Chickens in the Pot.

I decided today that I HAD to get something really productive done. I have been hanging out at the house and enjoying the slowness of the after holiday. Salena and I have managed to get some house cleaning accomplished  and I have worked on finances and budget planning but really have been pretty lazy.

Adam got up on the roof and took down the Christmas lights. Tree is back in the box and the Christmas dishes are washed and packed. Just have some candles and Knick Knacks to round up in the house. The mailbox is still decorated.

I decided that this was the day to start on butchering those extra Speckled Sussex roosters. It took us about an hour to get six of them cleaned and stewing in the big pot on the stove. It was a messy job since I just skinned them out. I hadn't done that in a long time and it took me a chicken or two to remember the system.
Usually, we heat up the hot water vat and use the plucker. These roosters are definitely NOT the Cornish crosses that we are used to and are pretty skinny for meat birds. They have to go and there really isn't a market for cull roosters so...... we will just have to keep working at it until we get them all stewed. Seth counted and says that there are 14 left. If I split it up, we can get it done in the next two afternoons. I could just have at it and do it all in one day but it is a bad enough job with out turning it into torture. Better to split it up.

It was very tempting to take pictures but people are easily grossed out these days and I really didn't want to offend anybody.  I think that it is interesting that butchering chickens may be offensive but all those morgue scenes on crime shows is not.......

After these guys are done, we will debone them and freeze the meat for quick meals. I may even can some of the next batch in jars in the pressure canner. We will just have to see how organized I get or pressed for time.

I have several jobs that I don't want following me into the New Year. These roosters are just one of those. Salena is slowly digging out the garage. I want to get the barn kitchen raked out and cleaned back up as well as the main rooms of the big barn. I'm not sure that I am going to get it all done but we will at least be making a dent in it.