The final results

We sent twenty-two cockerels and one rooster to freezer camp and these are some of the results, the average processed weight was four and a half pounds. So far we have 33 pounds of sausage, 21 quarts of broth, 2 whole birds for roasting and many packages of thighs, drums and breast which I do not have the weight on.


[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Wow! Well done! Were these cornish crosses?

No, they were Orpingtons from our mid April hatch. Not as much meat as some but boy are they tasty.

That is a glorious sight! So much food for the larder, and you should be very pleased. I find both my buff orpingtons and cochins all dress out about 4 pounds, rarely below 4, but mostly about 4.2 to 4.5 and some 5 pounds, at 24 weeks of age (without necks, feet and innards). The processor in Pritchard used to leave the necks on, no clue why, but that would add a little weight to a dressed bird too. When I get my birds processed at Peggy's now (I am sure that is where you went), I ask for the feet and the necks. My Sister and her family love the feet and I love the necks for dog treats. A nice meat bird for surely. I had 14 processed about 2 weeks ago, and am so pleased as well. Enjoy those wonderful birds! Have a beautiful day, CynthiaM.

That's awsome!

I'm very impressed! My goal is to raise all my own chicken for our family consumption with Orpingtons as well, but I'm not there yet!

I am delighted to say I get to enjoy this bounty! My hat is off to my much loved chicken crazy daughter for all her hard work hatching, raising and processing these birds. All the sausage was done with a hand crank meat grinder, not an easy task but she did get a little help from brother Michael and Dad. Today's project is chicken pepperoni and summer sausage. That will be the last of it for this year. YUMMY!

Alyssa Patterson wrote:We sent twenty-two cockerels and one rooster to freezer camp and these are some of the results, the average processed weight was four and a half pounds. So far we have 33 pounds of sausage, 21 quarts of broth, 2 whole birds for roasting and many packages of thighs, drums and breast which I do not have the weight on.


[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Nice job!!!
Sausage you say, how many years have you been making sausage?

Thanks again.
I have some cockerels in a tractor that I have to process.

bcboy it was all done at home with a hand crank meat grinder we did buy a "all in one" package with casings and spices.

Alyssa Patterson wrote:

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

I did some whole chickens in vacuum bags like you did. I spatchcock them and had a rosemary spice mixture that I bought from [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] .  [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
It turned out excellent. What kind of spices did you use in the vacuum bag to Marinade your chicken.
Thanks again.
I have been making beef jerky and buy Prague Powder off these guy for years now. Take a look you may see something that may work for you.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Bcboy the original recipe is from America's test kitchen
5 pounds bone in skin on chicken
1-2 tbsp kosher salt
3tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp chili powder
2 tbsp sweet paprika
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Slash the skin 2 or 3 times don't cut the meat. Mix all ingredients into a dry rub. Coat chicken with rub gently lift skin to distribute some spice under it. Place chicken on wire rack in fridge for 6 to 12 hours.

Heat oven 425 F until thickest part of the smallest piece is 140F about 15-20min. Increase temp to 500F and continue roasting until chicken is browned and crisp 170F.


I suggest making a small batch first so you can tweek the recpie to your taste. The older birds we have found do best if you don't use a wire rack but let them cook in their own juices. Oh ya if freezing skip the fridge step, as they thaw they will marinate.

Hope you enjoy

Nice job. How did you do your stock? Did you pressure cook, or hot water bath the jars?

farmerrick wrote:Nice job. How did you do your stock? Did you pressure cook, or hot water bath the jars?

As it is a meat based item we pressure canned the stock.

The last item, pepperoni sticks and a chub of summer sausage. YAY!!

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Now we move on to Pumpkins.........


[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Nice pumpkins!

Holy smokes...what on earth are you going to do with all those pumpkins???

Very nice to see and hear what you do and how you do it. I think Alyssa is going to use the pumpkins for winter fodder for her chooks, smiling....I have a few and they absolutely love them. I put them in whole in the pens and then bang them with a sledge hammer to get the first break in them, then the chickens go to town. I think I am going to take one of my chickens and try that marinade on them, but I will slow cook mine instead. I have found if I don't slow cook the birds I find them a little on the rough side. But now wonder....have you processed your own orpingtons before and cooked them in such a hot oven, did the marinade make them tender...I know nothing of marinades and have never used them, maybe I should, smiling that big smile. Have a beautiful day, CynthiaM.

Oh, and how did you and yours get all the meat off the bones to make sausage. I would love to try to make sausage. I have a hand turned meat grinder that we bought last year, but never used. Would love to take a bird and make some, smiling....tell that tale please, have a beautiful day, CynthiaM.

You will need to use a little of that broth to make pumpkin soup!

In regards to grinding up the meat for sausage...I prefer to use the food processor instead of the hand crank or even a small powered grinder. Of course it is not as peaceful and quiet as doing it by hand...but it is oh so fast! I haven't tried it on chicken, but I don't know why it would be any different.

Cynthia, you are right the meat can be tough when done in the oven. Our home raised birds are usually done in the slow cooker.  The recipe says to do it in the oven, for meaties or store bought chicken it's amazing but for our Orpingtons we have found the crock pot yields the best results. The spice rub she uses is very tasty!  In fact it is a family favorite.... She very diligently removed all the meat from the bones using a very sharp knife and much determination. As for the truck load of pumpkins, some will be fed fresh to the birds, some are being canned for the family (Alyssa makes amazing pumpkin pies) She also plans to freeze some for use in treat blocks for the birds all winter.  Yes a new freezer had to be brought in just for chicken feed.  I hope she will try some pumpkin soup. Her 2 dehydrators will be full also I am sure. She is also working on plans for a new brooder ( she has a very understanding Dad who is never too tired to help her) I so often say she was born 100 years too late. Alyssa would have loved growing up on my Grandmother's farm where everything on the table came from their garden or fields.

Haha, it was great meeting both of you at Featherfest, it's great to know there's still people out there with these interests
I wish I could have captured her roosters crow somehow so I could use it on my phone for the alarm. Such a beautiful antique sounding crow.

Izzy, it was lovely to meet you as well! As for the interest in all this business...she gets that from her grandma and great grandma. It must have skipped my generation. I am usually just along for the ride.

Well your an awesome mom being involved like you are.. It's all good wholesome stuff... Every part of it!