It is common, when fall hits and the light starts to wane, for egg production to slow and for chicken-keepers to find themselves asking hard questions about their older birds. In this class, we discuss the egg-production cycle and humane options for birds whose production is diminishing. We recognize that this can be a sensitive topic for many chicken-keepers, and we offer this class primarily for keepers who consider their birds both pets and potential sources of food. Please note: Those who consider their chickens ONLY as pets may not find this class appropriate.
2. What We’ll Cover Today
Intro
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
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
3. What We’ll Cover Today
Intro
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
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
4. What We’ll Cover Today
Sometimes hunter
Intro
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
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
5. What We’ll Cover Today
Sometimes hunter
Intro
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
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
6. What Vegan has-been Cover Today
We’ll
Sometimes hunter
Intro
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
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
7. What We’ll Cover Today
Preview
Topics We’ll Cover
Got Questions?
• Chicken history/biology
Please ask as we go along.
(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)...
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
8. Chicken history
• Domesticated ~8000
years ago from
Gallus gallus
• Humans have
selected for desirable
characteristics
• ey outnumber
humans, by far, on
the planet
h p://www.birding.in/birds/Galliformes/red_junglefowl.htm
h p://www. ickr.com/photos/trialsanderrors/3269430931/
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
9. Chicken history
• Domesticated ~8000
years ago from
Gallus gallus
• Humans have
selected for desirable
characteristics
• ey outnumber
humans, by far, on
the planet
h p://www.birding.in/birds/Galliformes/red_junglefowl.htm
h p://www. ickr.com/photos/trialsanderrors/3269430931/
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
10. Chicken biology
• Average lifespan
• Breed characteristics
• Fertility changes
over time
• What’s inside...
h p://imachickenlover.blogspot.com/2010/09/biology-of-chicken.html
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
11. 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
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
12. Domestic fowl? Pets?
• You can keep your birds as
pets, but don’t have to (but if
not, try not to name them)
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
13. Industry development
• Many industrial birds can no longer function properly
From the movie “Food, Inc.”
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
14. Affirmation!
• You are doing a good thing to provide a be er life (&
death) for your birds
From the movie “Food, Inc.”
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
15. 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
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
16. Realities
• Investment vs. ROI
• Changing personal
circumstances
• Illness/injury/accidental
death
• Available options for vet
care, re-homing, & dealing
with the inevitable
(HANDOUT!)
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
17. 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!
h p://www.animationplayhouse.com/new/dance3.html
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
18. Why Compost? Step One
Slaughter:
• Gather supplies and materials
Sharp scalpel Sharp knife
Sharp cleaver
5 gallon bucket
Killing cone
Large pot full of
very hot water
Table
Rubber gloves
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
19. Why Compost? Step One
Slaughter:
• Gather supplies and materials
Sharp scalpel Sharp knife
Sharp cleaver
5 gallon bucket
Killing cone
Large pot full of
very hot water
Table
Rubber gloves
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
20. Why Compost? Step One
Slaughter:
• Gather supplies and materials: killing cone
h p://www.whudat.com/newsblurbs/more/sarah-palin-pardons-a-thanksgiving-turkey-at-saw-house-1681121081
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
21. Why Compost? Step One
Slaughter:
• Gather supplies and materials: killing cone
h p://www.whudat.com/newsblurbs/more/sarah-palin-pardons-a-thanksgiving-turkey-at-saw-house-1681121081
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
22. Why Compost? Step One
Slaughter:
• Gather supplies and materials: killing cone
h p://www.naturesharmonyfarm.com/grass-fed-meat-farm-blog?currentPage=19
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
23. Why Compost? Step One
Slaughter:
• Gather supplies and materials: killing cone
h p://joy-at-home.hubpages.com/hub/How-to-Butcher-a-Chicken-Part-1-
Preparing-Your-Work-Space-Scalding-and-Plucking-Chickens
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
24. Why Compost? Step One
Slaughter:
• Gather supplies and materials: killing cone
h p://fourshrops.wordpress.com/category/chickens/
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
25. Why Compost? Step One
Slaughter:
• Gather supplies and materials: killing cone
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
26. Slaughter: Step Two
• Catch bird & hold it upside down to keep it calm
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
30. Slaughter: Step Four
• Hold bird & let blood drain into bucket
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
31. 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
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
32. 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
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
33. 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
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
34. Slaughter: Step Seven
• Remove hair
h p://news.so pedia.com/news/How- h p://www.indigoroot.com/2011/06/do-you- ameless-
Blowtorches-Work-82447.shtml reasons-why-you-should/
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
35. Slaughter: Step Eight
• Eviscerate: many strategies; goal is to remove viscera!
Start
End
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
36. 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
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
37. 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
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
38. 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!!)
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
39. 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...
Tuesday, January 31, 2012