Raising your own chickens for meat can be a rewarding experience. Not only do you know exactly how your birds were raised, but you get the satisfaction of providing food for your family with your own two hands.
However, the process of actually killing and cleaning the chickens can seem daunting, especially if you’ve never done it before. Don’t worry – with some preparation and the right technique, you can ensure a quick and humane end for your birds.
In this detailed guide, I’ll walk you through the entire process, step-by-step Armed with the right information, you can feel confident about dispatching your chickens in the most ethical way possible.
Things You’ll Need
Before getting started, make sure you have the necessary supplies:
- A sharp knife or hatchet for killing the chickens swiftly
- Large pot or buckets for scalding water
- Plucking station set up with cones/hooks for hanging birds
- Cutting board and knives for butchering
- Pots or buckets for chilling the processed birds
- Freezer bags, jars or other storage containers
It’s also a good idea to have running water available to rinse away mess during the process. And don’t forget the all-important ice for chilling down the meat afterward!
Catching the Chickens
The first step is corralling your chickens into a small area so they’re easier to catch. I like to do this the night before butchering day.
If you leave food, water and roosts in their pen, the chickens will be comfortable overnight. Just restrict access to the coop so they can’t escape!
In the morning, move slowly and deliberately when catching chickens to avoid stressing them unnecessarily. Cover their heads with one hand while gently grasping both legs with the other.
Carry them upside down to the killing cone.
Humane Slaughter
For a quick, humane kill, I recommend using killing cones and slicing through the arteries in the neck.
Hang the cones near your processing area and place a chicken head-first into each one. The cone should be snug to cover and contain the wings.
Pull the head down to expose the neck. Cut the arteries with a swift slice on both sides of the neck. This will cause rapid blood loss, and death within seconds.
Let the body bleed out thoroughly before moving to the next steps.
Scalding and Plucking
Once the chickens have bled out completely, it’s time to loosen the feathers for plucking. You’ll need hot – but not boiling – water for this.
Test the temperature by dipping your wrist or elbow in the water. It should be hot, but not scalding.
Dunk each bird in the hot water for about 30 seconds. This will begin to loosen the feathers.
Now you can start plucking! It’s easiest to pluck immediately after scalding while the feathers are still loose. Focus first on the wing and tail feathers as they are the hardest to remove.
I like to do an initial plucking by hand, then go back with a propane torch to singe off any hairs or remaining feather bits. This helps remove all traces of the feathers.
Make sure you pluck against the direction of growth to get the entire feather out.
Evisceration
With the feathers removed, it’s time to remove the internal organs and prepare the carcass.
Start by cutting off the head, feet and oil gland at the base of the tail. Then, make an incision just below the breast bone being careful not to cut into the intestines.
Reach inside the body cavity to loosen and remove the organs. Scoop out the innards in one motion if possible. The lungs may need gentle cutting to remove.
Thoroughly rinse the body cavity, letting water run all the way through. Check for any remaining bits of lung, heart or other organs stuck to the ribs or spine.
Finally, trim away excess fat if desired. Rinse the fully cleaned carcass and allow it to drain.
Now you have a cleaned, dressed chicken ready for chilling and storage!
Chilling and Storage
It’s important to cool down the chicken carcasses quickly to prevent bacteria growth. Keep them on ice or refrigerated for at least 24 hours before freezing or cooking.
You can store the meat in freezer bags, vacuum packs, mason jars, etc. I like to portion it into meal-sizes for easy thawing and cooking later.
Proper labeling with the date and type of chicken is also a good idea for your records.
The shelf life of fresh chicken stored in the freezer is 9-12 months. Canning or heavy salting can extend shelf life.
Always cook chicken thoroughly to 165°F minimum internal temperature before consuming to kill any bacteria.
Don’t Waste Anything!
Aside from the meat itself, don’t let any other parts of the chicken go to waste:
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Save the bones and scraps to make nourishing chicken stock. This can be canned or frozen for later use in soups, stews and more.
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Hearts, livers and other organs are full of nutrients. Cook them up or mix into ground meat.
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Feathers can be composted or used as stuffing for DIY projects.
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Fat and skin are perfect for rendering into nutritious schmaltz.
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Feet can be cleaned, boiled and used for natural gelatin in stocks and broths.
With a little creativity, you can get the most value from your homegrown chickens.
Final Thoughts
If this is your first time slaughtering and processing chickens, don’t be afraid to ask an experienced friend for help or guidance. Having an extra set of hands (and some moral support!) can make the process go much more smoothly.
While killing animals is never pleasant, with the right approach, you can ensure your chickens have just one bad day from hatching to consumption. Providing a quick, low-stress death is the best way to honor the birds that nourish your family.
With practice and preparation, you’ll gain skill and confidence. Soon, you may even find yourself looking forward to butchering day and the bounty it provides. Nothing beats the flavor and nutrition of chickens raised in your own backyard.
So gather your supplies, say a prayer of thanks, and get ready to fill your freezer with homegrown goodness. Happy butchering!
Supplies Needed for Modern Approach
- Poultry Transport Cage – Used to store the live chickens while processing the others. Catching the chickens and having them available for easy access is essential for a smooth operation. The cage doesn’t have to be anything fancy. I’ve used a mobile pastured poultry pen next to where we’re processing. I’ve used an old cage I had laying around the farm for smaller numbers. For more convenience, you could opt for a poultry transport cage.
- Restraining Cones – These are also known as killing cones. They work great for holding the bird in place while killing, and they keep them in place if any nerves kick in after the kill and the bird begins to jump. This way, you don’t have a “chicken running around with its head cut off.”
- I believe the action of putting them upside down causes the blood to run to their head, creating a sedating effect. I also believe the “hugged” position of the chickens in the cones serves to calm their nerves.
- It’s very important to keep the chicken calm before the kill. A stressed-out chicken can mean a loss of glycogen levels which will negatively affect the taste, tenderness, color and quality of the meat.
- Sharp Knives – Knives are essential. If you only have one, I suggest an all-purpose boning knife about five to six inches long.
- Pruning Shears – Used for cutting off the head and neck. I like these high-quality Felco F-2 Class hand pruners.
- Waterproof Apron – This is so helpful for keeping your body dry. When you gut the chicken, it’s easy to get soaked with gut-infested water. I bit the bullet and bought this waterproof apron that’s easy to hose off at the end of the process.
- Waterproof Boots – You’ll be thankful for dry feet. I’ve been using an inexpensive set of these Servas, but I go through about two pairs a year. I would probably save money if I’d buy a more expensive pair. I’ve heard some good things about these Muck Boots from fellow permaculturists, so maybe I’ll try a pair of those next. Muck even has a one-year warranty!
- Buckets – Buckets are a classic essential on the farm, and they’re a critical element in this operation. You might be able to acquire used buckets from a grocery store or Craigslist. You can certainly buy them at a farm, garden or food supply store. Here are several ways you can use buckets for the slaughter:
- To catch the drainage from the sink.
- To catch blood underneath the restraining cones.
- For holding internal organs and other parts you aren’t keeping.
- To catch or store feathers.
- Scalder – This is another necessity that could be as simple as a large cooking pot over an outdoor fire. To make life easier, you could use an outdoor gas cooking stove for more control. An outdoor turkey fryer has one burner and would work great for scalding. To make life easiest, use this Dux Industries electric scalder. The main advantage of this scalder is that it can set your desired temperature and automatically maintain that temperature. You might consider a commercial-grade scalder if you’re a bigger operation and processing 50 or more chickens at a time.
- Liquid Soap – This is useful in your scalding water and will go a long way to easing the tension between skin and feathers, making the feathers come out easier. I just pour a bit of Shaklee Basic H, but any eco-friendly soap will do.
- Thermometer – A thermometer is useful for monitoring your scalding water temperature. Even if you’re using an electric scalder with an automatic setting, you’ll want to monitor the progress of the warm-up and double-check your temperatures throughout the process
- Scalding Poker – A scalding poker is a poking tool to move your chicken around in the scalder. If you’re saving the feet for chicken broth, you don’t want to scald the chicken by holding the feet because the feet will need a fair share of time in the scalding water. I use a handheld 3-pronged cultivator.
- Extension Cords – Needed to connect to your power source.
- Power Strip – Used to connect electric scalder and plucker.
- Chicken Plucker – This tool for plucking can make plucking a breeze. A plucker is optional and unnecessary if you’re only doing small amounts of birds or are willing to pluck by hand. It takes me about ten minutes to pluck one bird by hand, but I can pluck a chicken in my machine plucker in about 30 seconds. Some plucker options are:
- Drill Plucker -This will pluck one chicken at a time and would be somewhat of an upgrade if you’re doing it by hand.
- Drum Style Plucker – This will pluck one chicken at a time in about 30 seconds. I’ve pulled mine out for as little as just one bird and as many as 50. I personally use this plucker and believe it’s a great choice for the homestead level.
- Commercial Plucker – These will pluck three or more chickens at a time. This will save considerable time if you’re plucking a large number of birds. These are the pluckers Joel Salatin uses to process hundreds of chickens. Featherman makes a good commercial plucker.
- Large Cooking Pot – Filled with cold water, it is useful to quickly cool the bird after the scald, preventing it from scalding any further. A cooling pot isn’t totally necessary but will give you more control and doesn’t take that much effort.
- Sink and Processing Table – I can’t quite imagine butchering without this! For small operations, you could use your kitchen sink, but most prefer a designated sink for processing in any case.
- Hand Soap and Towels – Great at the sink to wash up if you need to take a break.
- Stainless Steel Bowl – Filled with ice cold water, it is great for separating and storing necks, organs and feet.
- Coolers – Filled with ice water used to quickly chill the finished chickens after they are butchered. This isn’t necessary if you’re only processing a few birds, but if you’re going to be out for a while, store your chickens in cool water.
- Transport Trays – Work great for transporting the chickens from the cooler if needed. I use stainless steel trays to transport birds inside to my wife, Rebekah, who dries them off and preps them for the fridge. We process more chickens than would fit in the cooler, so I make a few trips inside.
- Dry Rack or Towels – Used for drying the chicken before bagging it for storage.
- Vacuum Sealer – You will want to get the excess air out of the storage bags to prevent frost while in the freezer. This vacuum sealer is similar to the one we use.
- Bags – Needed for storing the birds. Make sure to buy bags suited to your vacuum sealer and large enough to fit your birds.
- Food Scale – Optional for weighing the finished birds if you like. I just use a small packaging scale. We always mark them by weight with a sharpie so we can plan our cooking times.
2 – 4 Hours Before
Get your scalder going in plenty of time to get to your desired temperature. It can take several hours for an electric model or a fire to heat water up to 145° F, so plan accordingly.
Butcher a Chicken Without Plucking
FAQ
How do you clean a chicken after killing it?
Pull the large tail and wing feathers first and then set a routine for removing the rest of the body feathers. Rinse the bird with water after removing most of the feathers. Using slight pressure, rub the carcass to remove any remaining small feathers and pinfeathers.
How do you kill and prepare a chicken?
1. Kill bird, cut off head, then quickly; 2. Hang by feet to let blood drain out; 3. Cut open, remove innards, and clean cavity with water, and; 4. Pluck, then; 5. Brine carcass for 4 – 8 hours, wash and pat dry; 6. Refrigerate overnight, uncovered. 7. Cook!
How long should chickens not eat before butchering?
Feed Withdrawal Timeline
Generally, research indicates that the optimal feed withdrawal time is between 8 and 12 hours prior to processing, as this withdrawal period yields the lowest occurrence of carcass contamination and carcass yield losses (Wabeck, 1972).
How to properly dispose of a dead chicken?