Camp for Chickens? Not As You Would Think

Summer camp brings back memories of horseback riding, swimming every day, daily crafts, and campfire songs. Summer camp was, for me as a child, a chance to “live in the country". Perhaps that’s why I’ve embraced the farm life so readily and so quickly.

Among the poultry folk, some of us have a bit of a warped sense of humor when needing to send our meat seeds to the processor to be turned into something very tasty. It sounds a little nicer to say that we are taking them to “freezer camp” as opposed to the alternative.

In this era of so many cancellations and postponements, the meat chickens’ trip to “freezer camp” at J & M Poultry in Cambridge City, Indiana, was not postponed. I’m sure many of you remember eight short weeks ago that I mentioned that I had purchased some cornish cross chicks to raise for meat. 

I had already scheduled the appointment with the processor days in advance of even receiving these chicks and was so blessed to know that this date would still hold firm in spite of the multiple backups several other meat processing places are experiencing.

I also had bugged a fellow farm almost to ad nauseam with my questions on “what do I do when I get there, how much time does it take, how big of a cooler do I need to bring,” you name it, I asked it. Had it not been for the advice of fellow column contributors, Liz and Nate Brownlee of Nightfall Farm, I don't know that I would have entered this adventure with such confidence and excitement. 

I had to transport the birds the 1½ hours at 5:30am one day this past week to get to the processor by 7:30am. We arrived without much ado and I said a quiet good-bye and thank you to the birds as I drove away. I wouldn't say I really felt sadness, but felt more gratitude that I had been given the opportunity for this experience and that these birds would continue to be beneficial in their next purpose. 

The birds must have had a great time at "freezer camp" this year because they came back all dressed and sealed in their own little plastic sleeping bags. They were processed at 8 weeks of age and I don't know that I will ever wait that long again to send them off on their trip. Two birds of the 20 that I had processed weighed in well over 8 pounds and the rest were right in the 6 to 6 ½ pound range. That's great if you're feeding a small army, but not so great for feeding a couple of people. 

I didn't hear any singing from my little camper cluckers when I got them back, but I'm pretty sure that the people, who've been able to purchase my first harvest, will be belting out a happy tune when they make amazing dishes with them. I just hope that maybe some will invite me over for dinner. 

Predators Around Every Corner for Fowl and Farmer

As a full fledged farmer, I tend to fall into the same state of mind that the birds I raise do. Both birds and I can easily fall prey to predators, though in a different way. 

Birds are, by nature, prey animals. Every where you turn, everyone and everything is looking for a free chicken dinner. Predators such as fox, coyote, possum, raccoon, skunk, mink, hawk, bobcat, the stray dog, you name it - everything is out to chase those little feathered creatures until they stumble and become lunch or wait until the birds roost for the night and the sneaky possum, mink, raccoon or skunk enters the coop and either takes a whole bird or mortally wounds the bird beyond survival. 

Chickens don't move very quickly for these predators. The average chicken runs about 10 miles an hour whereas the average fox clocks in around 30 miles an hour. One can see how very quickly a romp in an open field can turn deadly for a unsuspecting chicken.  

Should a chicken be ill or otherwise weakened, that particular fowl will not let on at all that it is weak until it absolutely cannot continue. Predators are stronger, faster, and more cunning than the birds but if a hungry coyote can pick off an easy meal - the canine will go for it. Because of this reason, it's not usually known that a bird is sick until it's almost near death. Showing weakness means that particular creature is not long for the world. 

I've discovered this with the human side of farming as well. As farmers, we are often faced with surmountable obstacles; weather, finances, livestock issues, laws and regulations and even pressure from fellow farms and farmers to be the best at what we've chosen to produce. 

When it comes time to selling product, we have to be sure that ours is the shiniest, the best quality, the biggest, the most delicious, etc. Combine this pressure with the long hours it takes to care for animals and it is easy to see why farming is known as a very high stress profession. Additionally farmers also have some of the highest depression/suicide rates as well.

All this said though, farmers act like the chickens - rarely will you see a farmer admit that they're struggling emotionally or financially on the farm. To do so would show weakness in a competitive business where you know that the farm next door will certainly take over where your farm has fallen short. It's not due to viciousness, it's due to survival. 

This is why it is so important to support your local farms. Give those farmers that boost of hope that they need to carry through the next struggle they face. If you have a moment, stop and ask how the farm is going and truly listen to what they're saying. Oftentimes we don't need a solution - we just need to tell someone about the roof that's leaking, or the aggressive rooster that chases us when we go to collect eggs.  

Sometimes, you won't get anything out of a farmer how things are going and that's okay too. You've just stopped to allow us to bring you into our wonderful world of ups and downs, successes and failures. It just lets us know that you care.

Until next time...