What do you really need as far as supplies for butchering chickens? If you want a smooth process that makes you feel confident from the start, you will need some basic supplies. You don’t need everything on our list to get started butchering chickens, but I have outlined a short list of the items you absolutely need. I have added links to products we have used and brands we trust.
Some items have taken a lot of trial and error to find good ones, for instance, kitchen shears. We went through about four different brands of kitchen shears until we found one that worked well and held up with washing and sanitizing. I have written notes throughout the list, and categorized the items by what you really need to get started and what items would make things easier (especially if you process more than once a year!)
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Basic Supplies:
- Restraining cones
- One or two hoses with sprayer handles
- Table with a washable surface (6ft is nice)
- Sharp paring knives, at least one for each person
- Knife sharpener
- Kitchen shears or poultry shears
- Tweezers (one per person)
- Stockpot and propane burner (30 quart or larger) OR Scalder
- Sanitizing spray (Spray Bottle, Bleach or Peroxide for making a solution)
- Large trash can
- Several 5 gallon buckets
- Contractor-grade trash bags (Costco usually has this item)
- Kitchen trash bags (if you want to line buckets for catching blood)
- Thermometer for scalder/water pot (the kind with a wired probe is best)
- Dish soap
- Coolers (best) or containers for chilling the chicken
- 1 lb ice per 2 lbs of chicken you will harvest. Ice blocks are not as effective. Here is the ice machine we use, which makes 100 lbs/24 hours.
- Packaging Supplies: Poultry shrink bags for whole birds. Gallon ziplock bags work for cut up chicken
- Permanent marker to label chicken
Optional but recommended:
- Chicken Plucker
- Lung scraper
- Disposable gloves, food safe
- Outdoor sink basin of some kind
- Shade or pop-up tent
- Laser thermometer gun (for monitoring the chilling and aging temps of chicken)
Extras that are nice to have:
- Chicken Scalder
- Wifi-enabled thermometers for your freezer and refrigerator or a waterproof one for icebox/cooler
- Counter height stainless steel tables
- Extra refrigerator or convertible freezer for aging chicken
- Containers for aging chicken (air chilled) in the fridge
- Extra dedicated freezer if you’re processing a larger quantity of chicken
- Vacuum sealer for cut up chicken
Clothing Recommendations:
- Rubber boots
- Waterproof aprons
- Washable hat/sunglasses for bright days
- Bandanas are nice to keep sweat and hair out of your face
- Clothing you don’t mind getting stained
Need more information on butchering chickens? We have a guide coming soon that absolute beginners can follow, and that more experienced backyard butchers can learn from to improve their process on chicken butchering day. The Lilly Valley Farm Guide, How to Process Meat Chickens the Right Way: A Complete Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners will give you a walkthrough of the butchering process—from full-grown chicken to freezer-ready meat. This guide will set you up for a smooth process from start to finish, offering tips along the way. We’ve had to learn the hard way through trial and error, and now you can take the shortcut to success.
If you want to try our chicken, check out our online Farm Store
How to Butcher Meat Chickens the Right Way: A Complete Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners (Coming soon, Summer 2025!)
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