[norfolk newbies]

We used Katie Thears pictures the first few times. Having a book beside you whilst trying to identify bits was easier than a t.v.

One thing to mention is that it is a good idea to separate the bird to be killed and leave with just water the day before the deed is done. This makes dressing a lot less messy. Our first birds that we raised for meet were J757s ( or something similar bred to eat and poo grow) and they were very smelly when alive, and not much nicer when dead. Leaving them without food helped clear their insides a bit.

I have plucked cold and it can be done, but I found that breast skin was more likely to tear.

[nicandem]

to be homest, pigeon I just breast.  I dont think that the extra meat on the rest of the bird justifies the effort of plucking/skinning.

I know with some very small bids eg snipe people eat them whole, innards and all.... but its not to my taste.

[violet]

I used the same link as Womble - found it much easier than a book.

But with experience and advice from those with more experience I've tried various methods and have worked out what's best for me & depends on what the chicken I'm plucking is to be used for.

I've tried dry & wet plucking.
Wet is just so fast it's amazing ( it's important to get the tempreture right). But dry makes a better finish ( so better for roasting birds), can do it in about 20 minutes now - it's the pin feathers that take the time I find - though these could be burnt off.
Nearly everyone one says it's easier when warm - but I find that the skin tears more easily then.
So when dry plucking I remove all the big strong wing & tail feathers first, while they are still warm.
I then prefer to let them cool before I pluck the rest. Left hanging by their feet of course.

As the cockerals I dress are surplus from my breeding programmes the skinny ones, I skin and remove the breast & leg meat & use the rest for stock.

The actual gutting takes hardly any time at all once you get the hang of it - again that link of wombles I think is the best for that.

Good Luck, before you know it you'll be a pro!

[Miss Piggy]

Thanks Violet for your advice, sounds like you are a pro! Look forward to the day that I am 

[Llandovery Lass]

If you want some cockerals to practice on I have a few, my OH doesn't like the gaminess and brown meat, they come out tender when pot roasted and are corn fed and currently in good condition. If you would like some please let me know. Welsummers and sussex. I'm going to get some proper meat birds and prove how much better they are than supermarket chickens.