We started at 7 AM and finally finishing around 5 PM.
We start by raising the chickens from cute and fluffy yellow chicks, to squawking young hens and roosters, to fat and smelly 8 week old birds. They get good care from Eric, as well as some worrying and fretting from Mom and the rest of the family.
Such as this scenario.
One night about 10 PM we heard sprinkler hitting some tin outside. After Dad goes outside with the HUGE flashlight, Mom calling Eric from the top of the stairs, and the rest of us trying to sleep with all the racket---We find out that Eric accidentally set the chicken pen over the sprinkler head. So, a huge blast of water was soaking 50 chickens while they are clucking and squawking, and the rest of us are running around like chickens with our heads cut off.......Smile!
Needless to say, we had a good year! And we are thankful that it is over until fall!
Here are some photos from our big day!
The CREW
YUCK!
AAAHHH!
Isn't Kaleb's face (yellow shirt) hilarious!
Here is the butchering process for those who have never seen it.
(Texas folks, y'all listen up now!)
We store them in crates before we butcher them.
Getting them off the truck
Then they go to "The killing cones"
Evisceration (aka gutting) table
The gizzard cleaner
The gizzards---Kind of pretty---In a gross, slimy sort of way!
Finally we weigh and bag them.
While we were working, Caroline and Katy kept Karly and Susanna occupied with lots of things to do! Thank you, girls!
Playdough!
c
Having a good chat after a long day of work!
Thanks to all who helped!
Great pictures!! I'm amazed that between the killing cones and the evisceration table, the chicken all lost their feathers!! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post, Elizabeth! Hope you are doing well!