Chicken processing day

Our hens are a few years old and are at it the age of not laying eggs. So, we figured it was time to butcher them.

Perfect timing.  My Prairie Sisters wanted to do the same thing. We made a plan to all get together and process our chickens. Later we will can them but for now we just need to get them ready for the freezer.

The drive home from work last night I kept thinking about the process and telling myself I can't hurl the mighty upchuck in front of my friends. I wasn't terrified of what was to come but I was concerned. I mean, for the most part, I am a city working girl who grew up a military brat on the coast. What the heck do I know of processing chickens?  I pay others to process my hens and bring them out in neatly wrapped packages. 

Yes, my drama queen brain was in high gear.  Sleeping was difficult.

We woke up early to round up the chickens. My son was coming over to help.  It was a wee bit frosty outside and chickens just wanted to be feed.  If you have never tried to round up a bunch of chickens it is quiet challenging.

We finally got them all in the coop and closed the door. Then Dude went to the other side and started grabbing them one by one and handing them over the fence.  The hens were having none of it. They were screaming, squawking, and feathers were flying. It looked like a cartoon.

The day was warm with wintery weather  waiting for Tuesday.

 

 Perfect.

 

We drove over to one of the Prairie Sister's homestead and got ready for the day.  There were stations for everyone and I was at the plucking station. First they were placed in the cones to have their necks slit, then dunked in boiling water, then to the plucker, handed offer to be finished plucking(that's where I was), then head and feet chopped off, someone then gutted them and finally rinsed and dropped in a hug vat of ice water.

 

I was surprised it didn't bother me as bad as I thought. I used rubber kitchen gloves and told myself the chickens looked like the fake comic rubber chickens and sang Bruno Mars songs in my head.  It helped and my southern drama queen did not emerge.

 

Our rooster did get a reprieve since someone wanted him for sire.

I also got to see what eggs look like inside a hen.

It was a long and tiring day but very fun with family and friends. We processed around 60 hens, I think.  It wasn't as bad as I thought and I was thankful I started my official homesteading animal processing on hens and not a large animal. Who knew all those years helping my Dad gut fish and crabs would help?

 

We are very thankful to the hens who will give us nourishment in the months to come.

 

Well, time to call it a night.  We are exhausted. The hot water kettle is whistling for me to get in there for a calm cup of hot cocoa and a good book.  All in all  it was a good day and glad I was able to experience it.