To Pluck or Not to Pluck

Chickens feasting on garden weeds

We decided to butcher a few of the chickens.  We got another big rooster and more laying hens from the neighbours.  Rooster is now in the freezer, along with 5 of my pathetic little spring chicks.  I think maybe they might be Black Sex Links.  Definitely tiny.  Hardly worth the effort.

I put two in two bags, and the largest one in a bag by itself.  We ended up plucking the rooster, and skinning the little hens.  They had just the beginnings of winter feathers coming in, and are too small to roast & stuff anyway, so we skinned them and will probably end up eating lots of chicken stew this year, if I decide to butcher any more of them.

I now have too many hens to keep through the winter.  So I really should butcher more of them.  But they're so small it's hardly worth the bother.

Good thing we have grocery stores.  We could seriously starve this winter otherwise.  Actually, I've ordered 30 White Rocks.  It goes against my better nature.  They should arrive On September 15th, which means I'll be growing chickens mostly indoors, probably in the snow.  Then I'll be butchering them outside in the cold.  Probably a bad idea all around, but I couldn't bare the thought of another grocery store Christmas dinner.  It's just so unnatural.

Here's a little peak at my summer kitchen/butcher shop/garage.

I love my little oven/crockpot on hot summer days.  The freezer doubles as my butcher counter, with the board on top.

And this is my propane cooker, heating up the water pot before dunking the chickens.