THE WHOLE CHICKEN 🐓 How to make the most of your roosters and old hens - Free Range Homestead Ep 72

Utilizing Every Part of Your Chickens – Free Range Homestead Episode 72

This episode delves into the sustainable practice of using every part of your chickens, including roosters and old laying hens. By following this approach, you can not only honor their life but also create delicious meals that make the most out of each bird.

A Population Explosion on the Farm

After a significant population increase this spring, our farm had too many chickens. This episode focuses on reducing our numbers while emphasizing the importance of using every part of the bird. We believe in minimizing waste and adhering to our free-range philosophy.

Selective Culling and Evisceration

We selected the chickens we wanted to cull based on their age, productivity, and breeding. The process of eviscerating the birds was carried out calmly during the night, as roosters are typically less reactive at this time.

Using a Plucker to Efficiently Process Birds

To simplify our processing routine, we acquired a plucker from a friend. This machine significantly reduces the time needed to remove feathers from the birds. Although we’ve previously removed feathers manually, using this plucker makes the process much more efficient.

Preparing and Cooking Chicken Parts

Once processed, we used every part of the chickens to create a variety of dishes. We turned the frames, heads, feet, and necks into stock for future cooking needs. Meanwhile, breast meat, thighs, legs, and wings were saved for freezer storage and later use in meals.

Creating Broth with Chicken Frames

We simmered the frames, heads, and feet to create a rich chicken stock. By using these parts, we ensured minimal waste while adding depth of flavor to future dishes. After allowing the broth to cool overnight, we then pressure-cooked it and canned the liquid for shelf storage.

Canning Chicken Broth

We preserved our homemade chicken broth by canning it in mason jars. Before placing the jars into the pressure canner, we carefully strained the liquid to remove any impurities or fat that may affect the final product’s taste and shelf life.

Preparing Chicken for the Freezer

The usable chicken parts, such as breast meat, thighs, legs, and wings, were vacuum sealed and stored in the freezer for later consumption. We try to keep our freezer space to a minimum, so using every part of the birds helps us make the most out of this resource.

Liver and Heart Pie

To use the less commonly consumed chicken organs, such as livers and hearts, we made a liver and heart pie. By combining these ingredients with other parts of the chickens, we created a delicious meal that honored every aspect of the birds.

Sustainable Practices on the Homestead

Through this process, we exemplify our commitment to sustainable practices and reducing waste. By using every part of our chickens, we can create nutritious and satisfying meals for our families while staying true to our homesteading values.

Call-to-Action

If you’d like to learn more about sustainable living and utilizing every part of your chickens, check out our other episodes on homesteading tips. Remember that using every aspect of the animal not only honors its life but also reduces waste and ensures efficient use of resources.