The Final Step

I grew up eating meat wrapped in plastic and purchased from a grocery store. I didn’t know anyone who hunted or fished to put food on the table. So, raising my own chickens to eat has forced me to face the reality of where my food comes from. I am raising animals with the specific purpose of having them killed to provide myself and my family with nourishment. It’s possible to ignore that fact when buying poultry wrapped in plastic at the store, but not when raising your own. Some people, when faced with that reality, might choose vegetarianism, as I did for some years. Now I have promised myself that I will only eat meat that is raised humanely and respectfully. My birds are well cared for – fed the best organic, medication-free rations, and provided with fresh water, a shelter with protection from sun and rain, plenty of space to move around in, and a clean environment. I appreciate them, and silently tell them so.

We have made two appointments at our local processing facility – one for the larger male birds at almost 7 weeks of age, and the second two weeks later. In preparation for slaughtering, we stop feeding them 12 to 24 hours ahead, in order to make the processing cleaner, but continue to give them fresh water. We have tried to give our birds a comfortable life, so we don’t want them to be ill-treated at the end of it. It’s important to remember that birds are sensitive to heat, and need oxygen. Transporting birds in a tightly enclosed space could result in death, and parking in the hot sun while waiting your turn at the processing facility is another added stress. We have found that transporting the birds in a wire dog kennel placed in the back of a pickup truck works well. If we arrive on time for our appointment but not too early, the birds will be slaughtered soon after arrival. The whole process is as humane as one could expect, and goes very quickly. In about 20 minutes we have the finished birds packed in ice in cardboard boxes. For an extra fee we could have them split or quartered, but I prefer to save the money and cut them up myself.

As soon as I get home, I plunge the birds into the kitchen sink full of ice water, moving them around so as to chill them as quickly as possible. The birds should be thoroughly cold before being bagged and frozen. Some people recommend aging the birds, loosely wrapped, in the refrigerator for a day or two before freezing. In any case, I try to get as much air as possible out of the bag before tying it off. Our processing facility provides bags and twist ties, and I purchase extra bags so that I can double-bag them. Before bagging, I weigh each bird. Some I freeze whole, and some I cut into pieces, so that I have options when it comes time to prepare a meal.  I look forward to roast chicken, arroz con pollo, chicken salad, chicken curry, chicken enchiladas, chicken simmered in flavorful tomato sauce, and a host of other dishes. I am convinced that the chickens which our family will eat over the next year have been raised with attention to their well-being and ours. I am truly satisfied with my endeavor.

Six weeks old

These birds grow fast! Not long after we put them outside, we decided to divide them into two groups and house them in two adjacent pens, in order to give them all more room. It’s important to house the birds on fresh grass (or bedding if inside) so that they are not sitting around in their own droppings. For indoor pens, wood shavings are very absorbent.
For birds outside on grass, it becomes necessary to move the pen frequently to a clean area. For a small number of birds in a large pen, moving them every couple of days may be sufficient. But for a larger number of birds, moving them daily will keep them clean.  As always, paying attention to the birds and observing them closely and often keeps us on top of things.

Our 32 birds ate through their first 100 pounds of broiler grower crumbles in ten days, from age 21 days to 31 days. At the end of the following ten to eleven days, they had eaten through an additional 150 pounds of feed.

We are approaching the day of reckoning. Males and females are beginning to differentiate in appearance, with the males generally larger overall and showing larger combs. We have separated the birds into two groups, based on their size, and will take the group of larger birds to be slaughtered in a couple of days, at just under seven weeks of age. The remaining birds will be processed 2 weeks later.

Four weeks old

The birds are getting big, as shown by the photo of one of them with the “peep”, although they are not particularly handsome at this stage of development. Down has been replaced by feathers, but they have some scruffy areas with pink skin showing, and a rather gawky look, like adolescents with acne and big feet. However, we know from experience that their appearance will improve in the next couple of weeks. It’s now time to move them outside, since they are well feathered out and can tolerate our night temperatures in the 40s. A few weeks ago, when we saw one of them teetering on the edge of the cardboard draft shield, ready to launch itself into the big world of the garage,  we knew it was time for an enclosure that would keep them contained. At that time, we moved our chicken-wire pen into the garage. Now that same pen can go outside. According to the Storey book (mentioned in “References”) birds grow more efficiently if  kept indoors at a temperature of between 65 and 85. However, we are not aiming to produce the cheapest possible food, so we will accept a less than optimal feed conversion ratio. A workshop presenter at the Common Ground Fair said that chicken raised partly on grass has better flavor. We also think the birds are happier if raised the home way – with fresh air, lots of space, and grass to scratch around in.

Our aim in building the 8′x8′ pen was to provide a shelter that was as large as practicable while still light enough for two people to move. We built it from 2x4s ripped lengthwise into 2x2s, fastened with screws and angle brackets, with galvanized 1-inch chicken wire covering the top and sides. A tarp covers one side and some of the top, to protect the birds from sun and rain. Doors in the top and side provide access. To provide protection from predators which might dig under the enclosure, we have created a barrier of 2-foot wide chicken wire, stretched out on the ground all around the pen. This is tucked under the pen on one side, and fastened to the ground with landscape staples along the outer edge. (Foxes and weasels can be a problem in our area). The birds are consuming a great deal of food and water, so they now use a 5-gallon galvanized waterer, raised up slightly on a platform of scrap wood. and a large galvanized feed hopper. We are still using two of the original chick feeders, but have raised them on stands, which hold the feeders in place and prevent the birds from upending them. It is important to keep the rations dry, so we feed several times a day, and make sure the feeders are located under the tarp, protected from the elements.

On the menu – broiler grower crumbles, with a crude protein level of not less than 19%. The broiler starter, with a crude protein level of not less than 20%, is formulated to be the sole ration from day 1 to day 21.  As it happens, our 32 birds ate through the 100 pounds of starter in exactly 21 days.  They will now eat broiler grower crumbles until they are ready for processing. Some feed companies offer a finisher ration, but we are sticking with what is offered by the Nature’s Best company. Terminology for feed types: mash is finely ground (think baby cereal); crumbles are also ground, but coarser than mash; pellets are (obviously) pellets, like dog food, only shaped like tiny cylinders.

Two weeks old

The chicks have grown a lot in two weeks, as shown in this photo of one of them with a “peep”. I have enlarged the cardboard draft shield a bit to give them more room, and added fresh shavings when needed so that the birds are living on clean, absorbent litter.  I also raised the heat lamp a couple of inches. According to the Storey book (mentioned in Resources) you should start at about 95 degrees, and reduce the temperature about 5 degrees each week until it reaches room temperature. I’m not that precise, but I know that the birds need to be feathered out before I move them outside, and they will feather out as their environment becomes cooler. We have had some unseasonably cold weather lately, and our garage is unheated, so I am adjusting the heat lamp accordingly. I continue to observe the birds, checking often to see that they look comfortable and healthy.

Cleanliness is important in preventing disease, so I  washed out the waterers and feeders with hot soapy water. I have added a second 1-gallon fount, and several more feeders, so that everyone can eat at once. To minimized the chicks kicking shavings into their water, I’ve raised the fount on a platform made of scrap 2x4s. Since it is important for them to have clean water at all times, I check on them during the day, make sure there is water in the founts, and scoop out any errant shavings.

There are several different kinds and sizes of feeders. Look in a poultry supply catalog or go to your local feed store to get what fits the size of your flock. I started with chick feeders, one with a reel that swivels to prevent the birds from standing in their food, and one with a series of openings across the top for the chicks to stick their heads through to get to their feed. As the birds get bigger, I will graduate to larger capacity feeders. For the moment, I feed them several times a day. They get interested when food is poured into their feeder, and immediately decide that eating is just what they wanted to do.

Vaccines and Vitamins

The hatchery we use offers the option of having your chicks vaccinated against Marek’s disease and Coccidiosis. Marek’s disease is a nervous disorder that can cause convulsions and paralysis. Coccidiosis, caused by a protozoa, is a disease of the digestive system, and is probably the most common cause of death among young birds. We decided to have our chick’s vaccinated, as a precaution.

We also purchase Broiler Booster to add to the chicks’ water. It is a combination of vitamins, electrolytes, and biotin, which the hatchery recommends for the fast-growing meat birds,  in order to promote optimum health and prevent weak legs.

Resources

My favorite reference book covers all aspects of poultry raising in detail: “Storey’s Guide to Raising Chickens” by Gail Damerow.

The catalog from the Murray McMurray hatchery is great fun. Besides color pictures of various breeds, it offers equipment, books, and some basic information about raising poultry. Those color pictures will probably make you want to raise a pretty mixed flock of laying hens as well as your broilers.

Julia’s blog “A Local Food Wedding, From Seed to Plate”

Michael Pollan’s books: “The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals”.                                                     “In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto”.                                                                                   “Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual”.

Barbara Kingsolver’s book: “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life”.

Organic or Not

My reasons for raising my own chicken are several. I’ve been gardening organically for many years, for health and environmental reasons.  After reading about factory farming and watching the documentary Food, Inc. I decided to add organic chicken to the freezer full of organic vegetables and fruit that we eat from throughout the year. Organic feed is expensive, but I have decided that it is worth it to me, not only because I will be eating meat free from antibiotics and the residues of pesticides and herbicides, but because I will be supporting the farmers who have made the commitment to organic practices in raising the feed grains which I buy. However, I think there are good arguments for the importance of locally produced food, whether organic or not, and if I were faced with a choice between a food that was raised locally but not organically, and an organic food that travelled thousands of miles to reach my table, I would probably choose the local over the organic. We are all faced with the sometimes difficult decisions about what our small actions mean to us, our families, our communities, the global community, and the earth.