Chicks

Besides growing a huge garden and selling CSA vegetable shares, we also raise butcher chickens.  Our first batch of chicks in now 3 weeks old.  They are doing very well this year.  Next week we will be moving them to their outside pasture pens.  We butcher the chickens at 8 weeks old and sell them frozen whole for $10 and cut up (2 each of breasts, thighs, wings, drumsticks) for $13.  We still have some left that aren't spoken for, so if you're interested in pasture raised chicken contact us.

3 week old chicks in the coop with the big doors open to the nice spring weather

At this "teenage" stage, the chicks are kind of ugly.
They have lost their cute little baby fuzz, but haven't gotten all their feathers yet.

This time of year if I can't find Josh I know he's here, watching the chicks.

 Here are a few pictures of the chicks when they were cute and fuzzy and only 3 days old.  It's amazing how fast they grow.  When we first get them, we have a draft guard up that keeps them close to the cozy warm brooder.

Baby Chicks eating.

They all line up for feed.  These chickens were bred to eat.

We still have chicken left in the freezer from last year, so we've been using it up before the new ones are ready to butcher.  Here are two great recipes that I have recently tried.

Chicken Nuggets
2 chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 slices of bread, grind into crumbs with a mini chopper
1-2 tsp homemade ranch seasoning
1/4 c melted butter
Mix bread crumbs with ranch seasoning.  Dip chicken into butter, then into bread crumbs and place on a greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 375 for 20ish minutes.  I cut one of them open to check if their done.

Homemade Ranch Seasoning
I dry most of these ingredients to make this seasoning, so maybe you can try making it this summer with the herbs in your CSA baskets.
2 TBSP dried parsley
2 tsp dry dill
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp dried chives
small pinch of salt
Mix together and store in an air tight container.  I use a canning jar.

Chicken and Millet
So we didn't cut up any chickens last year, so all of my chickens are frozen whole.  When I get one out to make chicken nuggets I have to use the rest of the chicken, so here's what I make.
1c millet  (I'm sure rice could be used instead, but Josh doesn't like rice, so we use millet.)
1 tsp Ranch seasoning
3 c chicken broth
Chicken pieces (2 wings, 2 thighs, 2 drumsticks)
Mix the millet, ranch seasoning and chicken broth.  Pour into greased baking dish.  Arrange chicken pieces skin side up over millet.  Bake covered at 350 for about an hour.

Chicken Broth
I have made chicken broth two different ways.  One is boiling the chicken backs (what is left of the chicken after you cut off the breasts, wings, thighs and legs) with veggies and herbs.  Or I use the same veggies and herbs in the crockpot when I cook a whole chicken.  Either way works for getting about 3-4 quarts of broth.  I freeze what I won't be using up in the next week.  Here's what I add to the chicken
3 quarts of water (more or less to fit in crockpot and cover the chicken)
2 sprigs parsley
1/4 tsp thyme
1 bay leaf
1/3 c carrots
1/3 c onion
1/2 c celery (you can leave the leaves on)
6 peppercorns
2 cloves
1 tbsp salt
If I don't have all the ingredients, it doesn't seem to be a huge change if I leave out one or two.  We didn't have good celery last year, so all of my recipes have been lacking on the celery and it's tasted just fine.
I strain the broth before storing in my quart jars.  If I cook a chicken back I take the meat off and save for a chicken sandwich or two for lunch.