Just ate our first meatie!

[Anna_MN]

It tasted FABULOUS! It actually tasted like chicken. I seasoned it very lightly with salt and pepper, stuffed the cavity with lemon, garlic, and herbs. It was awesome! Not nearly as much fat as a store bought chicken but that just means more bang for my buck. Not stringy or tough at all. I am totally loving raising my own meat!!!

 

[4-H chicken mom]

Congrats. I have 30 meat birds in the garage at the moment. They are 1 week old.

 

[CorinneP]

I am just raising my first batch of meat birds I wont even cal them chicks. I dont name them I wont talk to them .. I am nervous I am telling my self you eat chicken all the time .. you eat venison and beef .. Gearing up Thankfully I have a couple months as I am raising jersey giants .. I need to toughen up .. I can do it I can do it ..

 

[dace316]

Yay! I'm going to cook my first one tonight for supper. I'm sad, excited, and curious.....I've got 12 more outside that have a few more weeks to go.

 

[Anna_MN]

It's not so terrible eating it. Preparing it was fine, cooking it was fine, carving it was fine. Then a slight thought of "is this wrong?" crossed my mind when we were eating it. But it tasted so darn good that I didn't even care! And I silently said a prayer thanking the chicken for her sacrifice and that I was glad I could give her the life I gave her instead of in cramped conditions at some poultry factory. I have 50 more meaties on their way tomorrow!

 

[Oregon Blues]

It is absolutely not wrong.

A much better existence for the chicken and much cleaner, healthier food for your family.

I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that my birds were not frightened or abused and that they died without even being aware that it was coming. I know, because I do everything myself.

 

[gg706]

How do you dispatch your birds? I am planning on cutting the throat on both sides. This will be my first time...I am nervous! I have raised them from chicks and they are heritage breeds not meat birds. I was planning on keeping the hens and butchering the roos...It will be difficult for me to do.. I know for a fact I have 3 roos possibly 9 or 10 out of 16 chicks...so I absolutly CANT keep them! I feel guilty and resolved at the same time to do the job. Very CONFUSING!

Any advice?

 

[Anna_MN]

We tried cutting the throats but it was hard to not get the windpipe. We eventually just cut the head off completely because they seemed to die faster that way. It wasn't ideal in my opinion, but since I couldn't get it right I felt better letting them die quicker by cutting the head off.

 

[Beekissed]

It doesn't hurt at all to go ahead and cut the trachea...been doing it for some time now and the bird dies much quicker. I'd rather have quick, don't you?

 

[xC0000005]

This wasn't to me, but I did in six on Saturday in about 30 minutes total each. I used a ceramic bladed knife and slit the throats, often accidentally getting the windpipe too. My criteria is that you do it once and done. The first cut had better lay that artery clean open so that there's a fountain of blood. At that point there's no going back and a few minutes later it's "use it or lose it". I'll use it every time. I'll be putting away five more this weekend using the same method.

How do you dispatch your birds? I am planning on cutting the throat on both sides. This will be my first time...I am nervous! I have raised them from chicks and they are heritage breeds not meat birds. I was planning on keeping the hens and butchering the roos...It will be difficult for me to do.. I know for a fact I have 3 roos possibly 9 or 10 out of 16 chicks...so I absolutly CANT keep them! I feel guilty and resolved at the same time to do the job. Very CONFUSING!

Any advice?