Chicken Butchering

This past Friday morning at 7:00 a.m. in the stillness of the north second street neighborhood, the loud protesting of chickens could be heard in the dim lit morning.Around 8:00 a.m., after our 71 chickens were loaded up, we drove out to our friends house, where we were butchering.

After unloading our stuff, we jumped into the action and started helping. Unfortunately, the weather was pretty chilly-around 35 degrees- so we had to take some "warm-up breaks" throughout the morning.
We worked our chickens, then started our friends-After a lunch break, we finished up, then spent a few hours cleaning up. I think we did around 225 chickens altogether.
It was a great experience and I'm glad to say we've done it! Thus our chicken escapades are ended for this fall-(Until next spring, that is!!!




We can fit 7 chickens in one crate.


Tying them down with cords-we don't want to
lose them on the way out!


Miles liked loading them up!


Once we were at our friends farm,
we got right to work-Dad gathered the
chickens and put them in the killing cones.



After their throats have been slit, blood has been pumped out,
and their heads removed, they are placed in
the "scalder" a big barrel filled with regulated hot water.
The scalding helps in the feather removal.

-In the foreground you can see the plucker-
-Behind the plucker are the chicken cones-

The plucker is an amazing invention
I was EXTREMELY grateful that we didn't have to pluck the chickens by hand!

Papa and Memaw got to come and help!
Memaw helped with the inside job of packaging and weighing.
Papa was the one who sorted the "innards"
All the yummy gizards, livers, hearts-Are you cringing yet?

The butchering table-There were always around 7-8
people doing the "evisceration" process.

After the are all finished on the table,
they chill in cold water, until they are ready to be packaged.