Chicken Processing

We had a couple of roosters I wanted to process and didn't know exactly how.  Wade and Lucy Wisner of  Wisner's Farm asked if we'd like to come to their meat bird processing to learn how, and we could bring our birds.  My husband Mitch and I chased down our nasty rooster and took him and another over for processing today.  Mitch learned how to put them down, scald, and pluck.  I learned the butchering part.  We enjoyed learning this art. 

What I learned about possible corn contaimination.  Before butchering the birds are chilled in ice water.  Corn allergic have issues with store bought ice due to the water softening process.  The other possible contamination comes with disinfectant.  I was told there is a requirement for sterile water to be available or used to clean the cutting surface and the equipment.  The sterile water contained pinesol or white vinegar. 

I made sure to bring along my own ice chest and 2 1/2 gallons of ice from home, plus ziploc bags to put my birds in.   I made ice water in my ice chest to chill my birds.  When we were done butching their birds I rinsed my corner of the table off with water to butcher my birds.   I am excited that I now have small uncontaminated chicken.  Yeah!  I am now ready to start buying larger breed laying hens that can also be good for meat.