Chicken End of Life Issues

ChickenEnd of Life

IssuesIndependence Gardens

Portland, OR

January 2012© Independence Gardens LLC

Download the handout that goes along with this slideshow!

h!p://bit.ly/yL0TxS

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

http://bit.ly/yL0TxS

http://bit.ly/yL0TxS

What We’ll Cover TodayIntro

we are Independence Gardens • We build raised beds, chicken coops,

terraces, trellises, & other garden infrastructure

• Help with garden design & planning, cleanup, prep, and installation

• Teach edible gardening classes• & make Doo Tees!

our goal is• To help people get comfortable in garden

spaces and with garden routines so they can successfully grow their own food

















Sometimes hunter









Sometimes hunter









Sometimes hunter

Vegan has-been


Topics We’ll Cover• Chicken history/biology

(incl. egg production cycle)• Context: knowing your

options & priorities, respecting the process

• What to expect/things that can force your hand

• If you decide to DIY (Dispatch It Yourself)...

What We’ll Cover TodayPreview

Got Questions? Please ask as we go along.


Chicken history

h!p://www.birding.in/birds/Galliformes/red_junglefowl.htmh!p://www."ickr.com/photos/trialsanderrors/3269430931/

• Domesticated ~8000 years ago from Gallus gallus

• Humans have selected for desirable characteristics

• !ey outnumber humans, by far, on the planet


http://imachickenlover.blogspot.com/2010/09/biology-of-chicken.html




Chicken history

h!p://www.birding.in/birds/Galliformes/red_junglefowl.htmh!p://www."ickr.com/photos/trialsanderrors/3269430931/

• Domesticated ~8000 years ago from Gallus gallus

• Humans have selected for desirable characteristics

• !ey outnumber humans, by far, on the planet






Chicken biology

h!p://imachickenlover.blogspot.com/2010/09/biology-of-chicken.html

• Average lifespan• Breed characteristics• Fertility changes

over time• What’s inside...




Egg production cycle

• Always multiples in the pipeline

• 4 lbs. feed = ~12 eggs• 1 every 26 hrs. is

about the most you can expect to get at peak production

• Production slows dramatically as light wanes and with age

h!p://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2164/11/57/"gure/F1?highres=y


http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2164/11/57/figure/F1?highres=y

http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2164/11/57/figure/F1?highres=y

Domestic fowl? Pets?

• You can keep your birds as pets, but don’t have to (but if not, try not to name them)


Industry development

• Many industrial birds can no longer function properly

From the movie “Food, Inc.”


Affirmation!

• You are doing a good thing to provide a be"er life (& death) for your birds

From the movie “Food, Inc.”


Expectations

• Long life, happiness, and prosperity

• Plan for it! But have a backup plan in place

• Make sure the end of life option you choose re#ects your ethics/priorities


Realities

• Investment vs. ROI• Changing personal

circumstances• Illness/injury/accidental

death• Available options for vet

care, re-homing, & dealing with the inevitable (HANDOUT!)


h!p://www.animationplayhouse.com/new/dance3.html

Fair Warning

• We are about to show you how to “DIY” (Dispatch It Yourself)...

• So if you don’t want to see these images, you can take a break now!


http://www.animationplayhouse.com/new/dance3.html

http://www.animationplayhouse.com/new/dance3.html

Why Compost?Slaughter: Step One

• Gather supplies and materials

5 gallon bucket

Killing cone

Sharp scalpel Sharp knifeSharp cleaver

Large pot full of very hot water

Rubber glovesTable



• Gather supplies and materials

5 gallon bucket

Killing cone

Sharp scalpel Sharp knifeSharp cleaver

Large pot full of very hot water

Rubber glovesTable



• Gather supplies and materials: killing cone

h!p://www.whudat.com/newsblurbs/more/sarah-palin-pardons-a-thanksgiving-turkey-at-saw-house-1681121081


http://www.whudat.com/newsblurbs/more/sarah-palin-pardons-a-thanksgiving-turkey-at-saw-house-1681121081




h!p://www.whudat.com/newsblurbs/more/sarah-palin-pardons-a-thanksgiving-turkey-at-saw-house-1681121081






h!p://www.naturesharmonyfarm.com/grass-fed-meat-farm-blog?currentPage=19


http://www.naturesharmonyfarm.com/grass-fed-meat-farm-blog?currentPage=19

http://www.naturesharmonyfarm.com/grass-fed-meat-farm-blog?currentPage=19



h!p://joy-at-home.hubpages.com/hub/How-to-Butcher-a-Chicken-Part-1-Preparing-Your-Work-Space-Scalding-and-Plucking-Chickens


http://joy-at-home.hubpages.com/hub/How-to-Butcher-a-Chicken-Part-1-Preparing-Your-Work-Space-Scalding-and-Plucking-Chickens






h!p://fourshrops.wordpress.com/category/chickens/


http://fourshrops.wordpress.com/category/chickens/

http://fourshrops.wordpress.com/category/chickens/




Slaughter: Step Two

• Catch bird & hold it upside down to keep it calm


Slaughter: Step "ree

• Kill quickly & cleanly








Slaughter: Step Four

• Hold bird & let blood drain into bucket


Slaughter: Step Five

• Scald in hot water (~140 deg F) till feathers loosen

h!p://thedeliberateagrarian.blogspot.com/2009/02/how-to-properly-scald-chicken-my-never.html


http://thedeliberateagrarian.blogspot.com/2009/02/how-to-properly-scald-chicken-my-never.html

http://thedeliberateagrarian.blogspot.com/2009/02/how-to-properly-scald-chicken-my-never.html

Slaughter: Step Six

• Pluck feathers by hand (unless you are processing multiple birds on a regular basis, in which case...)

h!p://eshop.bellsouth.com.au/Rotary-Plucker-760mm-chiecken-and-duck


http://eshop.bellsouth.com.au/Rotary-Plucker-760mm-chiecken-and-duck


Slaughter: Step Six

• Pluck feathers by hand (unless you are processing multiple birds on a regular basis, in which case...)

h!p://eshop.bellsouth.com.au/Rotary-Plucker-760mm-chiecken-and-duck




Slaughter: Step Seven

• Remove hair

h!p://news.so#pedia.com/news/How-Blowtorches-Work-82447.shtml

h!p://www.indigoroot.com/2011/06/do-you-$ameless-reasons-why-you-should/


http://news.softpedia.com/news/How-Blowtorches-Work-82447.shtml




http://www.indigoroot.com/2011/06/do-you-flameless-reasons-why-you-should/




Slaughter: Step Eight

• Eviscerate: many strategies; goal is to remove viscera!

Start

End


Slaughter: Step Nine

• Remove feet & head (Mike the Chicken is not normal)

• Dispose of le$overs responsibly, like in curbside compost (a$er Halloween)

h!p://www.thisistrue.com/mike.html


http://www.thisistrue.com/mike.html

http://www.thisistrue.com/mike.html

Slaughter: Step Ten

• Rinse and cool carcass to refrigerate/freeze OR cook immediately OR wait 24 hrs. (till a$er rigor resolves)

h!p://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/coq-au-vin-recipe/index.html


http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/coq-au-vin-recipe/index.html

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/coq-au-vin-recipe/index.html

Final notes

• !is can be a fairly messy process• Keep hygiene in mind (handwashing, etc.)• Be prepared to smell wet boiled chicken on your body for

a few days (again, fair warning!!)


Take-home message

• What would be the consequences of pu"ing glass walls on slaughterhouses, and/or slaughterhouses in our backyards?

• Familiarize yourself with your own personal ethics and priorities, as well as the pragmatic aspects of end of life...and you’ll be in a be"er position to take care of business when it needs to happen!

• Sustainability = awareness• It’s the ciiiiiircle of life...


Questions?


Chicken End of Life Issues

Self Improvement

garden routines

chicken coops

gardeninfrastructure

garden design planning

chicken historybiologyplease

raised beds

edible gardening classes

doo tees