Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
straw is turned and allowed to heat for a year to produce a vital, nitrogen-rich food
for our crop soil. The composted birds return to the earth and help maintain the vital-
ity of our farm.
The hens we choose to process for eating must be healthy, robust, and not molting.
For the effort we want a fairly large (2½-4 lb.), plump bird with good fat coverage
(for that amazing broth) and no pinfeathers. The lack of pinfeathers is particularly
important if you're attempting to clean colored birds like Rhode Island Reds, Black
Sex-Links, or Barred Rocks. White birds like Delawares, Leghorns, and White Rocks
are usually much easier to clean regardless of molt. Older birds can be more effort to
pluck, eviscerate, and cut up. Tendons, ligaments, and skin are much harder to cut
and thus more effort to process. Keep this in mind if you are planning to process your
own stew hens; they take more time than broilers and typically bring in less money.
That being said, there is a market for organic stew hens. They are virtually unavail-
able in grocery stores and make the most marvelous chicken soup or stock. Their fla-
vor and richness far surpass a broiler chicken, but they must be stewed long and
slowly for tender meat. Remember, they are usually at least sixteen months older
than a broiler and have had a lot of exercise (at least free-range hens have). They
have also had a lifetime of foraging for seeds, insects, and greens and a balanced diet
of certified organic grains. This diet produces rich golden fat for broth and delicious
meat.
With these thoughts about culling in mind, carefully consider the breed, age
makeup, and management of your next laying flock. We are conscious of trying to
select a breed with the following criteria:
1. Good production in a free-range system.
2. Docile, levelheaded, with social skills.
3. Medium to heavy with good feathering for winter.
4. Robust, meaty, and worth processing for stew.
5. Not so fat and heavy that feed converts into fat and not eggs.
6. Good foraging habits.
7. Light-colored or white feathers that are easy to remove.
Finding a breed with all the above criteria is rare, and we are always trying new
breeds to maximize the use of the bird overall. Eventually, all laying hens must move
on, and it is up to the farmer to select a good breed both for laying eggs and what lies
beyond.
Egg Cleaning
