Four roosters are too many for our little laying flock. Two roosters, a prize-winning Black Australorp and a Barred Plymouth Rock, are really too many, but we like variety, so two roosters still live. But the other two had to go. "Had to go" is a euphemism. Using euphemisms, and not putting too many photos of the "going" keeps the blog clean and family friendly.
Once before, when roosters had to go, Audrey and I decided not to heat the scalding water and set up the electric plucker and all the butchering equipment just for a couple of roosters. It all has to be hauled out of the shed and cleaned up before use. Then, it all has to be cleaned again before you put it away. That's a lot of work. We thought it would be easier just to pluck or skin the birds by hand, but, thirty minutes into the project, we thought it would have been easier to just throw their carcasses into the trees for the coyotes.
As with so many things in life, when you get discouraged and want to quit, that's when you're just about over the hump. We pressed on, and then were glad that we did, as there was homemade chicken soup waiting to warm chilly fingers and hearts when the snow flew.
But almost all of my butchering help has flown the coop, so to speak, and other things besides chicken noodle soup crowded my calendar last week. So this rooster fed the circle of life in the form of coyotes, not people.
There is a time coming, when something doesn't have to die in order for something else can live. I'm looking forward to it.
The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. Isaiah 11:6
1 comment:
how did the rooster taste? did you slaughter the rooster by yourself? what method did you use to slaughter the rooster?
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