Need ideas for minimizing fecal contamination during chicken butchering process.

[Thor]

We are doing 19 chickens next week (first time in 20 years) and are using a propane fired scalder and Yardbird plucker. Our birds seem to have considerable poop on their feathers and I feel like the scalder water will get pretty bad by the time we get the last one done. Because of the length of time it takes to get the water up to temp I would rather not have to dump it all out and refill in the middle of the butchering. I am considering spraying the killed birds off with a hose before going into the scalder. Has anyone done this and did it help?

Also am thinking about the contaminated water on the birds skin as they are gutted and prepared. I suppose a good spraying when finished here would help as well, just before going in the ice water tub. Any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated from those of you who have done this. Thanks.

[Lilburner]

Pressure wash their backsides while they're still alive?

It's a joke! Yes horribly cruel, but the visual is stuck in my head now.

I'm not a chicken person, but rinsing them off sounds like a solid plan.

[Starlady]

I've not had the issue with chickens but a couple of my ducks did poop when I put them in the cone.  I just hosed them off after they bled out.  Definitely don't dunk dirty birds, you'll just be spreading germs around. 
 If you've got poop in more than just one small area, I'd actually wash them in a warm tub (with rubber gloves on!)  with Dawn and rinsing well before dunking.  And add 1/4 c of salt per gallon to your ice water, it will help with some bacteria.

If they have the poop on them before killing you might look into your coop arrangement, something's not right.  Do you have poop boards under the roosts?

[Thor]

Thanks! I like the idea of washing off in a warm tub. I might even spray them first with a hose. Also I think you are right that our coop situation is causing some of the problem because they do seem to have more poop in their feathers than I expected.

[Abigayle]

Star Lady, I am married to Thor....We don't have roosts for our broilers.  We have ample space, including a screened in porch, that runs the front of the building, and continues down one side.  We clean down to the floor, every week.  I am wondering about the use of fine bedding.  I think that was a mistake.  We use it in the hen house with no issues, but of course, they have roosts.  This past week, we put straw over the bedding in hopes it would get mixed under, and absorb.  These are big birds, now looking like small fat turkeys.  They tend to lay down a great deal of the time.  They are not totally caked in feces.  Please remove that image from your mind . We were concerned about  chunks on their chests.  Thor is setting up another scalder with hot water, to help pre clean, along with a hose, as per the helpful hints on this site.  Maybe next time, we will try roosts, near the ground and see it they use them. They do jump up on extra bales of straw, when available.  See you Saturday!

[HogJowlHomestead]

I had this issue when i did my broilers (50 birds at a time). Unfortunately, comparatively to my heritage flock, meat birds are stupid. They crap on each other, lay in filth and will cannibalize even with a whole bin of food. The red runners were never an issue but the white meat broilers always were filthy even free ranged in the open. I used a water hose before scalding. Also no food the day before to keep the gizard from ripping. Have fun, hopefully youl get a warm day. Cold wet hands make it a long day.

[Thor]

Well tomorrow is the day and the weather forecast is pretty favorable. I do plan to use your idea of spraying with a water hose and then a quick dunk in some warm soapy water just before scalding. The scalder instructions say that a little dish soap in the water is helpful so hopefully we can do all 19 birds without needing to change out the scalder water. What do you mean by "keep the gizzard from ripping"?

[HogJowlHomestead]

If your ringing there neck, or even cutting during processing if that thing is full it makes a mess. It nothing you cant hose off but its just extra work. 1 hose spray times x amount of birds adds up. Im no expert though maybe i just lack finess. If you butcher a bird just after it eats you notice that thing is packed

We dont cook whole birds often so i always cut the birds up Breast, Tenders, drumstick, thighs and wings. If you have the time to do a few it makes it very easy for dinner.

[Abigayle]

Hog jewels, the chickens were not that bad, just a little "dirty" on the breasts.  We rinsed them and have really enjoyed them.  There is no comparison in the flavor.  I really like raising the  Red Ranger cross from MrMurray.  I do have to get over my love of chickens, and keep telling myself that this is their fate, and we have given them an exceptionally good life.....while it lasted.  I am too tender hearted, but unable to become a vegetarian at this point, while I am getting a little closer.. I have learned to give them names like, Snack, Dinner, Lunch and Buffet.  We need to cut them up, like you suggested, but this fall, night was setting in, cold was already in the air..so we have had whole birds.  I do take the carcass, After we are finished with it and cook the bones overnight and into the next day.  I pick it clean, and vegetables, herbs, what ever appeals to us at the time. and make soup.  This is a good time to throw in some storage beans or rice, if you like that recipe.  Thanks for taking time to reply to Thor, my husband, last fall!