Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption
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loopy
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help needed re dispatching/hanging/plucking/dressing chickenWe've got a mixture of Sasso and Hubbards that we are growing on, which we will need to start dispatching in a couple of weeks.
I've read lots of articles and am now confused over what is the best thing to do.. and need help clarifying a few things!
Is it correct that if we want to finish them on corn, we need to feed them just corn for a couple of weeks, and that they should be starved for 24 hours before dispatching?
Once dispatched, i have read mixed reviews as to what to do next/what order...some people seem to suggest it is easier to pluck straight away whilst the body is warm, some suggest dipping it in hot water for 2 minutes to make it easier to pluck and to kill any lice if they have any on them, some seem to suggest that you can't hang it if you've dipped it in water, some seem to still hang it if its been dipped in water...and then there seem to be wide differences in how long people hang for.....and some people seem to kill, hang, pluck and dress, some people seem to kill, pluck, and dress, and others seem to kill, pluck, hang and dress, and even found some that suggest you should kill, pluck, dress and then hang.
Also re hanging - in a garage? lay on a plate in a fridge? how/where do you do it?
Now maybe you see why i am confused!
I don't want to risk food poisoning, but likewise i don't want to have got this far only to mess up and end up with tasteless or tough birds. Ideally i want the taste and texture to be as good as possible, and to be able to enjoy a nice roast chicken, with some yummy dripping for toast, and really don't have a clue now what to do for the best!
What do you do?
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judith
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There is nothing like reading some of those US sites to instill feelings of panic and confusion!
I think the first thing you need to do is manage your expectations - if you aren't raising hybrid meat birds and keeping them indoors for 6 weeks and then killing, then your meat is never going to be "tender" like a supermarket chicken. Whatever you do to it after it is killed. I am assuming that your Sassos/Ixworths are older - 12 weeks-ish? - and have been raised in conditions where they can run around and develop muscle. Well-developed muscle is always going to be slightly chewier - not "tough", but definitely more toothsome, even if you relax the meat for a couple of days. But in return you get flavour. Proper chicken flavour!
I can't advise on feeding corn as I haven't ever done it, but I suspect that a diet of just corn is likely to produce a fattier bird. Depends whether the yellow colour is important to you. I don't normally withdraw food before dispatching - I just feed them the night before as usual and kill them in the morning. The crop is normally empty at that stage.
To dip or not to dip. That is a matter of preference, pure and simple. Personally I dip if I am using the plucking machine, but if I just have one or two birds I don't bother and pluck the birds dry. If you pluck each bird straight away after killing, they should still be warm enough to pluck easily. Dipping (provided you get the water temperature right) does make the task easier, but it is quite smelly and I normally end up soaked as well. You probably need to try both and see what works best for you.
The first few birds will take you ages, whatever method you use!
For chickens, you want to eviscerate before putting the meat to relax. (Turkeys are hung plucked, with the guts in, but not chickens). I don't bother with chickens these days, but when I have, I just put the birds on a plate in the fridge. Given the temperature at the mo, I might also stick them in the meat safe in the garage. This, of course, might cause logistical problems if you have a lot of birds to do.
In my opinion (and feel free to ignore it!) whether you do this relaxing stage depends on what you want to do with the meat. It is possibly worth the effort if you want to roast the birds whole, but if you intend to joint them and freeze the bits separately for stir frying, coq au vin, etc, then it is a lot of faff for not much reward.
Hope this helps a bit.
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Cathryn
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Try to avoid doing too many at once as well. I am starting with two and then trying to avoid doing any more than two or three at any one time. They are only for our own consumption though (and the freezer is really full at the moment as well).
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dpack
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it gets easier with practice
unless it is for a roast i dont pluck ,peel is quick and tidy
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Lorrainelovesplants
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I would dry pluck rather than wet (and warm)....
or you can do what i do (cos Im busy and dont have tons of time) and just joint them......
then rinse in clean running cold water, pop in a freezer bag (enough for a meal) and freeze.
Common sense.....
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kirstyfern
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I cut the skin along the breast bone and peel back and then take off the breast meat and then the legs (incl thighs) off. Easy 
I don't bother roasting my chickens, only the turkeys which I pluck and then hang by the legs for 7-10 days, then dress.
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Bodger
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The only time that I've wet plucked is when the chickens have had little critters on them. A dunk in red hot water usually sorts the crawlies out. This is after the chicken has been killed of course. 
After the chicken has been dispatched, the bird is suspended by its feet using baler twine, I make sure that its at a handy height for plucking. I usually get stuck into the the job straight away. I have to, because I'm one of the worlds worse putter offers.
I echo the advice given so far and would second the person who said not to do too many at once. I only produce chicken for our own table and so, tend to rear in batches of around a dozen, less if I've had bad hatching results. 
In a batch of say a dozen, some birds are going to be ready for the chop before others. This works fine for me and it may take me a month or so to slowly work my way through them. The bonus of doing it this way, is that your meat tends to be even fresher and you can have a rest between doing them. 'All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy' and can certainly make rearing meat birds a bit of a drudge. 
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Tavascarow
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I'm much the same as Bodger, only killing surplus cockerels so no big batches.
I dry pluck as soon as they stop flapping, starting with the extremities, wings, legs tail, back & finally breast.
The farther from the heart cools first so if you leave the wings till last the feathers will have set & be harder to pull.
Once plucked I do hang before eviscerating for half a day in the summer maybe a full day in the autumn/winter.
Old birds that I know will be tough I skin & joint.
I still pluck the legs & breast before jointing.
The meat has better flavour with a bit of skin on & the dogs love cooked chicken skin.
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