Today Was Butcher Day

[baymule]

Yesterday I walked outside and a lady pulled up in the driveway. She asked if I was the lady with chickens. Her husband, Jeff the wrecker driver had picked up my husband's truck a couple months ago when it needed to go to the shop, and he and I soon found common ground in chickens and gardens. So she had a couple of roosters she wanted to get rid of and asked would I take them. I told her they would be butchered and she said ok. She brought me 2 roosters yesterday afternoon. I put them in a cage with water.

Since we will be moving, I wanted to thin my own flock, so after the hens went to roost last night, I selected 5 that were on the old side (almost 4 years) and put them in a cage with water. It might sound macabre, but I talk to the chickens, calling them by name, gently seating them in the cone, before cutting their heads off. I said a prayer over them, thanking God for food for my family and thanking the chicken for giving up her life so that we can eat.

I got dressed this morning in my butcher clothes. Blood stained, spattered blue jeans and a T-shirt that looks like I was a participant in the Texas Chain Saw Massacre. I killed them one at a time, so that if I had to stop for any reason, I wouldn't have a bunch of dead birds to deal with. This is not my favorite thing to do and I usually find a way to put it off, but with 2 roosters crowing at the top of their little lungs, there was my reason.

I put them in the refrigerator, one by one, until they were all done. Then I cleaned up my outside mess. Then I washed and cut them up, which took awhile because I am real picky about things like that. The dishwasher is running and I have more to go in it when it is finished.

The dogs are laid up, full of "chicken treats" like they are sleeping off a bad hangover. I didn't save the liver, gizzard or hearts, but tossed them to the dogs, plus they got lots of fat. Normally I keep those, but on old birds, I let the dogs have them. Plus I had 7 of them and I just didn't want to deal with the extra work.

The chickens are now simmering in 3 big pots on the stove. I'm cooking them all and will pick the meat off the bone. Then I'll portion it out and package it in Food Saver bags and off to the freezer. Then tomorrow I'll can the broth because our grand daughter loves it so much and she can take it home next time she comes.

Tonight will be chicken-something-supper. Dunno know what yet.......I'm headed for a shower and un-massacred clothing.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Sounds pretty good to me, not macabre at all. You respect them and gave them a good life. Now they will nourish you and yours.

Seven is a rough day. After supper have some ice cream and unwind.

 

[baymule]

I fried whole corn tortillas, topped with shredded chicken, jalapenos and cheese. Popped them in the oven until cheese was melted and hot. Those and iced tea was supper.

I have two big pots of broth in the refrigerator and all the chicken meat. I'll package up the meat tomorrow for the freezer while the pressure canner is cooking.

@Ridgerunner ice cream sounds good, but I don't have any and don't want it bad enough to drag my butt to the store.

 

[Carol Dee]

I fried whole corn tortillas, topped with shredded chicken, jalapenos and cheese. Popped them in the oven until cheese was melted and hot. Those and iced tea was supper.

I have two big pots of broth in the refrigerator and all the chicken meat. I'll package up the meat tomorrow for the freezer while the pressure canner is cooking.

@Ridgerunner ice cream sounds good, but I don't have any and don't want it bad enough to drag my butt to the store.

Mmmm you dinner sounds better than my PNB ands banana sandwich. And the ice cream ... send Hubby. After all you did the dirty work, he can make a quick icecream run.

 

[ninnymary]

Baymule, I admire you for all the hard work that you did. If I lived closer I would go and help you even if I've never processed a chicken before. Hopefully you wouldn't have to pick me up after a fainting spell. I'm a hard worker but a little squeemish. Yet, I've always wanted to see it done.

Mary

 

[baymule]

@ninnymary sometimes I get a little squeamish myself. I don't like cutting their heads off, but it's there to be done, so I do it. I'm a practical person and it's not practical to feed a 4 year old hen who lays a couple of times a week, when she eats as much as a hen that is laying almost every day. I raised her, I fed her, I cared for her, so why would I do like the lady who gave me the 2 roosters and give them to somebody else to eat? I have shot and processed wild game, but they didn't have names.

@Carol Dee DH is asleep in his Recliner 2.0 right now. He is watching TV 4.0 through his eyelids.

 

[baymule]

I have the first batch of chicken broth out of the pressure canner and the second batch is in there now. Looks like I'll have enough to run it again. Still haven't packaged up the meat, been doing laundry.

 

[journey11]

There's no retirement home for unwanted roosters. Around here the Amish are always willing to take old hens and unwanted roosters. Other than the folks who run a pastured poultry farm business, I don't know of anyone else around here who butchers their own chickens besides us. And this is WV! When they're done, they all end up on Craigslist or else the opossums/coons get them.

A friend of mine called me the other day to see if I would take a turkey hen her neighbor had left behind when they moved (I guess they couldn't find it). She said it was sterile and was used to lay eggs (I'm not sure what she was talking about...no Tom might be why she was "sterile". I've never heard of anyone keeping turkeys for just for eggs.) Anyhow, I said sure! We love turkey! And my friend, who had gotten attached her backed out and said that she was sweet, so she wanted to find someone who would keep her for the eggs. Oh well, I don't really have time to butcher a turkey right now anyway, too much going on this week.

My current flock of EEs are NUTZ. It's bad timing for starting a new flock from chicks, so I guess I'll keep them at least until fall molt, then off to freezer camp they will go. I think I'll get Ava that banty mix that MMH offers for next spring, but I'm not looking forward to cracking 3 little eggs to make one regular sized egg, but at least Ava will enjoy them. Now those will be hard to process when the time comes. I'm sure we'll get more attached to them.

 

[baymule]

Now that we will be moving and I can have a rooster, I have been studying what breed of chicken I want. I have decided on Delaware. They were the meat chicken before the Cornish Cross, plus they are good layers. So I will have more thinning of the flock to do...... but not Robin! She is 4, still lays well and has a bad attitude, Queen Of The Coop and is a black sex link. She can stay forever.

 

[journey11]

I had thought about getting Delawares too. It would be nice to have a dual purpose flock. I gotta say though, these EEs are surprisingly meaty too.