The girls have become pests. No, not Hallie and Hailey... the chickens. While the baby chicks I posted about a few weeks ago are growing and getting closer to being productive (still months away yet), our first flock has gone bad on us. They are eating their eggs. They are chasing and pecking at the chicks. They are escaping into the neighbor's yard (which they didn't do before), and they are walking right into our house even more than ever... and now they even come in through the cat door!
(Chicken Curry)
So, we got tired of feeding them when they weren't feeding us. Their time had come to complete the circle of life. No, it wasn't easy... we had named every one of them, knew their personalities and had come to enjoy our feathered friends.
(Chicken Noodle)
(Chicken Dumpling)
We found a local meat company that would process our birds for us, for $3 each, made a call and got them in that afternoon (to be dealt with the next morning). Well, most of them. It seems Gidget got wise. We rounded up 7 of them, put them in Jake's old kennel, then spent an hour searching for Gidget (a silver-laced wyandotte). We searched our yard, our house, the neighbor's yard, and looked up and down the street and alley. No Gidget.
So Brian loaded up the flock, I buckled them in, and the kids said their sad goodbyes (and swore never to eat chicken again.)
10 minutes later, Gidget showed up... as I expected she would. So she got a special trip out the next morning in a cat carrier. We picked them up around 11:30, looking just how they would from the grocery store (MINUS the neck and giblets and all that icky gunk!) We dropped off two of them to a friend who had just had a baby (so they could throw them in the crockpot for an easy meal some day this week or next), and brought the rest home. The boys were obviously upset by the whole thing (they were crying some but mostly hitting and kicking each other... is that the testosteron-laden reaction to grief?
We've got 2 in the crockpot now for dinner tonight and will use the leftover meat for future meals.
Have your kids seen Madeline? (chicken helen!!!)
:)
Sad- but a fact of life right?
Posted by: Sarah | 06/30/2010 at 10:48 AM
We might have to do this with a couple of ours soon. Let me know how it tastes. I wouldn't mind your butchering source either.
Posted by: Cutzi | 06/30/2010 at 11:07 AM
:( So sad. I can't imagine... we only have 2 so I guess they are easier to get attached to than 7 :) Next time you want to get rid of some, I'll take some (as chicken brock brock, not chicken for the crock pot) :) ha ha
Posted by: christy | 06/30/2010 at 01:19 PM
Our plan too!
Posted by: tami s | 06/30/2010 at 01:56 PM
oh my goodness. I understand where you're coming from, but this seems less a pragmatic solution and more butchery of beloved pets.
Posted by: Brianne | 07/01/2010 at 11:29 AM
I assure you, we tried all other options. I posted on local newsgroups and talked to friends for advice, and tried everything that was suggested to get them to stop eating their eggs. (Golf balls, fake eggs and egg-shaped rocks in the nest, tabasco in an egg yolk, adding oyster shell to their feed, feeding more often, letting them free-range most of the day, collecting eggs multiple times a day.) Nothing worked. I saved the most often suggested solution for last... starting over.
Posted by: Hilary | 07/01/2010 at 12:20 PM
Would you let me know where you got your chickens processed? I'm nearby and am interested in doing the same. Thanks!
Posted by: Koe | 07/01/2010 at 01:26 PM
I was born and raised on a farm, and I find this post HILARIOUS!!! Although, my 8yo son and I really want some chickens - after reading this post, I am not so sure!
Posted by: Nikki | 07/01/2010 at 07:42 PM