It is Friday already and November is nearly half over!
This week decisions had to be made and actions had to be taken... it is time to cull the flock.
I am not sharing a "how to process a chicken" tutorial or a "you should totally eat your free range chicken" persuasion, simply our experiences here at SchnickAcres.
We bought our chicks unsexed knowing that we wanted to keep a flock of heritage Chantecler chickens and thus would need a few roosters... it has come to our attention as they have matured that we have TWENTY TWO roosters. That in my estimate is eighteen too many - our poor sixteen hens will have no rest! Not to mention rest for my ears. We have some very vocal boys that crow continually at each other across the property trying to outdo one another and be top cock. Ladies, visualize the hot headed popular jerks in high school driving very loud Trans Ams or Camaros... try spending all day with that!
I really was coming to the end of my rope when not only were the males crowing constantly but some began showing aggression towards each other, the hens and then the poor ducks! When Derek returned home one evening last week and saw my face his only words were "Shit just got real"! I wasn't on a rampage but he could tell I was ready to make some decisions.
Now, a couple of weeks ago I felt I wanted to take some time to learn some new skills. How to decide which roosters to propagate your flock and how to fill your freezer with the others wasn't on my radar but that is what I have been learning. Deciding which boys remain in the coop is a big decision - gotta love the internet - youtube has a video made by a Poultry association judge outlining the traits of a perfect Chantecler.
The next step - how to choose how to process your birds. I don't even have enough words or the correct words to explain how I considered the next step... Derek worked in a processing facility during his teenage years, those experiences brought forth valuable information. I was up in the middle of the night when internet isn't a hot commodity and read some farm blogs - one that even outlined why you shouldn't keep chickens if you aren't prepared to process them yourself. Though I didn't fully agree with all the points that author was trying to make, my reading took a turn to "what does it take to process your own chicken" and do people really still do so?
Much to my surprise, many family farms DO still process their own birds and it really isn't all that difficult (short of the emotional preparedness). Long story short. Sunday afternoon Derek and I processed one rooster together. As in the past, what Derek does naturally or well, I tend to do the other part equally competently. We made a good team.
Our rooster had a good life. He ate bugs, fresh produce and had clean water. He had days of lounging in the sunshine and warm safe nights in a coop. Our coop has electricity! 80% of humans on earth can't say the same!
As in life, at the end our rooster was handled humanely. He was thanked for his life and he was put to rest quickly and peacefully. There was no panic or "chicken running around with its head cut off" type of situation. The girls were not present for that first part but showed curiosity when it came to the anatomy of the chicken during processing. Reminiscent of my "vet technology" days I identified the internal organs for the girls that were interested in looking (all but Erin, poor dear).
We were slow and methodical in our cutting. We ensured we kept the bird and the work area clean. We did not rush.
After air chilling for two days, I roasted our chicken for dinner on Tuesday. As I prepared the stuffing I did feel a little weak in the knees once or twice - I'm not used to feeling a connection to my food. And that got me thinking. Perhaps that is what is missing? We eat without abandon, even things we know are not healthy for us because we don't see them for what they are. Case in point? I couldn't eat the skin. I wasn't repulsed, I just didn't crave it as I did in the past when cooking a store bought turkey or chicken.
We enjoyed roast chicken on Tuesday night complete with mashed potatoes and broccoli. The meat was tender and tasty.
On Wednesday, with me still fighting a chest cold we enjoyed homemade chicken noodle soup, which I finished up on Thursday for lunch. The last of the bird is in chicken salad for tonight's dinner.
Our first taste of self sustainability.
Jeanette
