Good luck with doing in Luke and then EATING him. You’re stronger than I am.

When I got my first ten chicks back in Feb, I got dual purpose birds and didn’t name them with the thought that they would be just that – for eggs and meat.

Until, someone posted a link on BYC’s showing this old guy culling chickens. I didn’t make it past the page showing the chicken in the cone and a knife to it’s neck.

I desided then that my chickens will live out their lives after egg production slows and stops.

If you do kill him, I’d appreciate a warning if you post pics so I can avoid looking. (just me)

Happy New Year to you all – Nancy, Olympia

man, that hand-processing/butchering process looks quite involved – how long does it take, start-to-finish?? i think i could do it, but it involves a LOT more work than i imagined!! i say go for it!!!

And yes, chilling and brining the bird in salt water, I think are probably key steps. And then chicken soup or coq au vin (Julia Child says you should always use a “tough old cock” for coq au vin) will be the right way to go… long and slow cooking so he’s not tough.

If I go through with it, I will take pictures and document the whole thing. Hopefully I don’t scare off any of my readers! It’s all a part of life, and I love knowing where my food comes from. Plus, I believe that if you eat chicken, you should be willing to kill one so you understand what was done so that you could have your food.

We had to kill off Clovis after I came home from the hospital in October. He had started going after my nieces before I got sick. We tried the various methods of trying to mellow him out. Separated him from the rest of the flock for over a week. Carry him around… etc.

I came home from the hospital. Let the chickens out to free range, and as I was walking away from the coop to get them water, Clovis charged me.

That was it… final straw.

I made the decision that that was his last week on earth. Jeff did the killing. I did keep him separated from the flock for 24 hours. Mainly to keep him away from food.

We opted to skin him cause I thought that would be less messy. You will be VERY surprised at how dark a rooster’s dark meat really is. I was.

I decided since I had read many times that roosters can be tough that I was going to take all the precautions. I cut him into parts and soaked it in salt water for almost a whole week in the fridge. Then I made chicken stock. I cooked it at a very low temp for a really long time. Then pulled all the meat off the bones, and made soup. mmmmm

It was probably the best chicken soup we’ve ever had. Just to get yourself used to the idea, you may want to watch some chicken butchering videos on youtube.

And just for fun, thought you may enjoy this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1iTBgz7NN0

My girls are still big fat fluffy butts. Instead of losing big bunches of feathers, they lost a few here and there and have new ones coming in. I was relieved none of them went through a BIG molt with the cold temps.

Oh FYI – my broody barred rock’s comb stayed red despite sitting on the nest for 2 months and then hatching four surogate eggs 20-21 days after I gave in and let her have some fertile eggs. Those four happy and healthy 7 wk olds are getting big but still insist on getting under Mom in the nest box at night. They are getting so tall, they will stand under her wings with their heads sticking out the top of her wings. She’s such a happy little momma hen.

No heat lamp and they all survived the cold snap just fine. And I never did separate Mom and chicks from the rest of the girls.

I can’t see it wanting to leave your coop for the outside freezing temps.

The chickens and goats both LOVED warm water.

Both my chickens and goats didn’t seem to mind the cold at all. I posted a question on Backyard Herd forum if I should do anything special for my first two goats – like blankets (I used to put blankets on my horses), heat lamps, special diet, etc.

Almost got laughed at. I guess 9′ at night with highs of 23′ isn’t all that cold for a goat or two. Recommendation was thick bed of straw at bedtime which I do anyway. I fluff up their straw before tucking them into bed with a handfull of blackberry vines bungy corded in their stall.

Their LONG nubian ears were warm down to the tips in the morning, so they must have stay warm.

My well froze in the pump house Wed. Was without running water Wed-Fri. Do you know how much water it takes to flush a late 70’s toilet??? 3 1/2 gallons!!!! I so appreciate having running water. It got to be a pain having to heat the artesian well water I got down town on the stove for the chickens and goats twice a day.

Love all your posts about the rats, the garden, the molting, the combs, etc.! Very interesting and informative!

I had no idea you all would be dealing with this kind of cold weather up there. Somehow I thought it was a more temperate climate. How do Charlie and Tilly fare in this weather?

Are you going to get some ducks??? So neat. . . wish we were nearby!

Love you,

Jinks

Maybe your roosters scared them off?