RIP Meat-a-licious (4.26.21-3.14.22) - The Rescue Chicken

You were so loved

Our girl was a ‘meat chicken’ called a Cornish Cross. This type of cross produces a bird that grows extremely fast, typically harvesting between 6-8 weeks. This is the bird of choice for commercial meat production.

But not on our farm. Our farm was her home. She roamed free & slept with the dog & barely tolerated the sheep & hung out in the barn.

At 4 months old she started laying small golden eggs. By 5 months she was too heavy to get up the ramp and at 6 months, she was too big to fit through the chicken door. This meant that we carried her out of the coop every morning and put her to bed every night.

At the time of her passing she weighed 17.4lbs. That size was too hard for her heart and her little legs. She passed peacefully in her favorite spot in the back corner of the coop.

Our little homestead is committed to producing our own meat, including chicken. But we are also committed to ensuring our animals live long & happy lives.

In April, we will receive our first batch of heritage dual purpose chickens. These chickens will roam free & happy, give us eggs as well as meat, and have freedom to reproduce and raise their young.

Lots of love!