[michellela]

I've been reading a number of posts about people keeping chickens and I'm curious.  Not quite curious enough to get my own (yet) but curious enough to want to know more so...

1) If you keep chickens for meat do you have to dispatch and prepare them yourself or is there somewhere you can take them for that?

2) Is protecting them from foxes and other predators particularly difficult?

3) Do they take a great deal of care or can they be left to get on with it for a day or two?

4) How much space is required for them to live comfortably?

All fact and opinions are most welcome, thank you!

[Fisherman]

Hi Michella

1) Dispatching and preparing birds for the table is not really difficult but if you've not got the stomach for it your local butcher or gamekeeper may help you out. If you have to pay it can become unviable. Strange as it may be you can easily become attached to them making dispatching more difficult.

2) They can be protected from foxes and othe predators with a bit of thought i.e. barriers, wire fencing, electric fencing etc. Depends on where you live and how exposed your hens are to predators.

3) They are OK on their own for a couple of days after that you need someone to keep an eye on them i.e. feeding, watering, collecting eggs, cleaning out etc. To some degree this can be overcome with automatic feeders and drinkers.

4) in the run at least 2 Sq. Mts. per bird, more if possible and free range them if and when possible.

The benefits are in the quality of the product either meat or eggs and more importantly the joy of keeping the birds in the first place. Not much money in it if any.

[GrannieAnnie]

It can be difficult sometimes to find someone else to dispatch for you.  I don't have that problem as my Brian does that bit and does the gutting.  I do more of the plucking, cooking and eating! 

We have left our birds overnight before, but only in the summer when the evenings are lighter and its warmer, but you would have to make sure you are predator tight, or you could come back and they are all dead.

You wouldn't want to leave the feed out overnight either, and water can get tipped over  and they shouldn't go without water. 

IMHO If you can't or don't want to spend the time on chickens that they need, I would suggest you don't go there.  They are live animals so need looking after.

[michellela]

Thank you both for the information.  I don't think I would have the time as it seems that they need quite a bit of looking after but maybe one day.  I've been reading some more posts since I asked for input and it does seem that people become VERY attached to their birds so I'm thinking that I probably wouldn't be able to enjoy a meal after knowing the chicken's first name either.

[jinty1911]

Your right on the one.  We haven't had a roast chicken dinner and anything that involves chicken fillets since I got my girls.  Chicken in breadcrumbs out of a plastic tray is allowed though   
Jinty

[GrannieAnnie]

I never name my meat chickens, except the 4 that had got pecked by the others and they lived together just wandering around the garden.  My friend called them Kellogs and his 3 ladies.  Rice Krispies, Cornflakes and oh bother forgotten the last one! 

Must say though when his time came, Kellogs made beautiful sausages!  I don't like it when they have to be killed, but I enjoy eating them as I know I've done my best to give them a good life.  Unlike commercially reared meat which we don't eat anymore.

Our pig this year grew up 5 miles away as did our beef.  Last year our pig grew up slightly less miles than that, and hopefully we will get a lamb soon.  Apart from that, we eat mainly chicken and turkey and the occasionally beef liver from our friend 5 miles away!

Tonight we had cheesy chicken burgers in buns with a jacket potato and some Thai sweet chilli sauce!

[joyfull]

wasn't the third girl called crunchy nuts? 

and yes Kellogs did make yummy sausages 

[Casey76]

Hi michellela, it is much easier to dispatch you rmeat birds if you don't become attached to them.

I reared 13 this year, bought in as day olds, and not a single one got a name.  They weren't treated any differently to my layers.  They didn't have a special diet or anything, and they had the same amount of space to run around in, I handled them as much as my layers, but all I saw at the end of the day was a nice roast chicken (or chicken casserole, curry, stew...)  I dispatched and dressed my own.  I don't enjoy the dispatching, but I am getting pretty proficient now!

[michellela]

Your right on the one.  We haven't had a roast chicken dinner and anything that involves chicken fillets since I got my girls.

But roast chicken is a basic food group!

Chicken sausages?!?  I've never heard of such a thing.  I tried regular pork sausages from a farm shop earlier in the year but was really gutted because they tasted a little funny, or maybe they didn't and it's just that I wasn't used to them.

Much admiration that you can deal with the less pretty side of a chicken dinner.  I really don't think I'd ever be able to do it.  I couldn't even touch raw chicken till I was in my twenties.

The main thing that made me consider getting my own chickens was watching a TV programme where they showed how shop chickens are injected with water and protein to beef them up (or chicken them up).  It was pretty disgusting.  And a rip off.

[Squibbs]

We don't name our cockerels as we will eat all but one of them. We did have one exception a very beautiful cockerel that was probably a cream legbar / buff orpington cross. He was called Ed (initially Edie until we realised he wasn't a girl) Unfortunately he turned nasty and our 3 year old daughter wouldn't go into the paddock so we had to get rid of him and the pot beckoned.

We ate him a week or so after killing him, the daughter asked 'are we eating Ed' I told her it was and she just said 'good' and carried on which was a bit of a surprise.

She may well be saying the same thing about the geese which have become a little more aggressive lately come Christmas time!

[Squibbs]

Chicken sausages with tarragon are very nice - I think they were from a small butcher in Cheltenham - very yummy.

[darkbrowneggs]

Mmmmm.... this looks interesting.  Who's got the recipe for making chicken sausages?

all the best
Sue
Dark Brown eggs