The Value of Old Birds

What to do with chickens that stop laying, other uses for chickens besides food.

When I was a kid catching and preparing our ducks and chickens was my job. Yep, I was the neck wringer. As I am once again preparing our farm to be productive I have to apologize to my niece and sister-in-law. See I told them they needed to buck up and butcher their chickens when they no longer produce eggs. Put them in the stew pot like homesteads have done for generations, my brother said, that will never happen, these chickens have names. As my new flock is getting older and I become more and more tickled by their antics and individual personalities I look forward to plans for their future. I think I might be getting soft because I’m looking at their value outside the pot. The fact that they eat their weight in insects, break up manure and eat fly larvae, unearth beatles, kill small snakes and rodents, and devour weed seeds up until the day they die is starting to have more to appeal to me then lopping off their heads and making soup stock. So maybe just maybe there is some value in old birds.

4 thoughts on “The Value of Old Birds”

    1. Education is part of our purpose, we hope you will continue your learning. Remember that experience is the best and hardest teacher. Good luck with your project.

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