Meat Birds

I'm always amazed how we can turn these:

and yes that's a wind up chick in with all the rest of them...because that's the way we roll around here.

Into these.....

in only a few short months.  I always look forward to this day...the day the meat birds go into the freezer.  

These girls take work.  They were fed and watered twice a day...and on the really hot summer days we had to check them for heat exhaustion and give them extra water. 

Every night they had to be locked in the chicken house.  You have no idea how many nights I had just gotten into bed and remembered 'the meat birds'.  I'd let out a holler "Did anyone lock in the meat birds?" and if everyone groaned then my darling husband would make the trek out to the chicken house and lock the door.  I couldn't sleep until I knew that my girls were safe....safe from all those wild animals that prowl around at night. 

There were a few nights when the boys had already gone to bed and then one of them would get up, come down the stairs, and head straight out the door.  He wouldn't have to say a word to us...we knew where he was headed....out to shut the door on the chicken house.

And then there were the evenings that we had been away somewhere and we'd get home and I'd drive as close to the chicken house as I could and shine the headlights and get that door locked.

The girls had a good life.  They were free range during the day for half of the summer.  Then we got a new pup and quickly realized that these birds needed a pen.  We built a good size one for them and they were happy.  I always dumped the compost pail in their pen and they would feast.

So tonight when we all snuggle into our beds we won't have to worry about the meat birds.  We know that they are all safe....in our freezer!!

Brenda