I love these essays where you talk about how far removed we are from Creation and what’s meant to be. I couldn’t agree more with every word you say. I wish I could shout it all from the rooftops so everyone could hear. But instead I’ll print your essay off, share your wisdom with a couple close friends, and also tuck it away in our home library so God-willing my children and generations to come can learn from your wisdom as well and so I can reread your words often.
Roosters are the way to go for broth, I have only 4 heading to the freezer soon but I’ll savor every bit of nourishment we get from them.
Thank you so much, Grace (and please forgive such a tardy reply - sometimes the comments get the better of me but I always try to make my way through them because I do LOVE them so). I'm so happy to hear that you like these types of essays. They're always my favourite to write, but I know some people that are here would rather not hear about the food stuff so it's nice to have such a motley mix of humans :)
We live the roosters. That is all we raise for meat. Do you do other types of chicken as well for meat or your excess roosters are it? Finding myself in a tough rooster decision. Too many and which to keep. Foghorn has been a wonderful rooster, good protector, food provider for his hens etc, but I’m breeding them to be bigger and his son is much bigger than him. I know logically I should keep his son but I do like him and his gentlemanly ways. The struggle!
What did you decide? That is a tough one. We have Old Man Rooster here that is such a gallant fella' and, as in your situation, his son was bigger and lovely. I decided to keep them both this year to do a better evaluation next year when the son comes fully into his own.
We eat roosters and spent hens, but keep in mind we also raise ducks, geese, and turkeys for meat. I prefer turkey. Also, we've switched up most of our grain-relying critters to meat rabbits which we eat just as one would chicken.
I smiled when I read this morning that we don't repair a sock because I realized I have a hole in one of my thinner cotton ones I donned this morning with our mild South Carolina "cold spell." My mind turned immediately to "what color thread would be best to darn it"--which won't even take 5 minutes upstairs in my sewing room. I know, these days, that I'm one of few who think this way. Anyway, I so agree with your post on the roosters--and I've been there and done that as well. Yes, the food models are broken and destructive these days--and are not nourishing.
Butchering roosters is our plan for the upcoming weekend. I actually take in roosters from friends who don’t want to deal with extra roosters that they ended up with from incubating their own eggs. I do it because, like you, I have discovered they make the best broth.
I was able to get a couple roosters in my latest Polyface order. Usually I use the stewing hens, but I’m really excited about using the roosters now! They’ll be in my stock pot next week.
No rooster for us this year, ours has to move on to our new flock but we just processed a batch of old hens that will provide soup all winter long. We are still trying to find the balance between industrial production and full cycle farming. Processing our old hens is part of that. I am not even sure what most "pasture poultry" farms do with their old hens. Ours will provide soup for our community.
We have ours processed and sell them for soup and such. The customers are shocked at how yellow they are compared to our meat bird offerings. Downside is, like Tara mentions, people don’t know what to do with them so they don’t sell well, despite how cheap they are. But, we manage to move or use them every year.
Loved this one! Thought-provoking for sure. Everything seems to have become "disposable" in our society. I definitely have been finding different solutions! Also I have a flock of 6 aging hens and I'm hoping one will go broody again (didn't work out last time despite getting fertilized eggs from a neighbour) so I can hatch new ones and get a rooster or two. Or I will rescue one of the many out there when I get a few more ladies for him. It feels like a great place to be in, wanting a rooster! haha
Not yet! However I’m planning to increase my flock and find them a gentleman in the spring. Or perhaps get some chicks and keep a fella or two! I’m determined to find a rooster so I can try free-ranging them again (have had a few aerial predator incidents and the ladies just aren’t looking out for each other).
Tara, I love reading about your experiences and thoughts about the king of the barnyard. I did not know about the grinder (😱) and as horrified as I am, I am glad to know so that one day I may be able to make better decisions. I would love to be educated more on the realness of things. I do know some things, but obviously there is another layer I need to investigate. I am always interested in how you have decided how to farm and all the particulars that go into the decision as well as your tying in the modern practices to the systems and machines that have been created to serve economics and industry.
Some of us were left endowed with a capacity to pierce through the stark materialism- the calcification that crept over all functions of human existence. Instead of money being the metric, we find there's more at stake than just a financial loss or gain. It's amazing how fruitful a barometer made of the real, juicy, heart-beating rawness of human nature can truly be. How shortsighted our actions become when decided based solely on temptation and ease. So many are still in the stages of infancy in the grand scheme of this all- just barely finding their footing, dependant and being misled. What will become of those who agree to merge further into the dark oblivion? And what will it mean to the ones who tenderly pray over the soul of a rooster as he takes his last breath on earth, knowing the web of meaning behind this level of stewardship?
There is nothing sweeter than a hen with her chicks! There is no introduction of random birds, the flock accepts them without issue and they are so capable and independent at a few days old rather than sitting under a heat lamp in the garage for 4 weeks! Hours of entertainment free for our watching.
This year when I processed the roos I left one behind. He is the most beautiful barnyard mutt I have ever seen and I couldn't do it. Our rooster is almost 6 and looking his age. My thought was if he didn't make it through the winter we'd at least have our own roo to replace him with. But alas, alpha roo has made the new guy miserable. So, my plan backfired and I'm left torn to decide who stays and who goes!
We have been living with family for some time while we build a house and this post makes me miss the freedom of our own space. We have several old hens and roosters that we would love to process, but just don't have the space to do so. I hate the thought of taking out chickens and not using them but I also am tired of feeding 15 hens that no longer produce any eggs!
Yes, there comes a time when it's just not feasible to keep feeding birds that don't produce. I find heritage breeds last a good while longer, but that's because they don't lay as voraciously as the modern egg laying breeds that burn themselves out.
I love these essays where you talk about how far removed we are from Creation and what’s meant to be. I couldn’t agree more with every word you say. I wish I could shout it all from the rooftops so everyone could hear. But instead I’ll print your essay off, share your wisdom with a couple close friends, and also tuck it away in our home library so God-willing my children and generations to come can learn from your wisdom as well and so I can reread your words often.
Roosters are the way to go for broth, I have only 4 heading to the freezer soon but I’ll savor every bit of nourishment we get from them.
Thank you so much, Grace (and please forgive such a tardy reply - sometimes the comments get the better of me but I always try to make my way through them because I do LOVE them so). I'm so happy to hear that you like these types of essays. They're always my favourite to write, but I know some people that are here would rather not hear about the food stuff so it's nice to have such a motley mix of humans :)
We live the roosters. That is all we raise for meat. Do you do other types of chicken as well for meat or your excess roosters are it? Finding myself in a tough rooster decision. Too many and which to keep. Foghorn has been a wonderful rooster, good protector, food provider for his hens etc, but I’m breeding them to be bigger and his son is much bigger than him. I know logically I should keep his son but I do like him and his gentlemanly ways. The struggle!
What did you decide? That is a tough one. We have Old Man Rooster here that is such a gallant fella' and, as in your situation, his son was bigger and lovely. I decided to keep them both this year to do a better evaluation next year when the son comes fully into his own.
We eat roosters and spent hens, but keep in mind we also raise ducks, geese, and turkeys for meat. I prefer turkey. Also, we've switched up most of our grain-relying critters to meat rabbits which we eat just as one would chicken.
I have kept them both. They seem to get along and not overburden the girls with their attentions as of now. We will see what spring brings!
I smiled when I read this morning that we don't repair a sock because I realized I have a hole in one of my thinner cotton ones I donned this morning with our mild South Carolina "cold spell." My mind turned immediately to "what color thread would be best to darn it"--which won't even take 5 minutes upstairs in my sewing room. I know, these days, that I'm one of few who think this way. Anyway, I so agree with your post on the roosters--and I've been there and done that as well. Yes, the food models are broken and destructive these days--and are not nourishing.
I like to imagine you darning your thin cotton, South Carolina-worthy socks, Louisa. Bring back the sock darners!!
Your words and perspective are a breath of fresh air. Healthy and sane. I so appreciate you!
Butchering roosters is our plan for the upcoming weekend. I actually take in roosters from friends who don’t want to deal with extra roosters that they ended up with from incubating their own eggs. I do it because, like you, I have discovered they make the best broth.
I was able to get a couple roosters in my latest Polyface order. Usually I use the stewing hens, but I’m really excited about using the roosters now! They’ll be in my stock pot next week.
No rooster for us this year, ours has to move on to our new flock but we just processed a batch of old hens that will provide soup all winter long. We are still trying to find the balance between industrial production and full cycle farming. Processing our old hens is part of that. I am not even sure what most "pasture poultry" farms do with their old hens. Ours will provide soup for our community.
We have ours processed and sell them for soup and such. The customers are shocked at how yellow they are compared to our meat bird offerings. Downside is, like Tara mentions, people don’t know what to do with them so they don’t sell well, despite how cheap they are. But, we manage to move or use them every year.
Us too. It takes some hand holding but we do have customers who know how good they are. They also make amazing tamales. 😁
Loved this one! Thought-provoking for sure. Everything seems to have become "disposable" in our society. I definitely have been finding different solutions! Also I have a flock of 6 aging hens and I'm hoping one will go broody again (didn't work out last time despite getting fertilized eggs from a neighbour) so I can hatch new ones and get a rooster or two. Or I will rescue one of the many out there when I get a few more ladies for him. It feels like a great place to be in, wanting a rooster! haha
Well, it's been a bit since you wrote this. Did that rooster come to fruition or what? :)
Not yet! However I’m planning to increase my flock and find them a gentleman in the spring. Or perhaps get some chicks and keep a fella or two! I’m determined to find a rooster so I can try free-ranging them again (have had a few aerial predator incidents and the ladies just aren’t looking out for each other).
What a mess we are in
Tara, I love reading about your experiences and thoughts about the king of the barnyard. I did not know about the grinder (😱) and as horrified as I am, I am glad to know so that one day I may be able to make better decisions. I would love to be educated more on the realness of things. I do know some things, but obviously there is another layer I need to investigate. I am always interested in how you have decided how to farm and all the particulars that go into the decision as well as your tying in the modern practices to the systems and machines that have been created to serve economics and industry.
Some of us were left endowed with a capacity to pierce through the stark materialism- the calcification that crept over all functions of human existence. Instead of money being the metric, we find there's more at stake than just a financial loss or gain. It's amazing how fruitful a barometer made of the real, juicy, heart-beating rawness of human nature can truly be. How shortsighted our actions become when decided based solely on temptation and ease. So many are still in the stages of infancy in the grand scheme of this all- just barely finding their footing, dependant and being misled. What will become of those who agree to merge further into the dark oblivion? And what will it mean to the ones who tenderly pray over the soul of a rooster as he takes his last breath on earth, knowing the web of meaning behind this level of stewardship?
There is nothing sweeter than a hen with her chicks! There is no introduction of random birds, the flock accepts them without issue and they are so capable and independent at a few days old rather than sitting under a heat lamp in the garage for 4 weeks! Hours of entertainment free for our watching.
This year when I processed the roos I left one behind. He is the most beautiful barnyard mutt I have ever seen and I couldn't do it. Our rooster is almost 6 and looking his age. My thought was if he didn't make it through the winter we'd at least have our own roo to replace him with. But alas, alpha roo has made the new guy miserable. So, my plan backfired and I'm left torn to decide who stays and who goes!
We found that we really prefer the flavor of those heritage birds. They might not be the same as the industrial things but they are so much better!
We have been living with family for some time while we build a house and this post makes me miss the freedom of our own space. We have several old hens and roosters that we would love to process, but just don't have the space to do so. I hate the thought of taking out chickens and not using them but I also am tired of feeding 15 hens that no longer produce any eggs!
Yes, there comes a time when it's just not feasible to keep feeding birds that don't produce. I find heritage breeds last a good while longer, but that's because they don't lay as voraciously as the modern egg laying breeds that burn themselves out.