The mystery of the not Red Rangers

Dixie Rainbow chickens at about 7 weeks

Our mystery is solved.  The not-so-red Red Ranger chickens we ordered ended up being Dixie Rainbows instead.  Whew, what a relief.  Thankfully, Rainbows are a hearty dual purpose bird with good feed conversion and the ability to forage well - all characteristics we noticed in this flock.  They average dressed weight for males is about 5 pounds at 12 weeks.

I would like to give props to Mt Healthy Hatcheries for helping us identify what we actually had and making the mistake right for us.  I recommend doing business with them - they give excellent customer service and go the extra mile to make their customers happy.

Tomorrow is the big day.  We've already picked up the equipment from our local county conservation district and are all set up for dispatching the birds. 

Getting ready to bid adieu

WARNING:  philosophical, introspective post ahead

Red Ranger-ish Hen

We're down to the last week with our Red Rangers (or not) chickens.  It's this time of the process when I start feeling a little glum about the final outcome, the actual doing of the deed.  Neither the husband nor I relish the killing of the birds, and since we've experienced the act of butchering several times now, I almost dread it.  But that said, it serves a purpose more than just filling our freezer with healthy, home raised food.  Getting to know our food on a more personal, intimate, day-to-day basis gives us a chance to face our humanity, to look our dinner in the eye and say I respect you and the life you are giving to my family and myself.  I've chronicled several of the reasons why we raise backyard meat birds before, but one I didn't think about at the time was how raising and butchering these animals changes me.  Since we're not large scale poultry farmers and I've fully admitted to having a soft heart, this is a process to which I've not become immune.  And as a result, I think I'm still able to treat it with the reverence it deserves and to be thankful for our food in a deeper way.

Here's to our chickens, the satisfaction of raising them and the humanity we gain from them.

/introspection

South Sound's G.F. Joe's is Closing

Sad news for the South Puget Sound gluten-free community - G.F. Joe's Gluten Free Market is closing both it's Olympia and Tacoma locations.  Last day is Saturday, June 14 including a "garage sale" of store fixtures from 10-6.

Hurry in to stock up on those hard to find and specialty gluten-free products.

Thanks, Joe & crew, for offering the gf community a safe haven and for being such a phenomenal resource over the years.  You all will be missed!