Usually we just raise chickens for meat once a year (in the spring), but since we were starting to run low on meat, we raised another set of chickens this fall. We butchered them Thursday morning.
The unlucky victims waiting in the truck.
Setting up
Jonathan and Daddy checking the temperature of the water in the scalder.
(Jonathan is using a thermometer, not his hand!) :)
David fixing a hose
Amanda rinsing the plucker
Getting started...Jonathan and Daddy scalding the first set of chickens. (We didn't take any pictures of them being killed.) :)
Putting the chickens into the plucker...
...which does a wonderful job!
Some of the girls getting ready to clean the chickens
Some friends from church came over and brought some of their chickens for us to process for them. Nicholas was a big help getting the chickens out of the truck.
In the middle of processing, a piece of the plucker broke! We were very grateful that our friends had a part at home just like the broken one and were able to repair it quickly.
We didn't get very many pictures because we weren't clean enough to touch the camera!
That plucker sure looks nice! Years ago my family raised some chickens for meat. We only were allowed to have five chickens at a time in the city we lived in. I remember what a big process it all was, and that was for only five chickens! Tom and I are thinking of raising chickens for their eggs and meat someday if we move to the country, and I want to get one of those pluckers! :)
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