Butchering Chickens 101 - NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART!!

In honor of Halloween, we butchered some of our chickens today. Actually, it was time to "cull" them, and bring in a couple of new ones, so we "took care" of 2 hens and 2 roosters today. No MaKayla, though. So, in case you ever wanted to know how to kill and skin you own chicken, you have come to the right place. Don't continue, though, if you don't want to see!! Or if you have or have not eaten, or if it is early in the morning, or if you have a squeamish stomach, or morning sickness, or something dreadful like that!



So, first you have to catch the chicken. This particular white one was quick. It gave the hubbie a run for his money.



Then, you chop its head off. No, I didn't post a pic of that here. I thought it might be a little too much for some people.



Next, you basically "peel" the skin apart and away for the body down the front of the chicken.


Then, you slip the skin off the shoulders, and pull it down to the elbow, where you break and then cut through the joint, on both wings.

After that, you do the same thing with the legs.

At which point you have almost a fully skinned chicken. Now for the innards.

You cut open the chest cavity, and reach your hand way up there, and pull everything out.

You then cut off the back end, which includes everything that you pulled out of the inside and also all the feathers.

Tadah! You're finished product.

Notice not near as meaty as your store fryer birds. These puppies are only good for crock potting all day long, and in soups/casseroles and things like that. You'll be chewing for days if you think that you can roast it or something.

I'm getting better at the whole skinning thing. I remember butchering chickens as a kid, and watching my dad do it. I remember him being a lot faster, and not so many feathers floating around. I don't think you could pay me enough to pluck the bird/leave the skin on. Now that would be way too much work! But, we now have 4 more birds in the freezer.