My meat chicks are seven weeks old, so I need to pack them up and take them to be processed.
Processed is such a nice word, isn't it? Rolls off the tongue so much easier than "killed and plucked and eviscerated."
I'll be taking them later today or this weekend.
you'll excuse the pun, I trust?
and decided to keep them as "pets", their health would take a dramatic, steep decline and they would live only a few more miserable days or weeks before dying painfully and uncomfortably.
So this is a mercy killing.
I am the Dr. Kavorkian of chickens.
Aren't I the kind and compassionate soul?
Here are a few pictures of them. One of those death montages like they play at the Academy Awards every year where you say to your partner "I thought he died like five years ago."
Cutest things EVER!
Here are the Cornish Rocks and their brothers of fate, the packing peanuts cockarels, at about one to two weeks old.
Cutelittlechickensay WHAT?
Time to say goodbye to nursery school and start mixing in with the big girls.
And here they are today with their Big Girl Panties on. See how much faster they've grown than the peanuts? They share the same birthday.
The peanuts have a couple more months to live before they go under the knife.
Eat, chickies, eat! You need some more meat on your bones.
Literally.
That was some chicken humor in bad taste, is what that was.
And you can only get that right here, folks.
Anyway, goodbye little chickies. Hope you enjoyed your short little lives, and that I was a good caretaker. Thanks for feeding me and my family. May your souls rest in peace.
Yes, I'm dramatic, I know all about it.
You can blame my mother.
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In case you didn't know it, I'm like the queen of blog-hoppin' lately. It's kind of like square dancing but without the dated outfits, smelly gym, and elderly caller.
Here's the schedule I keep:
Monday: Homestead Revival's Barn Hop, Natural Living Mamma's Natural Living Mondays, The Chicken Chick's Clever Chicks, A Cat-Like Curiosity's Monday Mantras, Ponder Wonder's Soul Food Monday and @ Home Take 2's Mom's Monday Mingle
Tuesday: Heavenly Homemaker's Gratituesday, Crafty Garden Mama's Tuesday Greens, and The Wrinkled Mommy's Tuesday Archive Link-Up
Wednesday: My Life and Kids Finding the Funny, Tilly's Nest's Down Home, and Crafty Spices Wordless Wednesday
Thursday: A Rural Journal's Rural Thursday Blog Hop, and Two In Diapers' Mommy Brain Mixer
Friday: Deborah Jean's Dandelion House's Farmgirl Friday, Fresh Eggs Daily's FarmGirl Friday, Little Becky Homecky's Fantabulous Friday, @Home Take 2's Weekend Blog Walk, and Oh So Amelia's Friday Chaos
Saturday: Camera Critter's Life With Dogs Pet Blogger Hop, and Tutus and Tea Parties' Pinteresting Party.
Since today is Friday, that means I'm linking up today's post with Deborah Jean's Dandelion House's Farmgirl Friday, and Fresh Eggs Daily's FarmGirl Friday; "Re-Using Dry Erase Boards" with Little Becky Homecky's Fantabulous Friday; "Daylight Savings" with @Home Take 2's Weekend Blog Walk, and Oh So Amelia's Friday Chaos.
Come join the fun!
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Rudeness disclaimer:
I love all your comments,
I read every one!
But I can't hit 'reply',
I've no time for fun.
Please don't judge me,
Please don't hate.
If you have a question that just can't wait,
Send me an email at farmbeachgal@yahoo.com,
And I'll answer right back because I'm, you know, the Mom.
Its like the Native American tradition of thanking their meat for offering up their lives for the survival of the tribe-- very circle of life~*
ReplyDeletehttp://aclosetintellectual.blogspot.com/
I understand how you feel :) Been there with my own chickens and turkeys...except I kill them myself so I know it's quick and doesn't cost me anything but a sad heart.
ReplyDeleteFound your post on Farmgirl Friday :)
Aw, don't know whether to laugh or cry. Poor little chickies, but lucky little chickies to have lived a comfy life with you. That is the way of the world.
ReplyDeleteI didn't realize that "meat chicks" were "genetically modified" that way. As someone who grew up on a farm and raised steers and lambs for 4-H and for sale, I am well aware of the process. (My mother used to kill and dress chickens herself, years ago!) It's just that chicks are so cute when they are tiny. ;-)
ReplyDeleteI'm sure the chickens will tell all the other chickens in chicken heaven what a wonderfully kind farmer they had. Good luck and good eats.
ReplyDeleteI know one thing - those chickens lived better lives than so many of their counterparts! Hopefully you enjoy them and use as much of the chickens as you possibly can.
ReplyDeleteWell said.
DeleteThank you for linking up with the Clever Chicks this week, this is important information for those who plan to keep meat birds.
Cheers,
Kathy Shea Mormino
The Chicken Chick
http://www.The-Chicken-Chick.com
aww they are so cute but understand sometimes you gotta do what you don't want to do i laughed and cried a little again love your blog
ReplyDeleteYou gotta do what needs to be done.
ReplyDeletewhat do they do to genetically modify them? so interesting
thanks for stopping by my blog
http://pleasegivepeasachance.blogspot.com/
Hi Anne!
ReplyDeleteI read your post and couldn't help but relate. When I lived in the south I made the mistake of telling someone that I grew up on venison. I got a look that could have killed...not Bambi, but, me. I was raised on the Oregon Coast where fish, crab, elk and deer are staples. I was one of six kids and worked in the berry fields each summer to earn money for school clothes. I was a square peg in the land of Dixie Debutants! Luckily, seven years ago, my dream of moving home to the Pacific Northwest came true. All this to say...I had chicken for dinner tonight and it was sooo good! Thanks for your post and for shooting straight from the hip.
Blessings,
Carolynn
I'm so glad you popped in and said hi!
Hi everyone, thanks for all the great comments. Genetic modification is the wrong phrase to use. Selective breeding, maybe? These meat breeds have been bred to gain loads of weight super fast, with large breasts and legs. In the future, I might look into other breeds, I don't know. Such a learning process!
ReplyDeleteI laughed out load at the Dr. Kavorkian reference! The way I see it, God intended for us to give food animals the best life they can have up until the end and I think you did just that. We will be raising our own meat chickens soon but we will have to "process" them ourselves. No one around here does that for some reason.
ReplyDeleteIt's admirable that you've decided to raise chickens yourself and involve your family in the process. I'd be interested in what the kids have to say about raising food animals. It'd be a cute follow up if you ever get the time. Also, have you considered learning to slaughter and process your own chickens? I know it wouldn't be the nicest work, but knowing they had a good death seems like the next step in providing them with a good life. Plus you can be sure they aren't exposed to any unwanted contaminants that way. Just curious :)
ReplyDeleteWe raised meat birds for the first time this year, not easy but I have to say they are the best tasting chickens! Plus "Dan the Chicken Man" said they were the healthiest birds he'd seen!
ReplyDeleteHi everyone, thanks for your comments and support. It wasn't an easy thing, but I know it was the right thing.
ReplyDeletenoelieTREX, I will take you up on your suggestion and do a follow-up post.
See you all soon!
Must be incredibly hard to do. You are a strong woman!
ReplyDeleteIt's never easy to do, but you'll enjoy the chicken in your deep freezer!
ReplyDeleteYou (and we) will get over it when you start posting all of those chicken recipes. :)
ReplyDeletewell - your freezer is going to be full up now right! I'm jealous. can I say that? I have not had farm fresh chicken since I was a kid!
ReplyDeleteHope it all goes ok and that you have some good dinners on the horizon.
ReplyDeleteWe have talked about doing meat chickens in the next year or so. I was not aware of the over 7 rule. I'll have to research that more
ReplyDelete