[deepinthewoods]

by the head or by the legs? i do pheasent by the head so assume chooks would be the same?
and how long for? thanks

[little blue]

I hang by the legs ... as they are bled from the neck

I don't hang for long, I rest  the meat in the fridge. But they aren't whole...

[chrismahon]

Hang by the legs and let the blood drain to the head. Tie the wings up against the body otherwise blood collects in the base of them. Leave them an hour or so and then in hot water and pluck. Alternatively pluck immediately upside down then drain a while, if you are quick the blood won't have set. But we have never managed to pluck a cockerel fast enough. Can sell the colourful larger feathers on ebay for fly tying -have a look to see what's being sold.

[deepinthewoods]

im  going to skin them for meat rather than pluck for a roast, i thought about hanging them like a game bird, guts and blood in. only for a day or so, just to tenderise and game-ify the flavours a bit, surely that would work for chicken as it does for game??

[hughesy]

We've hung plucked cockerels guts in for a week. Definitely tasty and I think tenderer than one eaten straight away.

[deepinthewoods]

good man!! now head hung or leg hung?? i thought head up so the gut stayed off the breast?

[jaykay]

I hang mine from the legs, so the blood drains into the neck. I hang them for a day - unplucked, guts in, in the coalshed. Tastes good, no problems.

Left two for two days once (just couldn't face more plucking one night) and although they went a bit green about the vent, they tasted fine and I'm still here to tell the tale 

[deepinthewoods]

yup i like my pheasents green, hung for a week or so.

ive just done the first and the b......d got me, scratched me right across the eye! got some antiseptic wipes some where....

[Mel]

yup i like my pheasents green, hung for a week or so.

ive just done the first and the b......d got me, scratched me right across the eye! got some antiseptic wipes some where....

Absolutely! I had some which were hanging nearly two weeks,nice and green,then I plucked half and skinned the others...

[Mel]

I had a dozen capons prior to Christmas,all turned out 14-16lbs,I hung these for nearly two weeks as well,I think I sold them cheap at £30/£35 each and my Turkeys £45 each which were Norfolk blacks of around the same weight....I had such a great response to those whom had pre-ordered them they said they were delicious.We had one Christmas day and was just beautiful with home made chestnut stuffing

When I was growing up on the farm,they always hung for a long time-much longer than some would contemplate!

[hughesy]

good man!! now head hung or leg hung?? i thought head up so the gut stayed off the breast?

I've always hung them by the legs. Didn't seem to be any problem with taint from the innards, in fact after being hung the guts come out in one sort of stuck together lump mostly. Easier than gutting a freshly killed bird anyway.

[chrismahon]

We hung one of ours overnight and in the morning the innards had gassed up and tainted the meat. I think it was intestinal worms decomposing -can't think of any other reason. Crop was completely empty. Since then we've never hung one for more than an hour.

[SallyintNorth]

I hang pheasants in an outhouse, feathers on, guts in, by the neck until the feathers come off in your hand but the skin doesn't, quite.  (I like them pretty tasty  )  Usually 4 days in mild weather, 7 to 9 in very cold weather does the trick.

My tactic is usually to tie the brace together with baler twine around the necks, then hang the pair on a hook where their bodies hang in space (ie, not against a wall) - and then detach the cat, remove from outhouse and shut door. 

I try to pluck choox while warm, then hang by the feet for 24 hours or so in a cool place before gutting.  If I can't get them plucked straight away I hang them feathered then pull out the easy-come feathers and then warm them in a sink of warm water to soften the skin and remaining feathers to complete the plucking.  It's not as good as warm and dry but better warm and wet than cold and dry, I find.

[chrismahon]

I thought 'caponising' was banned Leghorn, on animal wealfare /cruelty grounds. I know how they used to do it and the mortality rate, so how do they do it now? I also thought that the meat got more tender as they got older so there was no need to hang them at all? I'm a bit confused, can someone set me straight on this please?

[Sylvia]

I kill, pluck and gut my birds all in one, then keep them refrigerated for four days before eating or putting in the freezer. They taste lovely. Pheasants, I hang by the neck for a couple of days in warmer weather or up to a week in colder. I like my game to be gamey