Hi Daniel: I use the chopping block and axe method like Natalie as It is very quick. Once it has stopped flapping (this is only nerves) I have a bucket half full of boiling water ready to dip it in to for a few seconds, then it can be plucked quickly and easily. Once most of the feathers are off it is important to gut it as soon as possible. Make about a 2 inch slit cutting back towards the anus, just shallow so you dont cut in to the entrails so you can fit your hand in and pull them all out intact. I like to remove all the wind pipe from the neck as well.
Also I forgot the feet can be easily removed by cutting lightly arount the join at the top of the scaly bit and twisting and bending and cutting till they come off.
Have you done it yet? I did two of our roosters a month or so ago. They were very co-operative. Held them under my arm until calm, lay them on the (wood) chopping block on their side. THey stayed very still and then hit them with the axe. All over very quickly. One did a bit of flapping but the other didn't. My 3 yr old was very impressed.
Daniel Andrews > Natalie BeddekAugust 13, 2010 at 10:33am
No i haven't butchered any yet im waiting untill i have changed my set up to an enclosed deep dish system, i have six layers and they are all proper free range they nest in our low trees at night one is nesting in one of the nest boxes but the others must be nesting some where, i have looked and looked but cant find a nest, the other day i took my sons for a walk and had to fetch their pram out of the boot of the car my wife called me and i was distracted and went inside for five minute as i left i shut the car boot. When i got back my wife was like there's a chicken in the car! we chased it out of the car it had pooped on the passenger seat and laid an egg in my sons car chair
Replies
http://butcherachicken.blogspot.com/
was a great help in the butchering. Very easy to follow.
hope it goes/went ok.
natalie