I know that most of my readers do not raise chickens. I only raise them as pets and egg producers. I do not eat them, but I will not pass judgement on you if you eat chickens you raise. I often read the blog of a lady called the Chicken Chick. In one of the latest blog entries she explains the difference of how back yard chicken keepers differ now from when our grandparents kept chickens. Both of my grandmothers had chickens. One grandmother lived on a farm and the other lived in a house with some acreage at the edge of town. I can vividly remember my Grandmother Mary chopping off the chicken heads so we could eat the chickens for Sunday dinner. After the head was removed, the chicken would run all over the farm yard and the blood would spray here and there. As a young child, I would run so the chicken could not get me. I believe the site of the headless chicken is what caused many nightmares for me. Obviously this is where the term "running around like a chicken with it's head cut off," came from. My grandmother used a tree stump and an ax, (at least one time), because that picture is what is instilled in my memories. She also taught me how to cut up a chicken. How many people know how to do that now days? In the meat isle at the local grocery store we purchase our chickens cut up now, unless you you buy one whole for roasting or boiling. (Unless we go to Church's Chicken or KFC, LOL) I am grateful I do not need to prepare my Sunday dinner the same way as Grandma Mary did.
The following blog entry is very interesting. I am aware of how it pertains to chicken keepers, but it also talks about the difference of how we raise chickens now and how we raised chickens 50 years ago.
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2013/12/chickens-obesity-silent-killer-how-to.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+EggCartonLabelsByAdozengirlz+%28The+Chicken+Chick%C2%AE%29&utm_content=Yahoo!+Mail
One of the things I can't fully understand is how we expect all of our meat animals to be humanely treated when we are going to kill them anyway. Am I the only one that does not quite get this. I do know that we want our meat healthy and treating the minimal humanly may have a bearing on having healthy meat. I know that we need to treat all creatures well and I do--expect spiders, snakes, mice, rats, flies ----well you get the picture. If more people knew how factory chickens are treated now, they would not eat them. The link below is a great place to check out factory farms.
http://www.ourplanettoday.com/the-cruel-life-inside-a-factory-farm
I have replaced 4 of my chickens. If you have not been following my blog, a neighboring dog killed my whole flock. I know they can not ever be replaced, but we have 4 babies now. They are young adults hens. I had 2 eggs today! I love the look of all chickens, but those with unusual features catch my eye. I found a farm-lady which sold me 2 brown Frizzle hens, a little black hen, and a mixed Frizzle and Silkie hen. Since the holiday season is here, I have chosen to name the brown Frizzle hens Sweet Potato and Fruit Cake. The white hen I named Marshmallow and the black hen I named Raisin. I know I am a little odd. LOL All of these girls are smaller than my grandmother's chickens and they are considered to be Bantams. This name comes from the Banten Provence or Banten Residency which was once a major seaport in Indonesia.
I am also making more chicken hot pads/pot holders. The profit from the sale of the hot pads/pot holders goes toward the fence replacement, chicken replacement, and care of my flock. Thank you for viewing my blog and website.
http://www.custercottage.com
May you and yours be blessed! Dawnie
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