Most of us keep chickens for the sheer pleasure of them and their eggs! I wouldn't eat mine - they are layer hybrids and they cost £10 each! And they are part of the family. But if you have raised them from chicks and they are a meat breed then here's what to do...

When?

Some birds will be ready by 18 weeks, at 10 they would be a poussin and much over 30 weeks an old boiler! Catch her and kill it as quick as you can. Take her away from the rest of the flock and then wring its neck. For a right-hander, this is most easily done by holding the bird's feet in your left hand so it hangs head down, breast towards you, back away. Take hold of her head with your right hand, so the neck is between your two middle fingers and the head is in the palm of the hand. Pull the head down while rotating your wrist upwards, so the neck is stretched tight and the head pulled back. You should hear a crunch as the neck breaks. This definitely sounds like there's a knack to it. So err on the side of firmness, to get the job done.

Bleed

Ideally a chicken should be bled: as soon as you've killed it, slit its neck vertically, from above the crop to the base of the beak. Let it hang above a bucket for half an hour, then pluck it while it is still warm , which is easier than when it has gone cold.

Pluck

To pluck the bird, use your thumb and forefinger to pull out a few feathers at a time; if you grab too many you may tear the skin. Work over the breast and back, the tail, then the legs and wings. Don’t bother with the wing tips. Once you’ve de-feathered the rest of the bird, these extremities should be cut off, along with the feet - with a strong pair of kitchen scissors. Remove the head and neck by cutting right through at the base of the crop, about a centimetre above the breast. It means that some of the contents of the crop may be spilled, or left sticking to the carcass, but they are easily wiped off.

Gut

To gut the bird, make a small incision between the vent and the tail and then cut carefully round the rectum to detach it from the rest of the body. If you are lucky or have had some practice, when you lift it out, most of the guts will come away with it, followed by the gizzard, heart, liver and lungs. If not have good scrape out! Once you've got everything out, give the inside of the bird a good wipe. At the neck end of the bird, carefully scrape out the crop.

Hang

The chicken's tenderness will be improved if you hang it by its' feet in a cool place for at least twenty-four hours and less than four days.

©2004-2010 Andy Moyle Site Map Try out our sister site