Dumbest Things People Have Said About Your Chickens/Eggs/Meat - Part 2 : Chicken Boogaloo.

[BantyChooks]

I was teaching a city lady and her husband how to make chickens dead, as they bought a farm here in WV and wanted to homestead it, learn to grow and kill their own food animals, etc. She wanted to watch but she kept saying her husband would be doing the deed when it needed done in the future. I killed one and demonstrated the process, evisceration,e tc. Hubby killed one and was helped in evisceration, but then had to take off for work. The third bird was there and I asked her if she wanted to do this one but she said her husband would be doing all the killing.

I said, "Imagine your husband dies tonight...will you keep this farm and go forward with your original plans?"

She quite emphatically replied, "Yes!"

I came back, "Then you need to do this bird."

She did it. I was proud of her immediate recognition of the possibilities in life and the need to adapt to meet them.

I encourage all you ladies to imagine what could happen and prepare for it now, rather than later. It's so, so much easier to know it and have the skill but never need it, than to need it and never have experience with it when the time calls for it. Same with anything in life...teach your daughters basic car maintenance along with sons, the sons how to cook and clean along with the daughters, the husband or wife how to pay the bills, cook, basic home construction,how to run the chainsaw, tractor or washing machine. In the end it makes the more stressful times in life easier when one is prepared to do without a partner or parent.

Very wise words. I am currently trying to come to terms with raising and butchering my own birds -having never killed anything more than a mole before, and I nearly cried over that- but it is not easy. It is slow, but I will get there eventually. Your many posts on this subject matter have brought me closer to doing "it" and reassured me.

 

[cutiechook1]

I was teaching a city lady and her husband how to make chickens dead, as they bought a farm here in WV and wanted to homestead it, learn to grow and kill their own food animals, etc.  She wanted to watch but she kept saying her husband would be doing the deed when it needed done in the future.  I killed one and demonstrated the process, evisceration,e tc.  Hubby killed one and was helped in evisceration, but then had to take off for work.  The third bird was there and I asked her if she wanted to do this one but she said her husband would be doing all the killing. 

I said, "Imagine your husband dies tonight...will you keep this farm and go forward with your original plans?"

She quite emphatically replied, "Yes!"

I came back, "Then you need to do this bird." 

She did it.  I was proud of her immediate recognition of the possibilities in life and the need to adapt to meet them. 

I encourage all you ladies to imagine what could happen and prepare for it now, rather than later.  It's so, so much easier to know it and have the skill but never need it, than to need it and never have experience with it when the time calls for it.  Same with anything in life...teach your daughters basic car maintenance along with sons, the sons how to cook and clean along with the daughters, the husband or wife how to pay the bills, cook, basic home construction,how to run the chainsaw, tractor or washing machine.  In the end it makes the more stressful times in life easier when one is prepared to do without a partner or parent. 

Yay for her!!!

 

[lazy gardener]

2 years ago, I decided that if I was going to continue to keep chickens, I HAD to learn how to do start to finish of processing. My husband is very supportive. He helps me with some of the more difficult construction projects. He designed and did 75% of the build on our big coop. He does all of the lawn. B/C gardening, poultry keeping, pets are my passion, I take care of that stuff. He'll help when time gets tight, or if I'm sick. But, he absolutely hates anything to do with processing chickens. So... my first cull was a sick hen. Last year, I culled and processed ALL of my cockrels. I hate to do it. It is a messy, smelly job. And it's totally obnoxious when the weather warms up and the flies and the yellow jackets come to the party. But, there is satisfaction in knowing that I CAN do what is required. I don't have to wait for hubby to get home from work if birds need culling or processing. I can also handle a gun. The last few issues with predators and garden pests, I can say that I have handled. I don't yet know how to clean a gun... but I could easily learn. Again, satisfaction from learning the basics of self reliance.

I agree with Bee. Every woman should learn how to do the things that are typically the domain of men. I don't do electrical. I don't do car maintenance. But I know my way around the shop, and can handle all of the power tools except for the router. And, having mastered that, I feel confident that if I HAD TO, I could learn to do basic car maintenance, and basic electrical.

 

[bobbi-j]

I was teaching a city lady and her husband how to make chickens dead, as they bought a farm here in WV and wanted to homestead it, learn to grow and kill their own food animals, etc. She wanted to watch but she kept saying her husband would be doing the deed when it needed done in the future. I killed one and demonstrated the process, evisceration,e tc. Hubby killed one and was helped in evisceration, but then had to take off for work. The third bird was there and I asked her if she wanted to do this one but she said her husband would be doing all the killing.

I said, "Imagine your husband dies tonight...will you keep this farm and go forward with your original plans?"

She quite emphatically replied, "Yes!"

I came back, "Then you need to do this bird."

She did it. I was proud of her immediate recognition of the possibilities in life and the need to adapt to meet them.

I encourage all you ladies to imagine what could happen and prepare for it now, rather than later. It's so, so much easier to know it and have the skill but never need it, than to need it and never have experience with it when the time calls for it. Same with anything in life...teach your daughters basic car maintenance along with sons, the sons how to cook and clean along with the daughters, the husband or wife how to pay the bills, cook, basic home construction,how to run the chainsaw, tractor or washing machine. In the end it makes the more stressful times in life easier when one is prepared to do without a partner or parent.

Bee, I totally agree with you. I know that if it came down to it, I could kill and process my own chickens. (I'd just use a killing cone so I don't cut my hand off with the hatchet!

) I was raised in the city, married my farmer when I was 18. We have raised and processed chickens and turkeys, and beef that we have taken to the processing plant for the simple reason we don't have the means to do that ourselves. As a young teen, I had a step-dad that taught me to hunt and fish and clean game. No one to teach me anything mechanical, though, and I'll admit - I'm mechanically impaired. I'd have to hire that done. I can, however, drive any piece of machinery on this farm. I also know how to run the skid loader for snow removal if I have to. Believe me, I have thought many of these things through. We raised three sons - all of whom can cook and do their own laundry. (I used to tell them that I want my daughters in law to like me so they have to learn these things. I have a friend who's husband didn't even know how to cook a frozen pizza - and this was after they'd had 3 kids! Her sons also know how to cook.)

 

[bobbi-j]

My flock is entirely based off hatchery stock. A little careful selection, and three generations later, the size is pretty decent and consistent. Just working on the minor, cosmetic details now...

I am starting two flocks out of hatchery stock this year, hoping for those same results. We just processed 8 of the 10 cockerels from this spring. I kept the heaviest of the 8 (except for the meat-type bird - red ranger, pioneer... whatever it was). The ones I kept were a White Giant and a Buff Rock. The hens that will be with them are 1 each: Dark Cornish, Buff Rock, White Giant, SLW, meat-type ranger. I also have a silver penciled rock, BA, and a couple of other assorted breeds. Did you keep the same rooster from year to year, or are you keeping over the heaviest cockerels from each year?

 

[junebuggena]

I am starting two flocks out of hatchery stock this year, hoping for those same results. We just processed 8 of the 10 cockerels from this spring. I kept the heaviest of the 8 (except for the meat-type bird - red ranger, pioneer... whatever it was). The ones I kept were a White Giant and a Buff Rock. The hens that will be with them are 1 each: Dark Cornish, Buff Rock, White Giant, SLW, meat-type ranger. I also have a silver penciled rock, BA, and a couple of other assorted breeds. Did you keep the same rooster from year to year, or are you keeping over the heaviest cockerels from each year?

I cull roosters once the right combination of traits has been achieved in a male offspring. Pullets that don't meet my goals are sold. I pick one cockerel each spring/summer to move the flock forward, and he has got to have the right size, build, and overall temperament to even get considered. Then I choose for color.

I started with this guy, King Tut. A bit small for my liking, but gorgeous.

I chose one of his black sexlink cockerel chicks for my second generation chicks. Twice the size as my biggest hen, muffed, and still carries the red.

Goldilocks is my keeper this year. Just look at that width. Need to breed him to some King Tut daughters to get the muffs back and hopefully deepen the red a bit more. Those offspring will be what I choose my next cockerel from.
The girls that I'll be breeding him with are first generation from King Tut and Snowy, my ENORMOUS Easter Egger hen.

 

[bobbi-j]

Now getting back to our regularly scheduled program.... This isn't really about stupid things people have said about my chickens, but what they will believe. My farm boys all went to the same college in St. Paul, MN. They would tell their friends that they grew up on a farm, and every day they had to go out and "fluff the chickens, and walk the goats." The funny part is how many people believed them!

 

[bobbi-j]

I cull roosters once the right combination of traits has been achieved in a male offspring. Pullets that don't meet my goals are sold. I pick one cockerel each spring/summer to move the flock forward, and he has got to have the right size, build, and overall temperament to even get considered. Then I choose for color.

I started with this guy, King Tut. A bit small for my liking, but gorgeous.

I chose one of his black sexlink cockerel chicks for my second generation chicks. Twice the size as my biggest hen, muffed, and still carries the red.

Goldilocks is my keeper this year. Just look at that width. Need to breed him to some King Tut daughters to get the muffs back and hopefully deepen the red a bit more. Those offspring will be what I choose my next cockerel from.
The girls that I'll be breeding him with are first generation from King Tut and Snowy, my ENORMOUS Easter Egger hen.

Wow! You'll get some good sized birds out of the two of them for sure!

 

[cutiechook1]

I cull roosters once the right combination of traits has been achieved in a male offspring. Pullets that don't meet my goals are sold. I pick one cockerel each spring/summer to move the flock forward, and he has got to have the right size, build, and overall temperament to even get considered. Then I choose for color.

I started with this guy, King Tut. A bit small for my liking, but gorgeous.

I chose one of his black sexlink cockerel chicks for my second generation chicks. Twice the size as my biggest hen, muffed, and still carries the red.

Goldilocks is my keeper this year. Just look at that width. Need to breed him to some King Tut daughters to get the muffs back and hopefully deepen the red a bit more. Those offspring will be what I choose my next cockerel from.
The girls that I'll be breeding him with are first generation from King Tut and Snowy, my ENORMOUS Easter Egger hen.

Those are GORGEOUS roos @junebuggena !

 

[Beekissed]

Now getting back to our regularly scheduled program.... This isn't really about stupid things people have said about my chickens, but what they will believe. My farm boys all went to the same college in St. Paul, MN. They would tell their friends that they grew up on a farm, and every day they had to go out and "fluff the chickens, and walk the goats." The funny part is how many people believed them!

Most likely because now folks are actually doing such things. Just think, it all could have started from your boys' tales.....