Harvest your Hens Homestead Workshop
Learn to dispatch sick, injured or non-productive chickens humanely.
Available spots
Service Description
Harvest your Hens Homestead Workshop: April 12th 10am-12pm Would you like to learn how to humanely put dispatch your chickens? If you own chickens this is a necessary skill to have, it is not always possible to find a vet who will see a sick or injured chicken. Sometimes the most humane thing we can do is end a chickens suffering quickly. Or perhaps you are looking to learn how to butcher your old layers or extra roosters? We will show you how to humanely dispatch a chicken and explain why we use certain methods and will demonstrate them. It is extremely important to us that all animals leave this world in the most humane way possible with as little stress as we can manage. This is a watch and learn workshop with live demonstrations. You will not be expected to dispatch a chicken but understand that you will be witnessing one of our old laying hens or extra roosters be butchered for food. If you have never butchered before you might be nervous, that is okay and perfectly normal. Perhaps you are afraid you might get emotional? That is okay too and we have tissues. Raising our own food is hard and it should be. I think taking an animal's life should be hard, I think shedding tears for an animal is the best way we can honor it. So go ahead and cry, we won't charge you extra. What you can expect to learn: How to humanely kill a chicken. What equipment you will need. Correct temperatures for scalding a chicken. How to pluck a chicken by hand. How to gut a chicken and what the organs are. How to break down a chicken. How long to rest a chicken before eating and how. Best packaging options for freezing. The difference between raising a meat breed, layer or dual purpose chicken. Learn about free ranging chickens and why we don't like chicken tractors. When to dispose of a chicken and when to consume. What you should know: You may get dirty and get blood on you. Wear farm clothes, layers and boots. We ask you to wear clean boots that have been scrubbed or boots that were not worn on your farm for biosecurity reason. We will be outside rain or shine, hot or cold so dress accordingly. Expect to be here a few hours. This is a class for adults, no children please. If you enjoy killing chickens, then this is NOT the workshop for you, and we are NOT your people! What to bring: A notebook and pen if you are a note taker. A camp chair if you want a comfortable seat to watch from.
Upcoming Sessions
Cancellation Policy
Cancelations will not be refunded. Cancelations made within 24 hours of scheduled class are transferable to a future class of your choice. Cancelations without 24-hour notice or No-Shows will result in a forfeiture of your payment and will be considered a donation to our farm. We reserve the right to cancel or reschedule a class/workshop at any time. If a class/workshop is canceled by us, you will be fully refunded. If the class/workshop is rescheduled, you will be contacted with the new date. If you are unable to attend the new date, we will happily transfer your class/workshop to any of our classes of lesser or equal value or charge you the difference for a higher priced class/workshop. Weather- Classes/workshops that fall on days with inclement weather will be rescheduled to a later date.
Contact Details
175 North Road, Deerfield, NH, USA
603-395-5048
angie@sweetriverfarm.net