When I first got my girls, I was going to be a "no cull" home. But when I realized I had gotten Production Rhode Island Reds, who were quite aggressive to each other, their yard and would not brood, I had to make a decision- whether to live with these hens who were not going to be a "natural flock" or cull them and start over. So, I decided to cull them. There is a guy in my area who will butcher, clean and bag a chicken for $4/chicken. Fantastic. Anyway, I brought home the bagged hens, put them in the freezer and waited until I didn't think of them as "my girls". So, this weekend, I made a huge pot of chicken stock from one of the chickens, I usually used store bought. My stock is so golden brown and delicious, it is amazing. So then I canned it in quart jars and they are now sitting like jewels in a crown on the pantry shelf. So, to conclude, chicken stock from hens that I raised and fed, and yes, even loved, makes the best meals.
thats really cool! I always wondered about how free-ranged, home grown chicken tastes versus store bought, shrink wrapped chickens in a saline solution.
