This week packed a punch, and by the end of the week I’m feeling it. There is the fatigue, muscle soreness from lots of movement, head fog from lack of sleep, and pride and a zippy excitement at the first boxes of chicken to go into the freezer, and some fresh cuts into the farm store!
Here’s how the week started:
Friday afternoon: we got word that our daughter, Lovett (4 1/2) tested positive for covid during a routine test at school. She had no symptoms (and never developed any), but we were suddenly faced with family isolation, and Racey and I both needed to be with the kids and could not participate in chicken processing! An exercise in letting go:)
Saturday and Sunday: getting ready for our first processing day. Like any system, startup for the season is about going over checklists, double checking supplies, and trying to think ahead. Do I have enough crates? Where did I store the box of stickers?
Sunday evening: Lewis and I staged pallets of empty chicken crates in the field, and Chad and Matt moved chickens into the crates. Then I brought the full ones back to the processing area and got them ready for the next morning. Each pallet has two stacks of crates with a spacer in between the stacks. Then each pallet has a foot of space around it to make sure there is enough air flow to keep all the birds cool. Comfort and low stress is a huge priority to animal welfare and great tasting chicken.
Monday: Benji and his crew processed the chickens while Racey, Lewis, and Lovett helped me load the chicks from the brooder into the transport crates to bring to the field. Thirty crates; 16 chicks in a crate. We got really good at counting to 16. Lewis loaded half the crates by himself, and Lovett helped me count and catch any stray chicks that hopped over the barrier.
Tuesday: Chad and a crew of helpers, including Cory and Susie who came in last minute to save the day, cut up and packaged all of the chickens. It was a big day and with cleanup I was done putting the boxes in the freezer by 8:30pm.
Then a quick dinner and it was time to clean out the brooder in preparation for the next batch of chicks arriving the next morning. By 10:30 pm I had the brooder cleaned, and prepared with fresh peat. Good thing I have lights down there.
Wednesday: Lewis and Lovett helped me pick up the next batch of chicks at the post office, and I settled them into the brooder. Then Chad set up the cattle corral in preparation for the first load of cattle to arrive. By the end of the day we set a new record: 490 chickens and 52 cattle arrived on the farm in one day! Phew.
The rest of the week I’ve been playing catch-up and getting the website updated for the new chicken. Here’s to chicken back in stock!
Reber Rock Farm Blog 