How long does it take to pluck a rooster by hand?

[Chubbicthe2nd]

So our straight run chicks grew up to be 50% rooster as is expected, but our hens only pullets turned out to only be 2/3 female.

Now we have 8 roosters and 10 hens, and we can only keep three roosters at the most. Probably 2 is better. (They all free range and there are some predators about, so the extra roosters are useful).

We were worried they would fight, and then they didn't fight much so we were happy, but now it's concerning because they have no jealousy at all, and seem to all share the same favorite hens. It's a little bit sickening the way they chase around one hen, and all take turns over and over. I try not to anthropomorphize animals, but it seemed a bit much. The hen will get increasingly distressed, by the 3rd or 4th rooster in a row she's pretty upset. This could be impacting egg production I heard, stressed hens.

So, we decided to eat the roosters. This has been a shoestring budget operation, and pluckers are very expensive. How long does it take to pluck a chicken by hand? I'm just trying to get myself ready for this. Also, does anyone know where to find videos that show you how to humanely kill a rooster? I can't find them on YouTube. I've read descriptions, but I think a picture or video would help me know what I'm doing a bit more.

 

[nuthatched]

Just skin them, it's so much easier.

 

[Chubbicthe2nd]

Alas, I eat chicken for the skin. . .

 

[nuthatched]

Alas, I eat chicken for the skin. . .

In that case, it depends on your skill level and the method used.

 

[Molpet]

The first one I did took over an hour.
I use a cut up kitty litter jug as a cone with electric tape 5 wraps around the ankles .

I use a PVC pipe cutter to lop the head off

I think @MysteryChicken has a video of how she does her's

 

[Molpet]

Also cooking methods depends on age
For me, resting until rigor mortis has passed is needed.

 

[MysteryChicken]

The first one I did took over an hour.
I use a cut up kitty litter jug as a cone with electric tape 5 wraps around the ankles .
View attachment 4007718
I use a PVC pipe cutter to lop the head off
View attachment 4007719

I think @MysteryChicken has a video of how she does her's

I do.

I believe he took me only 26 minutes to pluck.
First time starting out butchering by myself plucking took a few hours.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Alas, I eat chicken for the skin. . .

The skin is the best part.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Look in the sticky section of this meat bird forum section for "how-to's". Here is the link.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/meat-section-sticky-topic-index.248648/

The first time you pluck one it will take forever. You get better with a little practice.

It takes me about a half hour whether I skin or pluck them. But that includes everything from killing to being ready to age them. I cut them into parts and keep different parts for broth so I'm not fast. Set-up and clean-up take time not included in this estimate.

You can get some really different times. Part of that is whether we work alone or in a group, our experience, how fast we move, and what is actually included in that time.

 

[Morrigan]

It get's faster with practice. Right now, it takes my DH and i about an hour to process 3 chickens -- that's the total time from setting up, to axing, to putting them in bags to rest in the fridge, to cleaning up our work site.

The plucking component depends a little bit on whether your chickens are undergoing their juvenile molt. I can pluck a non-molting bird in half the time as one juvenile molt. like to eat the skin, and so I spend the time to get all those little pin feathers out.