Monday, June 17, 2013

Chicken Butchering 101

Today for Fathers' Day and for Tim's 42nd birthday, we learned how to kill and process chickens.

True story.  Surprises me, too. 

Sam determining gender
 
 You remember how I need more hens, right?  I called Sam, the experienced poultry guy we bought many of our chickens from this spring to ask if he could get me some more.  Yes, he can get me chickens later this summer who will be ready to start laying and he said we should eat our extra roosters.  I demurred saying we didn't know how to slaughter chickens and he offered to drive from Waconia to teach us.  So for Tim's birthday, I set up the class, invited my brother, Dan, and he brought my parents and two of his kids along from Bloomington.


 Dan observing




Tim and Brownie, Mark's amnesty rooster
Each kid got to pick one which can stay as long as they don't cause trouble

While the pot of water heated to boiling, the guys and kids chased down chickens.  Sam showed us how to sex them, which is trickier than average with the breeds we have, and helped us pick a good rooster to keep. 


Bella with the scrappy one which I liked
but I couldn't keep a fighter

Sam set up a simple butchering area on the edge of our driveway- a couple stumps, 2 nails, a couple 5-gallon buckets, an old piece of countertop, a hatchet, some cold water, a sharp knife, and a pot of boiling water.  Within minutes, we were ready to begin butchering.

With the first bird, I started imitating Sam right away- pulling out handfuls of feathers, holding, cutting- because I knew that if I only watched I'd get squeamish.  Sam was matter of fact, respectful, business-like and he held the center for us all.  He was teaching us the proper technique, yes, but also connecting us to the larger story of food and farming, the history and traditions his great uncle taught him, the humane way to go about the very human process of killing for food.  

Three hours later, we were done.  Accomplished, satisfied, tired, and a bunch of other things I'll blog about in the next few days.  Sent Dan and my parents home with a bag of fresh chicken ready to eat.


Dan, me, Sam, and Tim

Special thanks to Sam for teaching us.  You were calm and sure and prepared and knowledgeable so we could follow you when we were none of that.  Thanks for helping us grow up and become more responsible and self-sufficient. 


Also, thanks to Dan, Bella, Lexi, Gramma White, and Grampa White for coming and being with us.  I am grateful for your enthusiasm and presence.  You made the day more special.

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