I admit it... There is nothing enjoyable about raising chickens for meat (not unless you have acres of open fields for free ranging with dogs to protect them from the predators
see here). Well OK maybe maybe I'm exaggerating a little when I say, "nothing enjoyable". I can think of two things I like. I like the chicks when we bring them home. They are adorable. I couldn't find a picture to share, but you know what I'm talking about.
Another thing I enjoy is eating chicken that I know was raised right!
We go
from here,
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| We use two chicken tractors (i.e. cages that can be moved around the
yard to keep the birds on fresh grass). Each tractor is 4' by 8' and
holds 15 -17 birds. We move the tractors twice daily to keep them on fresh grass. It's not "free range as in open field, but at least they are ranging (constantly moving around on fresh grass outside). The birds seem
happy and healthy enough. This part of the process of raising the chickens is mostly my responsibility. Belle does the rest. | |
to here,
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| Belle is in charge of the packaging and freezing. |
to here! This is Greek chicken with spinach and tomato quinoa. The chicken medallions are pounded thin, folded in with feta cheese and then grilled! Belle gave me the recipe for posting, but I've lost it. Sorry. If you'd like it, let me know. I'll be sure to get it to you.
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| She does the cooking too. |
Yum! In the words of Wendell Berry, were trying and marginally succeeding at "bringing it to the table"!
Happy gardening everyone!
It must be nice to be able to eat birds that were raised in your back yard. The best I've gotten is chickens from someone I know. She does free range them. Though she did loose her flock one year to foxes.
ReplyDeleteCompletely understand the predator issue. Raptors and foxes have done damage here too.
ReplyDeleteMy parents live on 80 acres with a few dozen head of cattle on their property (and easily 50 more on another large acreage). I've tried talking my dad into raising chickens, even offering to completely design and build a state-of-the-art chicken coop, but I can't convince him. They even have a purebred Great Pyrenees that would love nothing more than to protect & shepherd them all day and night. There are hundreds of coyotes where they live, so they'd need a few more shepherding dogs to help protect them.
ReplyDeleteThat's my point man. Chickens are a pain in the...
DeleteHahahahaha
DeleteI would love to have chickens for eggs, but I don't know if I could raise them for meat. They would probably all turn into pets and each have their own names lol. The meat does look really yummy though.
ReplyDeleteYummy meals for the family!
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately at our place, the chicken is the fox favorite.
ReplyDeleteDuring the drought season, the big lizards ate a lot of the ducks at the back.