and then there were 44...

Today was the day. Our first batch of Cornish X Rocks went to the butcher.  It has been an interesting 8 weeks raising these birds.  They were so cute at a day old, but to be completely honest, they didn't get cuter as the got older.

I tossed and turned last night. How was it all going to work out.

I had to get all of them in the transport coops.  

My husband had shoulder surgery and still can't lift much.

How were they going to be in the transport coops? 

Would they start freaking out and peeking each other?

I have read that stressed birds will yield tough meat and if they are flapping around, 

there will be bruising as well.  

We did all of this work, I didn't want it to be a waste.

They were all calm and I just handled them with a calm voice and touch and they were fine.

It was pretty easy and it went very smoothly.  I was down to business so I didn't really think about how this is the end of the line for them. I did just look at it like picking up a roaster from the meat section or one of those yummy rotisserie chickens already cooked and ready to go...isn't really the same thing?

No...it isn't.  They had the opportunity to scratch in the earth, sleep outside in a safe area and were treated with kindness and respect.  No they weren't pretty as they got older and we didn't treat them like pets but we did care for them.  I feel good about that.

Now we have a freezer full of chickens and I was responsible to everything they ate and drank from when I took them out of that little box from the hatchery to when I put them in the transport coops.  They drank our delicious well water, ate bugs, worms, green grass and organic feed as I do believe all animals raised for our consumption should be.

We had chicken for dinner and...it was good and we were thankful.