At Pequoig we have a flock of layer hens and we raise meat birds on pasture. This year we will also be raising turkeys. Our layer hen flock is a hybrid breed that came from Ohio. We received them from a collective order in spring of 2024 of started pullets, meaning they arrived as teenage birds almost ready to lay eggs.
One of my favorite parts of working at the farm has been taking care of the animals. I’ve learned a lot about chickens and want to share some of my reflections.
The meat chickens were shipped in from Pennsylvania as chicks and I had to go receive them in the mail at the post office. Walking out with boxes of chirping baby chicks was quite the spectacle for the locals in the building but made for a good conversation.
The first few weeks with the meat bird chicks we work hard to maintain the wellness of the birds since they are the most vulnerable as babies. It’s pretty amazing they can travel to us in the mail, but they are not exactly avid survivors when they are young. They have a higher mortality rate in comparison to other livestock by a significant margin. They literally pass away from piling on each other and something called “sudden death syndrome.” These will hit you heavily if you have never raised chickens before. The first death (or deaths) can leave you a bit heartbroken, wondering and stressing if there was anything you could have or could have done to prevent it. But often there isn’t and this is just a part of raising animals. Of course we can revise and observe patterns to prevent fatalities but every flock loses some birds. Death is a part of the process you endure as a farmer, and it keeps you more appreciative of each meal you eat. The feelings of existentialism creep up for me when I’m looking at meat packaged in a grocery store. Maybe it's just me, but keeping the livestock secured and alive is oddly a part of the thrill of farming, it’s a part of the reward.
Once the chickens are old enough to be outside we let them out and they are able to enjoy the sunlight, nip at the grass, and pick at bugs. Somewhat showcasing their own form of dominance in the food chain. However the inevitability of death knocking on our chicken’s door does not go away, it just comes in a different form. The meat birds are safe from most animals on the ground at this point as they are in a fenced-in secured yard in front of their coop, however this does not stop birds of prey, with the most common we have being the hawk. Raising chickens makes you realize they aren't just the most popular meal for humans, but almost any carnivorous animal that can get within reach of eating them, will do just that. Securing a net above the chickens yard was our remedy for them not being swooped up and it worked, with zero casualties.
Our egg laying hens were in a mobile coop off on our southern pasture. We have a scheduled rotation that allows their manure to be spread around the 5 acre pasture, which gradually improves the quality of the grass. This does take time but lush and greener grass is almost immediately noticeable when the grass begins to regrow.
When chickens are young they grow and they grow extremely fast. Especially the meat birds. They get their own secure mobile houses to continuously keep them safe from ground animals and birds of prey. Each day we do chicken chores which involves dragging the houses to a fresh piece of grass for them to graze and fertilize. The chickens don’t really grow any sort of bond with us while we take care of them, but they do get excited to see us (in a pavlovian way). This is not to disrespect them or their intelligence but it's just an observation as I spend time with them. Although, our perception of their intelligence does not really matter, does it? Even if you could communicate with a chicken, do you think you could convince it to be eaten by you? Probably not. Just like I wouldn't expect a deer to weep if a hunter starves and I don’t expect a coyote to feel sorrow because sheep do not wear armor. But these are all just the things I think about as I’ve become directly connected with the food system and raising food for people.
Each day the show goes on, the meat chickens grow and the layer hens continue to lay eggs for us. We process the meat birds on the farm in the summer. Processing the birds ourselves keeps us spiritually and physically connected to the actual food we eat. It's a well organized day and everyone involved in processing gathers beforehand to prepare everything making it as smooth as possible for everyone involved, including the chickens. It’s a somber time but also one of the most profound experiences you can have as a person in this age of being completely disconnected from the food you eat. You come face to face with the reality that every animal, no matter your perception of its intelligence, wants to live, and there is a sacrifice being made for the food on your plate. There isn’t any reason to feel shame for this but you’d be remiss to not show appreciation, however that looks for you.
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