off head (or your prefered method) and have the hot water prepared ahead. If you do this part outside, you will be happier for it. Wet feathers do not smell like perfume! You scald the bird in a bucket. Now this takes practice, because if in the hot water too long, the skin partially cooks and tends to peel off. If you do it too short a time, feathers still hard to remove. Just right, and you can almost wipe the feathers off with one hand. They come right out. Of course, if your water is hot enough you can try a couple of times dipping it till it seems right.
That done, remove the intestines, by carefully cutting an opening at the anus, removing it, and opening the abdominal cavity. Be very careful not to damage the little green gall bladder. Its contents would taint the meat, make it taste awful. save the giblets aside and discard the rest. cut open the gizzard and clean, being sure to remove the inner tough lining. Cut off feet or not as you prefer. We always did.
Now you are ready to bring the carcass inside and proceed to wash the meat and cut it up. There are no hard and fast rules about proper cutting, so if it does not look "proper" don't fret over it. Otherwise, cut the bird into halves or quarters to start until you feel more confident to try to cut parts. Good luck chicken cooks! I am available for a class if you want to fly me there! LOL! BAM
I wonder about all the chemicals in our food too. A while back I had several hogs slaughtered and put in the freezer. As we began to eat this meat I noticed it didn't have the nice pink color you see in the stores. The meat we had was of a gray color. A butcher told me that they intentionally put chemicals in the meat to give it a pink color, and the display cases have pink or red lights to illuminate the meat. This is done because the American consumer prefers pink or red meat to gray.
Also, the eggs we get from our chickens seen richer, less watery than the ones in the stores. We let ours have all the grain they want, and they are free range too.
Keith
Hey Bambam......about slaughtering livestock.....I feel that if Americans had to slaughter their own meat then nine tenths of us would instantly become vegetarians.
Bam, that's great you can butcher (and give good written instructions too). It's not a real common skill in this country anymore. I'm learning from a friend. Not fun work, but certainly useful.
Crossed posts w/ Virginian, but I agree. If not vegetarians, then certainly a lot less wasteful. But that would go for all self-sustainability things: when you grow your veggies, you're loath to waste em.
BAM, you make it sound so easy. I've been a city girl all my life longing for the country, so now that I'm living in the country I have been learning through trial and error. So far the hardest part about butchering is the kill, the blood. I'm having a bit of trouble with that. Do you usually hang the birds up somewhere to bleed out? I can't see what I'm doing with all the mess.
I can't afford to fly you out here, but if you are ever in Georgia please feel free to stop in and visit! You help me butcher and I'll cook you up a nice supper! :-)
Everyone I know around here uses kill cones or hangs the birds upside down to kill them; that way they bleed out immediately. Bam?
Hmstyl and Zeppy, I love all your posts by the way. You really do not want to know. I was raised around it, so know what it is like. You do not have to hang them or do anything if the head is cut off. It is not a pretty sight, but the flailings pretty much "bleed them out". Leave the scene, and attend to the hot water. (Do all this well away from your house, like behind the barn or something.) The water should not be boiling, but almost. By the time you pour it into a five gallon bucket, it will be losing heat. Dunk the chicken and test it, if the feathers pull off easily. If not, dunk it a bit longer. Not too long, you want to reach just the right stage.
Virginian, butchering anything is just that. You either can do it, or you can't. There is nothing pretty about it. Nothing redeeming. But the end result is what you are going for. The fresh healthy food. We do not have a problem with pulling and cutting up vegetables, and cooking them, but they are also alive. Just a different mindset. We talk to our flowers, etc, and would never rip them apart, but vegetables are set apart. All the same thing, except for the big blood thing. That is hard. Not something the weak stomached will want to jump into. Sorry if I grossed everyone out, but the question about removing the feathers just struck me funny this morning. So I opened my big mouth. Sorry, everyone. BAM
Bam, it's a poultry and livestock forum. We shouldn't be here if we can't handle it; nothing to apologize for.
Thank you, Zeppy, I think you will manage it fine once you master the methods. You know the goal you are heading for. Good luck. If you have a chopping block for a wood pile, just use that. You must hold the legs with one hand, with the chicken on its back (being on their backs partially paralyzes them) wait a moment until it is quiet. If the birds head is retracted, making the neck hard to reach, just a gentle tug will lengthen it out. Then pick up the axe and make one clean stroke. Toss the carcass a few feet away, and go for the hot water. By the time you get back, it should be pretty still. Good luck. I would be happy to demonstrate if I were ever there, but you will figure it out. I am here if you have any questions.
After all, my city raised husband tried to pluck fur off a rabbit! LOL! I had to show him how to properly skin a rabbit! I learned a few tricks way back when! BAM
Bambam:
No need to apologize. I have slaughtered my own animals before, I know what it is like. I tell my kids almost every meal...."don't leave that meat, its expensive"....and I am thinking to myself "something had to die to put that meat on out plates, lets make sure none of it goes to waste and is thrown out".
Years ago there was a book "Far Out Isn't Far Enough". It was about homesteading and raising your own food. There were a few quotes in it that I remember;
"We raised them from babies,
We cared for them and nurtured them,
Then we killed them and ate them"
Such is life on a farm.
Keith
I don't much like the slaughtering part. The cleaning part dosen't bother me near as much as the actual killing and bleeding.
But....when I think about I'd rather do it to a chicken than have a surgeon do it to me........ I can do it. After all, if I get tumors or cancer from all the junk they pump into the commercially processed chickens....... some surgeon will be opening me up...... and cutting stuff out. Been there, done that, (no fun) ...................................... rather dress out a chicken any ole day. LOL. Probably why I'm so determined to learn to do this.
I agree wholeheartedly. The commercially grown meat in particular is not healthy wholesome food by the time they are finished with it. In some areas healthy meat is becoming available but at what frightening price per pound? But, the growers know the meat is worth the price for having it instead of chemically altered food. Wish I were in a position to raise more things for myself. But, at this time I am not. I should have married a farmer! LOL! But, living alone seems to suit me very nicely. Good luck with the plucking of chickens. It takes a bit of practice, but can be done. One of these days you will be telling me how well you can do it! BAM
just a hint a turkey fryer works great to scald the the fryers also use it to scaled the hog put put 55 galon barrel on the burner
thanks for the vote of confidence, i needed that. lol
turkey fryer, great idea..........................i'll have to get me one. no wait, if i invest in a turkey fryer............i'm going to have to learn to dress turkeys too ? lol. There's no telling where this is going.................DH may come home some evening and find a calf tied to the front porch railing. hehe
You go, Peggy!!!! Just when he gets there, tell him to dress it out! LOL! BAM
Sorry I don't have time to read all the replies so sorry if I am repeating what others may have already advised but if try raising some Cornish Rocks, they make real nice meat birds and more important age the meat of any breed for 48 hours in the refrigerator before freezing.
This will make the meat more tender.
I wondered about the Cornish Rocks, but have never known anyone who actually had any experiences with raising them. Thanks for the tip. I think I'm going to order some.
Hey Bam, I can tell ya right now, he won't do it. He's more squeemish about that kind of stuff than I am. He hates cleaning fish and rabbits too, so I know a calf would be a wash.
how much would a butcher normally charge to butcher per chicken.
That's a good question. I think I might call my local meat slaughter house and find out. If it's not too expensive, I'd much rather have them do it.
Cottage Rose, what a lovely name! But, thank you for your tip. I never knew that. Just threw them directly into the freezer. See? Never too old to learn! BAM
That is a good tip. Now if I can just REMEMBER it long enough to put it to good use. LOL
I admire you all, but I think I just took the leap into vegetarian land.
Hee hee
Yes, vegetarian land is a good place this time of year. Makes me appreciate my veggie garden. But those hot and tasty chicken and noodles are sure good on a cold winter's day, to warm your tummy.
just raised for 1st time cornish rex x , we about went broke feeding them[26 birds at final 2 weeks were going thru about 150 lbs.feed in little over a week, they went to chicken heaven at about 10wks. roosters about 8lbs and hens about 5 lbs. We enjoyed the "farmer" experience, will do again next year!!
rite1bb, did you slaughter them all yourselves ? I bet it's nice to have all that chicken for the freezer. And knowing it's 'good' chicken too.
So......you think they are big eaters ? I just didn't realize they would eat more than regular chickens. But that does make sense, since they grow so much faster than other chickens. Something I need to keep in mind.
Thanks for the tip.
I know 20 years ago it took 3 months to get a chicken to market, now it takes 6 weeks. My family is from Missouri & many have been in chicken raising business for years.
I have a slightly different take, after reading the post. Don't make fun of me now.........
I think I'm going to start eating more fake chicken meat, like Gardenburger and Smart Nuggets!
I'm with you, owl.
But then, so many of our vegetables are genetically engineered and treated with pestacides, and stuff too. Especially the ones grown specifically for commercial food production. Although, there are some that are strictly organic. That would be the route to go I suppose, but the selection is fairly limited.
I heard that there was supposed to be information on Good Morning America about the way our foods are treated and additives etc. all this week. I tried to catch it this morning but missed it. Anyone else see it ?
I didn't. But there's some scary information out there, especially about additives,etc., that they don't have to tell you about. And the term "organic" has been given way more wiggle room than I'm comfortable with.
And it reminds me of the farmer up in Canada who grew corn. There was a nearby cornfield that was being genetically engineered and, of course, pollen from the GM crop got onto the farmer's. The next year the farmer planted from corn from his own crop, and the new crop showed characteristics of the GM crop -- and the company (wish I could remember who it was, I'm thinking Monsanto but I'm not sure) sued the farmer!
AND WON!
Allowing a chicken to "freerange" not only is beneficial to the chicken but also keeps
your yards semi-free of unwanted insects.
The chicken gets nature's vitamins and minerals from blades of grass. It gets it's
protein from the insects it eats.
I raised "Buff O's" for several years. Not only were their brown eggs very high in nutrients
but their meat was "flawless". And NO ricket bones.
In time I switched over to breeding ducks. Being that duck meat is not a readily found
commodity in the markets, I decided to go that route for a short while. Before I knew
it, I had clients that were buying not only the fertile duck eggs (for hatching) but also the
non fertile for cooking purposes.
There's a huge market out there for duck meat. Particularlly amongst the oriental peoples.
Kentucky Colnel Chicken is famous for being pumped with water prior to freezing before
shipping to the various fast food places and then be cooked.
Now I just sit back and enjoy life and watch the cows and calves graze. lol...
Peggy, I'm from the Seminole area. Nice to meet ya gal.
Sincerely,
MsDede
Sunshine Farms, Oklahoma
We can't improve on Nature. Heaven knows we've tried. It can't be done.
Welcome, MsDede! You'll have to post some pics of your ducks...
hey all,
Funny thing this thread just popped up when I came to the forum. Never seen it before and it is now an old thread, funny-~
I have no, not one bit, of experience with chickens; however, I have had to (and still hunt to this day) kill, slaughter, and dress before. It is not all it is cut out to be and words really can not calm the nerves once the time arrives to just do it. But I wanted to share that with my experience it is alot easier after the kill and bleed out to lightly freeze(cool) the carcass, it really helps with the dressing.
Like I said no experience with chickens. would freeezing the carcass with the feathers still intact hurt or help. Or is it better remove the feathers then cool the body off? Someday I will be doing it myself and info. now saves trial and error later and loss of possible food. I Can't Wait to quit eating store bought meats.
Anyone willing to ship some chicks. I am looking for either ducks (Khaki cmpbells) or chicks (buff orpingtons). I have searched the hatcheries online and read enough now to feel stongly about finding a hobby or small scale farmer rather than buy from a huge hatchery. right now, while in the city, I can only have 5 "of any fowl" as long as I can keep them housed "at least 20 feet away from resident houseing". I can safely do this with 5 birds. If I get the buf orp's in the spring raise them to say mid- to late Nov. (when it starts to drop below 70 degrees , I can hve meat HOMEGROWN so to speak for X-mas. and through the winter (DEC-FEB). I should I think be able to get a few eggs as well? I wouldn't have them long so I could prob. get away with it from the neighbors.
calvin