This post contains pictures butchery of poultry, so if you're not someone who wants to read about that then I'd suggest you skip this one.
Theh boys from our Indian Game x Colobian Plymouth Rock crosses we hatched out last year have reached around 24 weeks of age and it was time for them to join freezer club.
I probably should have done this a few weeks sooner, but so long as I rest the birds once prepared and cook them properly it shouldn't make much odds, they're still plenty young enough and we do prefer to have to chew our food!
The girls have also really started to earn their keep in this job now. I got set up (water boiling, big chopping board cleaned and ready) and when they came out to help we started to process the birds. I'd catch a bird (one would open and close the gate for me) then dispatch and leave for it bleed and clean the meat. Once I had about 3 birds done I'd scald them and leave them for the girls to start plucking while I dealt with the other birds.
By the end the girls had plucked 4 birds and I only plucked 2! It's amazing to think that yes they might have slowed the job down a bit the first few times we did this, but suddenly they're more than useful and speeding the jobs up! The boy is slowly starting to get involved as well.
They also helped with the gutting and the next step. I swear there isn't a squeamish bone in their bodies!
I tend to cut them open and then the girls have a bird or two each to clean out, whilst saving back a few bits we'll try and use.
The birds were all in great condition. The Indian Game bantam cockerel weighed 2.2kg and has great meat to bone ratio.
The others birds weighed 2.3, 2.6, 2.6, 2.7 and 2.8 kg.
I then rest these in the shed for a few days (one reason we do it more at a cold time of year) and then into the freezer to feed us later.
I've just put another batch of eggs in the incubator and now we have breeding flocks set up I think we'll be hatching a lot of birds this year to help feed us, especially as processing them is easier as a team.
Anyone else growing meat birds at the moment?
i hope you realize what an amazing job you are doing with those kids! most excellent kev!
ReplyDeleteAh thank you! You don't see when I loose my temper! But then we go days without a cross word, this job went perfectly, the only thing I did was have to slow them up a few times!
DeleteMarvellous kids, you should be so proud of them. With this start in life they will be able to cope with whatever is thrown at them.
ReplyDeleteThey're such good kids and nearly always willing to help (although they need nagging to do the dishwasher)
DeleteThis is an awesome story and I can only imagine how delicious those birds will be. Your kids are great. Mine would have run away from home.
ReplyDeleteHaha, mine tell me to only do it on days they can help - but then things have been pretty boring around here lately.
DeleteWonderful children and a wonderful Dad. Taking the time to teach children skills is the best thing a parent can do. Good looking birds, I think they'll be tasty.
ReplyDeleteWe've had one already (we did this on Sunday so ate one on Wednesday night) and it was beautiful! It was the Bantam but such good meat to bone ratio and proper dark and light meat. Also made great bubble squeak the next day!
DeleteI'm 71, my cousin who is 68, came to the farm to visit yesterday. One of our most pleasant conversations was sharing the memories of when we were little boys and helping our moms process and pluck chickens. We both still remember all the little details of those days. One we both liked was when we used to use a can with some alcohol in it to light and singe off the remains of any feather down. Little things like this can last a lifetime. Good for you! I'm getting 4 Speckled Sussex hens today for my egg needs.
ReplyDeleteThat's great that you remember it so well. I often wonder what my children will remember from their childhood - hopefully more of the fun things rather than all my nagging and shouting! I remember my brother and me nearly having a fire singing the feathers off some pheasants once! We learned that it's a job best done outside!
DeleteI love this Kev
ReplyDeleteThanks! It's great to have them by my side.
DeleteYour chicken carcasses are remarkably clean! And your kids are AWESOME. But they wouldn't be that way if it weren't for the way they're being raised. Good for all of you!
ReplyDeleteWe scald the birds to make plucking easier, but I'd say the girls get the birds cleaner than I do now! These carcasses seemed to clean up easier than some other breeds we've done in the past.
DeleteKev have you thought of Muscovy ducks ? A blogg called the Texas boys keep them and recommend them say they taste like beef. The kids are great.
ReplyDeleteWhen our kids were young we took them on holiday 2000 kms we are in Australia to see the sights. My husband backed in to a small tree cracking the cover on the light. Back home that was the highlight of the trip dad crashed into a tree.he could have done that on the nature strip out the front and saved a lot of money! Best wishes nana from down under.
I tried to hatch some mjscovy ducks last year but couldn't get them to hatch in the incubator unfortunately. We have Aylesbury ducks and they're good for meat. Keep tying with the idea of some kind of four legged animal soon.
DeleteI wonder what random memories my kids are going to have! I do remember watching dad back a trailer once, I said stop he kept going and broke the light, I asked why didn't he stop and he said "I thought you were joking!"