The loneliest poult

  About a month ago we decided to toss a bunch of chicken and turkey eggs into the incubator. Unfortunately, we had a couple of problems with the power to the 'bator during incubation, and we only ended up with one little bourbon red turkey poult from the whole batch of eggs.

  We set up the brooder and kept the little guy warm and well fed and watered, but the poor little thing just didn't seem happy. I tried putting in our trusty stuffed woot monkey in for company, but every time we checked on the little guy, he was just standing in the corner looking lonely.

  I decided to steal one of the hen raised banty chicks that we have running around out back as a companion for the lonely little poult, but kept forgetting to grab one out from under Cynthia during evening chores. Well, Blaze, our barn cat, decided to help me remember one morning by trying to make a meal out of one of Cythia's young brood.

  I had just finished milking when I heard the unmistakable sounds of a chick in distress moving at high speeds behind me. Thinking, there's no way a young chick could move that fast I followed the furious chirping to find Blaze under the milk stand with the little bird clutched in his mouth. Somehow I was able to grab up both animals in one swoop, bird in one hand, cat in other. I tucked the sodden, rumpled little bird into my pocket then had a talk with Blaze about how birds are friends not food and had't I JUST fed him breakfast and just how disappointed I was in his rude and ungrateful behavior! I'd like to say he skulked off with his tail between his legs, but let's be honest with ourselves, we are talking about a cat here.

 Anyway, the little chick was none the worse for his wild adventure in the feline jaws of death.

And now our little turkey poult has a friend to grow up with. At first, he was a little terrified of his brooder mate, but the two quickly warmed up to each other and now are fast friends. It's hard to predict what growing up with a chicken who probably will top out at about 3lbs max as a companion will do to this little turkey, but it should be interesting to watch!

Chicken

About two months ago, we got a bunch of little yellow chicks from Tractor Supply. Pretty sure they were Cornish crosses, meat birds.  They have been living the high life when it comes to broilers, an enclosure with access to sunlight and fresh air and plenty of pasture time. They have also been growing. Fast. So fast that their feathers cannot keep up with their growth, and they have weird bald patches. So fast that some even have trouble walking around.

And then there's this guy. This one chicken who grew twice as fast as everyone else. So big he waddled back and forth when he walked and barely ever came outside to graze. I found him sitting in a corner just open mouth panting on Monday and decided his time was up, and we were having chicken for dinner.

I learned the hard way why you want to remove food and water from poultry before slaughter. Let's just say upending a chicken that has been recently chugging down water in the heat of the day is not a pretty sight. This guy didn't even fit in our cone so I had to improvise, all the while dodging turkeys and guineas who were totally fascinated by what I was doing. By the time the deed was done, I was covered in some pretty unmentionable stuff. Ick!

Look at the size of these feet! 

(FYI: I do not have small hands) 

I weighed him just after slaughter, and he was 8.6lbs!! Cleaned he was 6.5lbs. I swear he was part turkey or goose or some thing.

A gizzard full of greens, proof that our chickens do, in fact, graze on real grass. Nothing goes to waste around here so all extra parts, head, feet, organs, and cleaned out guts, get put aside to become raw dog and cat food.

Since I did the killing, cleaning, and (most of) the plucking, Big Onion got the task of cooing the monster chicken. He brined it overnight then crammed it in the crock pot with lots of herbs, and some carrots and onions to cook with while we were at work. The house smelled amazing when we got home.

There is nothing like fresh, pastured chicken. The meat has texture and flavor that is totally missing from the typical super market meat. I can't wait to raise some of the more heritage, less commercial breeds for meat. I've heard they are even better.