Harvesting Chickens
When your broilers are ready to be butchered (around 8 weeks of age), you will need to prepare your processing area. It does not have to be elaborate, but it needs to be clean, free from insects, and have a water supply. Processing is a three-step procedure consisting of the actual butchering, evisceration, and chilling. The butchering process should be done in a separate room from the last two steps.
You will need to gather supplies before starting. You will need two large containers, such as clean 5-gallon buckets or even clean metal garbage cans. One will be used for scalding and another will be used for chilling. You will also need two or more large stockpots for boiling water and a sturdy worktable. It is best if the worktable is made from an impervious material to protect it from the water and so it can be bleached before and after use. Other equipment and supplies include sharp knives, two or more deep pans, a cutting board, a permanent marking pen, and freezer bags.
Fill the stockpots with water and bring to a boil prior to butchering. Once you have selected your chickens for butchering, you will need to sever its throat. A sharp axe makes a clean cut but does not allow as much to bleed out as does a sharp knife. Regardless of the method used, you should hold the carcass upside down to allow the blood to drain out. The throat is cut with the sharp knife right below the lower jaw. There are also killing cones or shackles available to help hold the chicken steady during the butchering process. The chicken will flop around for a minute or two after butchering, so do not be alarmed.
Once the chicken is butchered, hold it by the legs and immerse it, head first, in the scalding water for 30 to 60 seconds. The carcass then should be moved around in the water to make sure the water thoroughly penetrates all the feathers. This allows the feather follicles to relax and makes feather removal easier. You may want to wear hand and arm protection to keep the water from scalding your skin. You should then suspend the scalded carcass by the legs with shackles or rope to make picking out its feathers easier. The feathers should be picked as soon as possible after scalding. The feathers can be picked or rubbed off, but whatever process is used, be careful not to tear the skin. Pinfeathers can be removed by using a dull knife and your fingers. Usually, on young broilers, the skin will be free from hairs once the feathers are picked. On older chickens and turkeys, there may be some fine hairs on the skin after the feathers are removed. These can be removed by singeing the carcass using a handheld propane torch. Move the flame quickly over the carcass to avoid burning the skin. Be careful not to burn yourself in the process.
Once the feathers have been removed, it will be time to eviscerate or remove the internal organs from the body. First, the head should be cut off. Find the joint between the head and the first neck vertebra by gently flexing the neck. Use the knife to find where the joint is (there will be a slight depression between the vertebra) and cut through the tissue. Do not try cutting through the bone, or you will dull your knife and possibly cut yourself in the process. Place the chicken belly down on your cutting board or table. Insert the tip of a knife in the skin near the point of the shoulder and slice the skin open all the way to the tip of the neck. Pull the skin loose from the neck and pull the crop, esophagus (gullet), and windpipe (trachea) loose. Cut them off where they meet the body and discard. Remove the feet next. Turn the chicken over so the belly is up, bend the foot back at the hock joint, and cut through this joint to remove the feet. The feet will have bones, so they should be thrown away in the trash. Turn the bird back over and remove the oil gland at the base of the tail. You will notice the opening of the oil gland. Start a cut 1-inch up the body from this opening and cut deep into the vertebra and make a scooping cut to remove the gland.
The abdomen will next be opening. Place the chicken belly up, pull the abdomen skin up near the tail, and cut through the skin and body wall, being careful not to penetrate into the abdominal organs. Extend the cut to the tail near the vent. Cut around the vent and meet your first cut at the top of the vent. Pull the vent and the end of the large intestine out of the abdomen, but do not break the intestine. Let go of the vent and stick your hand inside the abdominal cavity as far as possible. Break the attachments of the intestines to the abdominal wall. Grasp the heart and pull the abdominal organs out, twisting gently as you bring them out. The gizzard, heart, and liver (giblets) can be removed from the abdominal organs and saved for eating. Discard the rest of the organs. Peel the excess fat and the lining from the gizzard. Trim the heart sac and blood vessels from the heart. Carefully trim the gallbladder off the liver. Wash the giblets and place them in pan of cool water.
Next, remove the lungs from the body wall. They are located near the backbone on each side. Stroke two fingers along this area to remove, then discard. The reproductive organs are located near the backbone as well. They should be removed and discarded. Use a running hose or faucet to rinse the carcass inside and outside. Place it in the chill water container. This water should be changed frequently if you are butchering more than two or three birds. You can also place a slowly running hose in the chill water container and let it overflow as you are processing birds.
Once the birds are properly chilled they can be further cut up into parts, or they can be packaged in sturdy freezer bags. Place the giblets inside a small plastic food bag and place this inside the body cavity. Excess water should be drained from the carcass before placing inside the freezer bag. Slip the excess neck skin over the exposed neck bone to keep it from puncturing the bag. Place in freezer to preserve.
Game birds and waterfowl
Butchering turkeys, guinea fowl, and game birds is similar as for chickens. Likewise, harvesting, cleaning, and storage of chicken eggs apply to guinea fowl and game bird eggs. Game birds are often sold live to hunt clubs or hunting preserves. The birds are typically sold at around 16 weeks of age, although the hunting preserve may have different requirements. It is very important that you check prior to release with your state’s Department of Fish and Game regarding the regulations governing the release of game birds in your state.
Butchering ducks and geese is very similar to butchering chickens. Pekin ducks can be ready to butcher at 8 weeks of age when they are 5 pounds. Rouen ducks mature much more slowly and will be ready for butchering at 5 to 6 months. Geese are usually raised for the holiday market during the late fall. They should be 5 to 6 months old and weigh 10 to 15 pounds, depending on the breed. The down from the breast area can be washed, dried, and saved for use in pillows or clothing. After butchering, geese and ducks can be dry picked, but scalding the feathers first makes them release easier and cuts down on skin tears. If you do not want to save the down, the goose or duck can be waxed after the large feathers are removed. This process will remove the down and smaller feathers that are more difficult to remove. Melted paraffin wax can be purchased and heated to 140–155°F. The goose or duck should be dipped twice into the wax, then dipped into cold water to set the wax. When the wax sets to a flexible form, it can then be stripped off along with the down and feather. The wax can be strained off the feathers and down and reused.
Harvesting Rabbits
If your plans include slaughtering rabbits for sale to commercial businesses, such as grocery stores or restaurants, they will need to be processed according to local or state health codes. You will need to contact your local or state meat inspection agency for rules and regulations.
Meat
If you are slaughtering rabbits for home use, there are two ways to kill the rabbit. The neck can be dislocated by firmly grasping the hind legs and head. Then it is stretched to full length, and with a hard, sharp pull, the head is bent backward. This dislocates the neck. The other way to butcher the rabbit is to stun it with a hard blow behind the ears with a blunt object, like a stout stick or hammer.
Using a rope attached to one of the hind legs, hang the rabbit with the head down. Use a sharp knife to remove the head and allow the blood to drain from the carcass. The forefeet should next be removed right at the joint. Use the knife to cut the skin around the hock joint. Make a cut down the legs toward the tail and peel the hide down to the tail. Remove the tail and pull the skin down the rest of the body. Then, set the skin aside. Wash the knife to remove any blood clots or fur.
Next, make a cut starting near the anus and down the abdomen to the sternum. Cut through the entire abdominal muscle, but make sure you do not cut too deep and cut into the intestinal tract. You want to avoid this to keep from contaminating the meat with fecal material. Remove the intestinal tract and lungs; discard into the garbage. The heart, kidney, and liver can be removed and saved if desired. Once the abdominal contents are removed, take the rabbit off the rope and cut off the hind feet at the hock. The carcass should be washed with clean, running water to remove fur, blood clots, and other debris. The carcass should then be placed in sturdy, freezer bags and stored at refrigerator temperatures (35–40°F), or placed in the freezer if the meat is not consumed within two days.
Pelts
After removal from the body, the pelts should be processed while they are still warm and pliable. If there is any body fat present on the freshly skinned pelt, remove it by scraping with a sharp knife blade. The pelt should then be fitted around pelt shapers. These will expand the pelt to full length without stretching the pelts out of shape. Shapers can be made using sturdy wire, and the pelt can be fastened to the shaper with clothespins. The pelts on the shapers should be hung in a drying area but not in direct sunlight. After they are dried, they can then be removed from the shaper. The pelts are now ready for selling to fur dealers or for tanning.
How to Butcher a Sheep, Goat, Pig, or Steer
Butchering a larger animal will take some preparation and assistance. Many people prefer to have a local butcher shop do the job, as it is not an easy task. But if you prefer to butcher the animal for your own use, it is possible to perform the task at home. Large animals should be butchered when the outside daytime temperature is 40°F or cooler. This temperature is ideal refrigerator temperature and will allow the carcass to cool to prevent spoilage. Sheep and goats are usually butchered when they are fewer than 9 months old. Pigs generally are butchered when they weigh around 225 pounds. Cattle can be butchered as veal calves (around 2 to 3 months of age) or any time after this age.
The animal to be butchered should be removed from its herd mates and killed out of sight and hearing of the rest of the herd to keep from upsetting the other animals. Having a front-end load tractor will help you hang the animal so its blood can drain from the body. A pulley system consisting of a rope and block and tackle can also be used. Lead or drive the animal close to the area where you plan to hang the animal. You should also have a source of clean, running water in place near the butchering area.
Goats should be shot in the back of the head, while other animals are shot in the head at a point mid-way between the eyes. As soon as the animal is shot, sturdy ropes or chains should be placed on its rear legs, and it should be hung upside down. The jugular vein and carotid artery on the side of the throat should be slit to allow the blood to drain. The testicles on an uncastrated male animal should be removed next by cutting the attachments against the body. Following, the head of the animal should be removed. Goat or sheep heads can be removed by cutting around the neck with a knife and then severing the tendons and ligaments holding the head to the neck. Use a meat saw to sever the spine from the head in a pig or cow. Remove the front feet by cutting through the first joint on the leg.
The hide or skin will be removed next. A pointed knife should be used to make a circular cut in the hide around the rear legs. From each leg, make a cut through the hide and down the leg to the body. Join these cuts at the midline of the pelvis and extend the cut through the hide all the way down the abdomen to the neck. Skin the hide away from the body by removing the hide at the rear legs and working your way down the body. Pulling the loose skin as you make your cut will help peel the hide away.
After the skin has been removed, you will begin to remove the intestines. The tail should be removed in cattle at this point by severing the tail at the junction between it and the body. Use a pointed knife to cut around the anus to free the end of the colon from the attachment to the body. Give it a slight yank to completely free it, then tie it closed with a piece of clean string or twine. Use your knife to make a cut into the lower abdomen, being very careful not to puncture any internal organs. Extend the incision to the tip of the breastbone. Remove the penis in male animals at this point. Use a tub or a wheelbarrow to catch the intestines. Cut through the fat and tissue attachment holding the intestines inside the abdomen. Pull the anus out through the abdomen and gently, yet firmly, pull the intestines and bladder from the body. You can save the liver and kidneys at this point for your use if you desire. Once the intestines are out, you will need to sever the esophagus. This is the tube that runs from the mouth to the stomach. Try to cut it as far away from where it enters the stomach as possible. Once this is cut, the intestines should now be out of the carcass and in your container.
Next, cut through the diaphragm to remove the heart and lungs. Cut through the tissues attaching heart and lungs (the pluck) to the body and sever the windpipe at the top of the lungs. The heart can be saved, while the lung and windpipe are usually discarded along with the intestines. You will need to remove the rest of the windpipe by cutting through the neck to remove this structure. Once the internal organs are removed, wash the entire carcass inside and out with water, preferably from a running hose, to remove blood, hair, and debris. Allow the water to drain, then cover the carcass loosely with clean plastic.
Pig carcasses should hang overnight to chill the meat, then it will be ready to be cut into pieces. The carcasses of other animals should hang for a week (or more) in order to age the meat, which makes it more tender. Carcasses should only be allowed to hang outside if the temperature remains between 25 and 40°F — this is why it is best to butcher animals during the winter. If the temperature does not remain between this range, you will need to cut up the meat and freeze, or have an alternative refrigeration means available, such as a refrigerator at a local butcher shop.