Fifty-two baby chickens arrived on the farm last week. At least I think it is 52. They are hard to count, it's because they are so damn cute. Here's the thing, 25 of them are destined for the freezer, in a plastic bag. It's a grim fate. Buying the extra meat birds was Kelle's idea. She is very much a carnivore and has no problem killing twenty-five chickens. True, I did slaughter one of my very own chickens for Thanksgiving dinner, but I'm not so excited about twenty-five. Or raising them specifically for that destiny. Not that I disagree with the practice, I'm all about local food, especially meat, and it doesn't get any more local than your backyard, but these chickens grow up in my basement as tiny little peepers. I have to take care of them and make sure their buttholes don't clog up with poop (it happens to baby chicks a lot and will kill them). And when one of the babies is sick and isn't gonna make it and Kelle feels bad for it and wants to put it out of its misery, who's job is it to off the cute little baby chicken? Evan's job. Good thing there are so many and I can't name them all.
When I say they "arrived on the farm" I mean they were shipped here in a little cardboard box. This inevitably leads to a couple of the chick getting squashed on the way and having a much diminished chance of surviving. This time I was able to save a couple of them though. The unfortunate ones on the bottom of the pile end up with their legs spread pointing straight out in opposite directions. With the help of the internet I learned that if you tie their legs together with yarn it helps them stand up straight. I did this and it actually worked. Out of the five that had trouble standing, four are doing good. The one that wasn't, is no more. Someday I will raise all my own chickens from eggs, then I won't have to order them from a hatchery 250 miles away.
6 comments:
Hey Evan,
I'd just like to say you are lucky to have the friends that you do to inspire and motivate you the way they did in the comments in your last post.
I hope you know you are just as motivating and inspiring to others. I'm flat out jealous of you and your commitment to do what you have with your life and the integrity with which you live your life. Being that I am your sister, I know what you were like 10 years ago and the dreams you had then, I think its important to point out that the complete 360 turn since your days reading car magazines and saving goals on the soccer field, just shows that you are living your life by your own rules and your own values. It takes a very strong and courageous person to do that!
You have no idea how many people are impressed by what you do when I tell them my baby brother moved to New Mexico to work on a farm. You are doing something a lot of people don't have the guts to do, following your heart and living life for everything its got!
I hope you're having fun with your baby chickens! Aunt Ellen's still waiting for her hypnotism video!! I miss you a ton! I'm coming to visit sometime soon, I hope!!
Love you,
Jess
PS. Call me sometime :) or you could just even email me too!!
PPS. Have fun being a snowboarding bum, but don't hurt yourself...you know how much Mom worries already!!
i hope you can find some organic hand sanitizer made in new mexico!
keep writin!
We can send Tom our to help when it's time for the plastic bags. He's an experienced put-them-to-rester... though I don't know if he's itchin' to do it again.
Evan! The little chickens are really cute. I'm glad that you think about things like that and have reservations and second thoughts. I think that's healthy.
So, I want to visit you this summer. I tried calling you the other day but you phone was off. I want to make plans soon...I'll try calling you again this week, or can you email me your email address? Hope you are doing great ~Sally
Hi Evan!
This is your old roommate Paul writing... Tom came to visit me and told me all about the great things you're doing out in New Mexico! So your blog has made it to my favorites list. It looks like you're having some serious transcendental reflection time on the farm - this sounds wonderful. I hope you have an enormous supply of tea and good books to keep you company. I'm not sure if you ever read "House made of dawn" by N. Scott Momaday for Harry's Native Amr. Literature class - but since you're living in NM now I highly recommend it! After you finish you can make a pilgrimage to Jemez Pueblo and visit the setting for much of the book - it's beautiful!
Great to hear about what you're doing,
-Paul
Good post and this enter helped me alot in my college assignement. Gratefulness you for your information.
Post a Comment