What do you do with your old hens? Im talking people who dont keep

[LiLRedCV]

I haven't had to cull any yet, but my grandma and aunt always bought old laying hens to butcher. We referred to them as "stewing chickens" and used them for chicken noodle soup or chicken & dumplings or the like. That's what I have planned for many of my hens when they get too old to lay. (tho' not all of them 'cuz some I'm way too attached to!) Used to be you could buy them in the store marked as a "stewing chicken" too... I remember them being right next to the "frying chickens" (aka young) in the refrigerated sections.

 

[southerndesert]

Crock pot....

 

[1 hen and 1 roo]

These post make me very sad.

I butcher rooster when we have too many or when they are mean but all our hens are super nice, sweet and talkative. Can't imagine eating them.
I guess you can't feed them forever when they do not give you eggs if eggs is why you have them.

 

[BooBear]

Kinda making me hungry.....but yeah making diner out of a hen is a bit harder than making dinner out of an ol ornery rooster.

 

[karlamaria]

We have 5 chickens, they will not be going to the pot, that said we will be having 10 more chickens next year and they will not be tamed so we can eat them...... Gulp I hope lol. We are so attached to our girls

 

[sourland]

Soup, chicken and dumplings, crockpot, stews, coq au vin, pressure cooker - all good eating.

It just takes a different method of preparation.

 

[moodlymoo]

They are great if you brine them for a few days and then bake in a clay pot!

 

[bobbi-j]

Quote:
Don't name them and keep reminding yourself that they will be dinner. It's much easier if you don't make pets out of them.

OP, I pressure can mine. Canned chicken makes good soup, stew or hot dish. Drain it and it works in chicken salad and on sandwiches.

 

[nikischicks]

I have read where long and slow cooking is good, I suppose a pressure cooker would be best. It just seems like recently that most things I read said they were too tough. I dont know how I will feel about eating a couple of them. This is my first batch of ladies and I am attached to a couple. One thing that made me feel better about the whole process was passing a semi truck a week ago. It was a load of chickens smashed into cages with their legs and feathers hanging out. I thought, at least I have my girls a real nice life first!

 

[aoxa]

Shot in the dark, but you COULD keep them? Unless there are too many..

Than you could send them to be processed. I personally don't know yet what I will do when faced with the fact.. I love all my hens.. Especially my head hen, Dixie.. I could never process her. She will live as long as she's willing.