Preparing for Uncertainty and Self Reliance

[The Conservative]

If a chicken isn't laying, is it molting?

Naa, I think these bitches are just old. I'd guess 3-5 year old hens but I am not entirely certain. They are probably only going to be good for stew type meat. As a contrast, a typical chicken sold at most markets are around 1 year old. We aren't inexperienced with raising chickens.

Never said you were, just know some people that assume a chicken it's laying because it's lazy... etc.

[C-Mag]

HA! I got a call today from a friend with 7 hens, apparently they aren't laying any longer and the eggs that they do lay they peck open, "Hey, I think I want to kill my chickens. Do you want to come help for a portion of the meat?" LOL! Umm, ok. So I guess that I signed up to kill 7 chickens next week. I get 4 of them for the freezer. I've never killed a chicken before, much less cleaned one for eating but my friend is down so I am down. Any tips? I'll report back about the experience.

Chop their heads off with an axe
Put two nails close together on a stump
Close enough you stick the head between the nails and stretch their neck
Let them bleed out

Then dunk in a 5 gal bucket of boiling water to scald

Then pluck feathers

Then gut

Rinse with cool water

Breakdown into standard pieces

[The Conservative]

HA! I got a call today from a friend with 7 hens, apparently they aren't laying any longer and the eggs that they do lay they peck open, "Hey, I think I want to kill my chickens. Do you want to come help for a portion of the meat?" LOL! Umm, ok. So I guess that I signed up to kill 7 chickens next week. I get 4 of them for the freezer. I've never killed a chicken before, much less cleaned one for eating but my friend is down so I am down. Any tips? I'll report back about the experience.

Chop their heads off with an axe
Put two nails close together on a stump
Close enough you stick the head between the nails and stretch their neck
Let them bleed out

Then dunk in a 5 gal bucket of boiling water to scald

Then pluck feathers

Then gut

Rinse with cool water

Breakdown into standard pieces

Great grandmother used to do that.

[C-Mag]

I have almost 1300 lbs of beef hanging in my cooler. Slaughtered 11 days ago, butchering this weekend.

[SuburbanFarmer]

I have almost 1300 lbs of beef hanging in my cooler. Slaughtered 11 days ago, butchering this weekend.

DAMN. That’s a skill I need to develop in the future.

[Haumana]

I have almost 1300 lbs of beef hanging in my cooler. Slaughtered 11 days ago, butchering this weekend.

That's epic. Got a GoPro?

[C-Mag]

I have almost 1300 lbs of beef hanging in my cooler. Slaughtered 11 days ago, butchering this weekend.

That's epic. Got a GoPro?

No

I've posted pics in the past of the process. I might put a few more up.

[Haumana]

Holy shit! Just got 2# of strawberries for 9 bucks from Southern California. Best tasting strawberries that we have had in a few years. Strawberries and avocados are what we miss most from mainland living. I am going back again tomorrow to get more of this goodness.

[The Conservative]

Holy shit! Just got 2# of strawberries for 9 bucks from Southern California. Best tasting strawberries that we have had in a few years. Strawberries and avocados are what we miss most from mainland living. I am going back again tomorrow to get more of this goodness.

There is a guy in Japan that has been cultivating strawberries for the last 30 or so years... he can get $50k for a single strawberry. Honestly, if I could afford it I would jump over there right now and buy one, cultivate the seeds, and grow them myself. I've been told the experience is nearly orgasmic.

[Haumana]

Holy shit! Just got 2# of strawberries for 9 bucks from Southern California. Best tasting strawberries that we have had in a few years. Strawberries and avocados are what we miss most from mainland living. I am going back again tomorrow to get more of this goodness.

There is a guy in Japan that has been cultivating strawberries for the last 30 or so years... he can get $50k for a single strawberry. Honestly, if I could afford it I would jump over there right now and buy one, cultivate the seeds, and grow them myself. I've been told the experience is nearly orgasmic.

That's gay.

I'm just talking about Costco Honolulu and 9 dollars.