Breezee BarnsThe dreaded day finally arrived, and our roosters were leaving the coop permanently. It was time for our rooster roundup day. We had planned to take care of the roosters after we got back for our daughter’s wedding, but like always, other things came up, so the day kept getting pushed back. The day was set, and we all arrived at the designated spot to start the begin the process.
Preparing Rooster Stations
We each got assigned a task to do to get the area set up for the process. I was assigned to put the adjustable funnels (like these) together. Bending these funnels around for the size we needed was a pain to do. It took two of us working together since I do not have the best strength in my hands and wrist. Uncle D got the water going for the cooling area and my husband got the water boiling and the Yardbird (this one) set up.
Honestly, we were not fans of our roosters. Even though we hatched the roosters last June and watch them grow up we never attached to them. They were just to aggressive. They harassed the hens and would chase you if you were not prepared. The girls were given a stick to use to push the roosters back so they could get the chores completed in the coop. There were a few times the stick wasn’t around, and a rooster met the bottom of a shoe instead. Yep, I had them try pecking me a few times, so I knew what the girls were dealing with. Those roosters were downright mean, so catching them would be interesting.
The girls were asked to go grab two roosters. Well, that turned into a hot mess. They could not catch a rooster for nothing. Uncle D came to the rescue and showed them how it was done! He just walked into the coop and grabbed them like a picking up a bag of potatoes.
Let the Fun Begin
After catching the roosters, the real fun began. The chickens were placed in the funnels upside down so they could drain. Once all the blood drained out, off to the boiling water. They were placed in the water to tighten up the skin. Once the skin was tightened, the roosters were placed into the Yardbird. With the water running and the plucker turned on, it took about 15 seconds to remove all the feathers. It was crazy fast. After the plucking, the birds were placed in cold water. The roosters were in the cold water for a while before we pulled them out to dry. The final step, vacuum sealing the fresh birds.
Run Away Rooster
Even though we were butchering rooster, we did have a good laugh towards the end of the day. The final rooster gave us a run for our money. He escaped from the coop and ran around the property with three of us chasing him. We guess he was the leader of the group. We cornered him by the duck run and finally caught him. He was handed off to be placed in a funnel. We were all ready for the final rooster to be done, but that bird had other plans.
That crazy bird slipped out of the funnel and ran off. The chase was on again. This time it was around the barn and under cars. That rooster was not going to be an easy catch. The rooster thought he could get through a hole to the granary and hide in there. Nope, he got snagged by his tail feathers and placed back in the funnel. Even after he was cut to drain out, the rooster just would not give up, he took the longest to finally die. This rooster added to all the excitement of the day.
Easier Than Expected
We did it. We had no idea what to expect or what we were doing, but we did it anyway. It was nice that we had the help of Aunt T and Uncle D or else it would have taken all night to get the job done. The butchering of our roosters was one job that I think all the girls were dreading but knew that it needed to be done. They were not attached to the roosters; they just did not want to deal with the messiness.
For the most part, the process was not all the messy. In fact the girls did pretty well and did not get grossed out by the process. It just took a little time getting used to touching the skin once the feathers were off. After that they just got busy and helped where they were needed. Some had to be hand plucked since our water was not hot enough at first. The girls just put on gloves and got busy plucking feathers.
We had eight roosters to butcher. For doing this for the first time, it took us about 3 hours from start to finish. This experience is one to remember. We each learned something new. Hands on learning is the best kind of learning. We made a few mistakes along the way, but once we had everything figured out, the whole process went smoothly. The best thing we did was purchase the Yardbird (it was like magic!!). The Yardbird cut the plucking process down tremendously. Without the plucking machine it would have taken a whole lot longer to process the eight roosters.
The Next Experience
Now that we have our first experience of butchering rooster under our belts, we know that we can do it again. I think the girls will feel like they are pros when it comes to butchering chickens again. They each know what is expected and what to do. The only part that they will struggle with is catching those pesky runners. This experience also helps us know were can be self-reliant and take care of ourselves. Yes, I will have to be more hands on, but this time it was my job to take the pictures and videos of the process. Who else could have taken the pictures if we all were gloved up?? We had to have pictures to show family we finally did it.
As for the next time, it will be awhile before we will be butchering again. Right now we have our hen, Bethany, who has taken over a nest of duck eggs. For some reason she took over the nest and wants to hatch those eggs, so maybe we will have some ducklings join the flock. We also got our new shipments of chicks. Our babies will take some time to grow. Be on the look out on Instagram and Facebook with updates on those little chickees. Plus I’ll be putting up a post to debut those new babies. They are adorable to watch and hear!!! We already have a few favorites out of flock and the girls have given a few of them names.
