Wilson and I were city slickers and still are to some degree… but we have come a very long way!
I just found this (posted Aug 2011 as a guest on “Pioneer Living”) and, like seeing my 1st grade t-ball picture, it made me laugh in that “did I ever look like that?” kind of way. Laugh along with me as I retell my first butchering experience.
Chickens & Childcare
A 1st Time Homesteading Story
Home team: 34, Chickens 2.
We knew-of-a-guy-who-knew-of-a-guy. I think every great story ought to start that way. This one certainly does. The said-guy (the second one, the one who was known by the first guy) happened to have a rather large flock of chickens that were past their prime; some were still laying but at some point it is not economical to fund their retirement. A hen can live up to 14 years old, laying 7-10 of those years, according to Carla Emery in “The Encyclopedia of Country Living”. However, she’s at her peak production just those first few years. So this “guy” decided it was time to cull the herd. He would give up to 60 hens away for free to anyone willing to get hands dirty with the butchering.
Looking for Books to help you get the nerve up for your first butchering experience? We’ve got a few!
The Encyclopedia of Country Living