Over the past couple weekends - and a couple evenings during the week - we processed our last batch of broilers for the year. With over 70 chickens that needed to make it into the freezer ASAP, we decided to purchase some low-cost equipment so we could process them in our own backyard. In the past, we would have travelled about twenty miles to another farm with said chickens and two very bored children in tow. Even though our equipment is more rudimentary and the going was slower, we had happy kids, happy chickens (well, up until...you know), and showers. All that was missing was a pumpkin latte from Starbucks at the end of it all.
Here's our set-up, along with approximate purchase prices:
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| Stainless steel table, 2'x4', used for evisceration. Approximately $125 on eBay. |
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| Polar Ware 30-quart stainless steel pot from Amazon, $67.40. Underneath is a Bayou Classic outdoor gas cooker, $51.80. |
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| Drill attachment plucker, approximately $30 from eBay. |
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| Large cooler, which we used as a chill tank. I can't recall the price, but many people have coolers like these already. And see the green bucket? When we were only processing maybe five birds in an evening, we would just chill them in FREE food-grade buckets we snagged from Chick-fil-A. Oh, the irony. |
Grand total? $274.20, not including the items we already had on hand. Not too shabby, when you consider the professional stuff can climb up to the likes of $8,000.
One thing we do want to change is the plucker. The little drill attachment worked, but I had to pluck whatever it couldn't (wings). Not an issue if you're processing about five birds, but when you run into a couple or few dozen, you really need something more efficient. We may try finding something used or attempt to make our own next summer.
We also could have purchased an aluminum turkey pot with temperature control, but we're a little leery of aluminum and its leaching abilities. So Byron kind of got into the groove of knowing when to turn the valve up to heat the water, and when to turn it back down. We kept a thermometer on hand to ensure that the water would always be between 140 and 150 degrees.
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| And this all wouldn't have happened without the Cornish X chicken. |
And that's when home processing equipment really comes in handy. Just saying.
I'm linking up with the Homestead Barn Hop!
We had a few Cornish Roc Xs that just died for no reason this time. I like the taste of the Freedom Rangers better too. But you don't get as much meat. We processed ours weekend before last. Nice to get it done, isn't it?!?
ReplyDeleteI'm convinced that dying is what the Cornish X do best. LOVE that this is done - a huge weight has been lifted!
DeleteWe are just about to do a few chickens as well. It will be our first time. We do not have any special equipment but we only have 4 chickens to do. Ok I say we, DH is the meat eater he is going to process them. I think he is going to skin them not pluck. LOL makes me as glad as ever I am vegetarian LOL. Actually I am glad DH is going to give this a try. So much healthier to eat what we raise!
ReplyDeleteWow 70 chickens would be hard work! We do 5-6 at a time (Rhode Is Red roosters usually) and I get so tired of the plucking and the gutting.... But the meat is so tasty, its worth it in the end! I'm interested in that plucking attachment, will have to look into our options, but it is the tidying up plucking that I find most tedious, so if you have to do that anyway, its probably easier to just do the whole thing by hand...
ReplyDeleteA couple times the plucker attachment fell out of the drill (hence the duct tape), and I had to pluck the rest of the chicken by hand. I do think this plucker saved time, and if you're only doing 5 or 6, it might be worth it! The design is pretty simple, though, and if you're handy you could probably make your own. :)
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