Forget the dog, chicken is man's best friend

By Richard Blunt Issue #49 • January/February, 1998 http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles/blunt49.html

The domestic chicken, or Gallus domesticus as the Romans called it, has lived with humans for centuries. It is probably the descendent of a wild asian bird, and historians have found references to its domestic descendant in the art and literature of India, China, and southeast Asia as early as 3000 BC. Egyptians were managing large flocks of chickens by the Second Dynasty (2890 to 2680 BC), but for some reason did not record much about their accomplishments in the breeding and keeping of chickens. Greek writings, however, describe how Egyptians designed and built clay incubators with the capacity to incubate and brood 10,000 to 15,000 chicks at a time. Incubators with greater capacity have only existed in this country and western Europe for about 80 years.

It was sometime before the sixth century BC that the Egyptians and the Persians introduced the wonders of domesticated chickens to the Greeks. The Persians shared their talent for breeding Malayan and Indian jungle fowl, which were used primarily for cock fighting, while the Egyptians taught the Greeks how to successfully develop and maintain breeds for the production of eggs and meat. For the next 200 years, chickens became an indispensable element in Greek life. At first they were used primarily in religious ceremonies, folk medicine, and the popular sport of cock fighting. But by the third century BC, breeding chickens for egg laying and meat production had become a priority in Greek civilization.

The Greeks passed their knowledge of the chicken on to the Romans. It was in Rome that the chicken truly reached its apotheosis. There, it became a sacred bird, often used as the central figure of various methods of divination, apothecary, and as a serious subject for philosophical inquiry. In Rome, fighting cocks were trained like gladiators. They were fed garlic before they fought in the belief that it would increase their courage and ferocity. The Romans also believed that garlic had the same effect on men. The writings of Roman naturalists and philosophers elevated the chicken to an exalted position in urban civilization. They skillfully molded it into a genuine object of scientific scrutiny and philosophical inquiry. No longer would the chicken be a taken-for-granted resident of the barnyard or cockpit.

The chicken has always meant much more to people than a cheap meal. The cock, or rooster as we now call it, has long been respected, especially for its ferocity as a fighter. In ancient Syria, Borneo, and Sumatra the fighting cock was worshiped as a god—an exalted status that usually saved it from becoming Sunday dinner. There was even a time in ancient Greece when cock fighting was considered a national sport. The Romans viewed the cock as a noble gladiator, and the cock fight was a solemn ceremony that reinforced their belief that men should be brave—imitators of the cock.
Cockfighting came to its greatest secular popularity and refinement in late medieval England. The Church made vigorous efforts to repress it but only succeeded in driving it underground. As a compromise with the people, the Church did finally sanction organized cockfighting events on special days, such as Shrove Tuesday. One very popular Shrove Tuesday event was held in English grammar schools. The schoolmasters were paid a “cock fee” for allowing the children to bring their cocks to school, and all learning was suspended for the day as the desks and chairs were pushed aside to make room for the daylong contests. The student who owned the champion cock was excused from corporal punishment during Lent, along with one other student of his choice. At the end of the day the school master was presented with all of the cocks that were killed.

During the reign of Henry VIII, cock fighting flourished in England, exceeding even horse racing in popularity. James I, Charles II, And William the III were among other monarchs who were avid cockers. By the end of the 18th century, however, reformist doctrine started to take hold with the English majority. By 1835, cock fighting was reduced to the rank of a cruel and capricious sport and was, once again, driven underground.

In spite of being prohibited in England, after 1835 cockfighting found a new home in America. Ships that carried English settlers to America also carried chickens and fighting cocks. Cock fighting was frowned upon by the Puritans but it still flourished from New York to Georgia. Before and after the Revolution, New York was the center of cockfighting in the East. Here the sport was dominated by freed slaves and Irish immigrants.

Before long, the sport spread west and became most popular in areas settled by Southerners and the Irish. As in England, reformers moved quickly to force legislation to outlaw cock fighting but it soon became obvious that there was little sentiment for this type legislation on the national level, so the individual states were left to pass there own laws. But even on the state level, very little anticocking legislation was passed until early in the 20th century. While visiting friends in Florida, in 1971, I was surprised to find that cockfighting was still legal in that state.

Outlawing cockfighting in this country has had the same effect as Prohibition. As you read these words somewhere in this country, loyal members of a tight fraternity of cockers is gathering around a pit, anxiously waiting to place their bets on the outcome of the main event.

Cultural influence

The chicken has influenced our languages and cultures. From ancient times to the present, if two people look or act the same, they are said to be “hatched from the same egg.” The ancient Greeks compared poor writing to “chicken scratches.” Using the word chicken to describe a coward has been popular since Shakespeare's time and the proverb, “I would not have him count his chickens so soon before they hatched,” was found in a collection of proverbs published in 1579.Superstitions surrounding chickens are also alive and well in both urban and rural areas. One superstition declares that there will be sickness in the house if a hen crows. Another claims that a farmer's chickens will be like the first person who comes to his house on New Year's morning—a stout and prosperous person meant plump chickens while a poor meager person meant scrawny chickens.

Make a wish

Two people tugging on the magic clavicle, or wish bone, until it breaks, dates back almost 2,500 years to the ancient Etruscans. Chickens were kept in Etruscan temples to answer questions by pecking at corn kernels in a circle marked with letters of the alphabet. When the bird was through eating, a priest would enter the circle and interpret the results. When one of these sacred birds died, its collar bone was dried and believers were allowed to stroke it and make a wish. When the custom was passed to the Romans, people started tugging on the bone until it broke. The wish of the person holding the half containing the “head” would be granted. I've heard it suggested that the phrase, “to get a lucky break,” came from this ancient custom.

Before trained physicians came on the world scene in 18th century, chickens provided a living drug store of remedies for everyone—rich and poor. In the practice of folk medicine, people were inclined to reach for a chicken to cure almost any malady of the body or the spirit. In ancient Greece, as well as other parts of the world, fever, arthritis, colic, dysentery, epilepsy, headache, constipation, and cough were all treated with various parts of the chicken. The remedies are endless and most are far too complicated and absurd to mention here. But some made sense and are still used today: a bowl of homemade chicken soup has always been, and probably always will be, prescribed as a comfort and cure for many maladies, real and imagined.

Mass production

The modern world, with its fast-paced industrial technology, has nearly turned the chicken into a man-made living machine, existing solely to lay eggs and be eaten.

The end of the chicken's role as a sideline element of farm economy started to change near the end of the 19th century. Industrial technology was advancing at a rapid rate and the chicken, which was being increasingly marketed as a commodity, became the object of technological innovation. Today commercial poultry farms in the United States produce over six billion broiler chickens annually. The larger farms operate 10 or more chicken houses, each of which can hold more than 40,000 chicks. This fast paced production has made chicken inexpensive and easy to buy. As a result, the consumption of chicken in America has increased nearly 300 percent since 1900. Some complain that new hybridized chickens have little or no taste. I have noticed that the leg and thigh meat is not as dark as it was just a few years ago and not as strong tasting. But in some ways this is a plus because the mild flavored flesh can be seasoned and prepared just like veal, with excellent results at a fraction of the cost.

In the recipe section of this column I have selected recipes that demonstrate that chicken is still a flavorful protein and does not need a lot of seasoning to taste good. When flavor enhancers are used, they are meant to complement the subtle flavor of the chicken, not mask it.
The first two recipes are old time standards which, when prepared properly, will show you that chicken has not lost all of its flavor. The last recipe will demonstrate how chicken can support flavor enhancing, without losing its own subtle taste.

Basic chicken broth

Fresh chicken broth is one of the foundation ingredients in my kitchen. Without it, many of my favorite foods would be impossible to prepare. Most of the soups, stews, and casseroles I prepare are made using fresh chicken broth as a basic ingredient. Its mild flavor and delicate aftertaste also make it a perfect enhancer for adding flavor and body to vegetable, pasta, and bean dishes.

I seldom let my supply of fresh chicken broth run out, but it does happen. There is nothing difficult about making fresh chicken broth. Broths are simply the end product of slowly simmering meat, fresh vegetables, and herbs in lightly salted water. It takes about three hours to properly prepare a good chicken broth. But once you get the broth started, it requires little attention.

I rarely go through the bother of buying whole chickens and butchering them at home. When my supply of fresh broth runs low, I simply process a whole bird to replenish it. I don't live in an area where dressed stewing hens are easy to find, so I use a five to six-pound roasting chicken, or capon instead. Both of these will produce five to six quarts of excellent chicken broth, and the leftover meat is used in a variety of recipes.

Once a month my mother would spend an entire Sunday afternoon making a two-gallon batch of fresh chicken broth to share with our elderly neighbors. She would then make something special for dinner using her fresh-made broth. I suggest we do the same, that is, set aside two quarts of this broth, when completed which we will use to prepare one of my mom's best Sunday chicken specials.
Cool the rest of the broth in the refrigerator overnight. The fat will congeal on the surface of the broth, making it easy to remove. You can then pack the clear, fat-free broth in suitable size containers and store them in the freezer for future use.

Ingredients:
1 5 to 6 pound stewing hen or roasting chicken
6 quarts cold water
2 medium onions, peeled and cut into quarters
1 celery rib with leaves attached
1 whole carrot
2 bay leaves
8 whole black peppercorns
3 whole cloves
1 piece peeled fresh ginger about one inch long, chopped
1 tsp. Kosher salt

Method:
1. Place the chicken and the water in a 10- or 12-quart stockpot. Place the pot on the stove over a low flame and let the water come to a gentle boil. A froth will appear on top. This will take from 45 minutes to one hour. Carefully skim off the froth as it rises to the surface. Do not, for any reason, stir the pot after the froth first begins to appear.
2. The froth will continue to form on top of the broth for about an hour. When it stops foaming, let the broth simmer for about 30 minutes, then add the onions, celery, and carrot.
3. Let the pot return to a simmer while carefully skimming off any more sediment that rises to the surface. Add the bay leaves, peppercorns, whole clove, ginger, and salt.
4. Reduce the heat to a point where the broth is barely simmering. Continue to simmer, uncovered, for 1½ hours. If you are using a roasting chicken or capon, remove it at this point and let the stock simmer for another hour. If you are using an old stewing hen (fowl), leave it in the pot until the end.
5. Turn off the heat, remove the stewing hen, if necessary, and let the broth settle and cool.
6. Strain the broth into another pot through several layers of cheese cloth and place the pot in the refrigerator. This is the fastest and safest way to cool a perishable hot food like chicken broth. You can safely let the stock cool, unrefrigerated, for up to 90 minutes before placing it in the refrigerator. If you live in a northern climate, during the winter you can take a pot of hot stock on a cake rack and place it on your back porch for super-fast cooling.

Chicken and dumpling stew

On her recipe card my mom called this dish “North Carolina chicken and dumpling stew.” Since I have never come across a southern recipe that even remotely resembles this dish, I have removed North Carolina from the title. Regardless of its origin, this recipe truly demonstrates how the subtle richness of a homemade chicken broth, combined with the moist tender flesh of a properly cooked chicken, can elevate a simple dish to an epicure's delight.

Raised Dumplings:

Dumplings hold a special place in almost every cuisine. Italian cooks make small dumplings, called gnocchi, with a variety of starches including common all purpose flour, potatoes, semolina flour, pumpkin, and cornmeal. They even make a dumpling using ricotta cheese. In Germany they make serviettenknödel, a tiny light dumpling that usually accompanies pot roasts. In western Austria they make kasnocken, a dumpling made with dry bread and flavored with aged local cheeses. Dumplings are also a large part of Chinese cuisine. On restaurant menus they are usually listed as dim sum and are served in a wide variety of steamed, boiled, and fried versions. Some special Chinese restaurants open just for lunch serve only dumplings and tea.

The dumplings used in this recipe develop a light, fluffy, texture when cooked, but they hold together when mixed with the other ingredients in the stew. If you are new to homemade dumpling recipes, I suggest you make the dumpling dough before you start the stew. It will hold well in the refrigerator until it is time for you to use it. Do not hold the dough for more than an hour. If you do, the baking powder will dissipate and the gluten in the flour will over-develop. This will turn your dumplings into slippery, tough hunks of boiled dough. If you are a fresh-dumpling pro, pick your own time during the preparation to make your dumplings. The closer to when you are going to incorporate them, the better.

Dumpling Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour
1½ tsp. double acting baking powder
¼ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. Kosher salt
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 medium eggs, slightly beaten
1/8 cup buttermilk or low fat plain yogurt

Method:
1. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and stir until well blended.
2. Cut in the unsalted butter with a pastry blender until the flour resembles course corn meal.
3. Combine the slightly beaten eggs with the buttermilk or yogurt. Using a wooden spoon, quickly stir the egg mixture into the flour, using as few strokes as possible.
4. Lightly flour your work surface, and turn the dough onto it. Sprinkle a little flour on the dough to prevent it from sticking to your fingers.
5. Gently flatten the dough with the heel of your hand, sprinkling a little more flour if it sticks to your hands or the work surface. Fold the dough in half, and gently press it flat again. Repeat this gentle flattening and folding process until the dough is just smooth. Do not try to knead the dough as you would bread dough. Overworked dumpling dough becomes tough and will not rise properly.
6. Roll the dough on a well-floured board to a ¼-inch thickness. Cut into strips that are one-inch wide and two-inches long. Set dumplings aside until needed.

Stew Ingredients:
1 cooked, skinned, and boned 5 to 6 pound chicken. (cut the meat cut into ½-inch pieces)
8 cups fresh chicken broth
1 bay leaf (dried or fresh)
2 ribs celery, diced medium
½ tsp. dried sage leaves
½ tsp. dried thyme leaves
3 Tbsp. margarine or butter
1 large or 2 medium yellow onions, diced medium
1 pound fresh carrots, peeled and cut into medium size chunks
¼ cup cold chicken broth
4 Tbsp all purpose flour
Kosher salt to taste
fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 recipe of dumpling dough (see previous recipe)
1 cup frozen peas, thawed

Method:
1. Skin and bone the chicken, then dice the meat. Hold the diced chicken in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.
2. Put the eight cups of fresh broth in a Dutch oven—or other heavy-bottom pot large enough to comfortably hold all of the ingredients—along with the bay leaf, celery, sage, and thyme. Place the pot on a medium flame, bring it to a boil and simmer until the broth is reduced to about 6 cups. This will take about 20 minutes.
3. While the broth is reducing, melt the margarine in a cast iron skillet, or other heavy-bottom skillet. Sauté the onions until they turn a medium brown. Stir the onions frequently to prevent them from burning. If the oil in the pan evaporates before the onions are done, add a tablespoon of the simmering broth to the pan.
4. Deglaze the skillet by adding a cup of simmering broth to the browned onions. Simmer the onions until the pan is completely deglazed and the broth has turned a light brown color. What we have done here is create a flavor enhancer by subjecting the onions to a controlled high heat. Food scientists call this a Maillard reaction or browning reaction. The process creates a rich flavor and color similar to the crust of fresh baked bread, coffee beans, and the roasted malt used in dark beers and ales.
5. Add flavored onion mixture and the fresh carrots to the broth.
6. When the broth returns to a simmer, combine the cold chicken broth with the flour and mix until there are no lumps. Slowly stir this paste into the simmering broth. Continue stirring until the mixture shows signs of thickening, which will only be slight. Continue simmering until the carrots are tender. This is a good time to make your dumplings if you didn't before you started the stew.
7. Add your dumplings to the simmering broth mixture. Simmer the dumplings until they are raised, and cooked through.
8. Gently stir in the chicken meat, thawed peas, salt, and pepper. Simmer the stew until the chicken and peas are heated through. Serve immediately.

Chicken, vegetable, and pasta medley

This is my newest chicken recipe. It has been a regular item in my house for the past three months. The recipe blends mild tasting chicken breast meat with the more flavorful thigh meat and I enhance this mixture by marinating it in a light Oriental style marinade. I use a preparation and assembly method that resembles stir frying. I like it because it helps maintain integrity of the different textures and flavors present in the dish, particularly the flavor and texture of the light and dark chicken meat. One of the real benefits of industrialized chicken, though many will disagree, is its extremely mild tasting flesh that will readily take on the flavor of other ingredients without loosing its own. Chinese chefs are masters at infusing chicken meat with the natural flavor of various ingredients, then cooking the chicken quickly to prevent the introduced flavors from masking that of the chicken. Many contemporary Italian chefs have mastered this concept also. They have developed chicken and pasta recipes that are easy to prepare, low in fat, and taste as if they required a major effort in the kitchen. This recipe is my own contribution to this great concept.

The preparation for this dish resembles that of many Chinese stir recipes. All of the ingredients are prepared ahead of time and set aside in the order that they will be incorporated into the recipe. I suggest you have a suitable size pot of boiling salted water for the pasta on the stove before you start cooking. Timing the cooking of the pasta with the completion of the sauce is not difficult, but it is absolutely essential. Immediately after the cooked pasta is drained, it must be blended with the other ingredients. This is the only way to maintain the taste, texture, nutritional integrity, and visual presentation of the dish. The biggest mistake that folks make with this type of recipe is to cook the pasta then place it under cold running water to stop the cooking process. When you do this, you wash away the surface starch and this lowers the nutritional value of the pasta. You also reduce the ability of the cooked pasta to absorb the flavor of the sauce. It also creates an uncomplimentary texture in the finished dish that no amount of culinary wizardry will totally eradicate.

Special Equipment:
1 14-inch cast iron skillet, 15-inch wok, or other large heavy bottom skillet.
1 12- or 16-quart pot with a cover
Ingredients:
12 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breast
12 oz. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Marinade:
2 tsp. light soy sauce
2 tsp. dry sherry, rice wine, or other dry white wine
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. five spice powder
¼ tsp. fresh ground black pepper
½ tsp. granulated sugar
Vegetables:
1 medium yellow onion, diced medium
1 medium red bell pepper cut into ½-inch wide by 2-inch long strips
1 medium yellow bell pepper cut into ½-inch wide by 2-inch long strips
4 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced ¼-inch thick
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
2 cups fresh chicken broth
¼ cup fresh chicken broth
3 Tbsp. all purpose flour
1 cup diced canned tomatoes
6 oz. frozen sugar snap peas, thawed
½ tsp. dried chilli pepper flakes (optional)
8 quarts cold water
1 Tbsp. Kosher salt
2 Tbsp. any light oil (to saute the chicken)
1 Tbsp. any light oil (to saute the vegetables)
Kosher salt to taste
fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 pound dried penne or other tubular pasta
Preparation:(About 20 minutes)
1. Cut the chicken into strips ½-inch wide by approximately 2 inches long. Uniform length is not critical.
2. Combine all of the marinade ingredients in a bowl that is large enough to hold the chicken comfortably. Add the chicken strips and rub with the marinade, using your hands. Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for one hour.
3. While the chicken is marinating, prepare the onion, red and yellow bell peppers, mushrooms, and garlic. Place each vegetable in a separate bowl (that's four bowls) after being prepared and set it aside.
4. Measure the two cups of chicken broth and set aside.
5. Combine the remaining ¼-cup of chicken broth with the flour and set aside.
6. Combine the diced tomatoes with the thawed sugar snap peas and set aside.
7. Measure the eight quarts of cold water into a suitable size pot, cover the pot and place over a medium heat. When the water comes to a boil add the salt and replace the lid.
Assembly:
1. In the skillet, heat the 2 Tbsp. of oil over a medium high heat. Add the chicken strips, and cook until the chicken is lightly browned. Reduce the heat to medium, quickly remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside.
2. Remove the browned chicken bits from the bottom of the pan by adding the 2 cups of chicken broth and scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon as the mixture comes to a simmer.
3. While stirring constantly, add the ¼ cup of chicken broth, mixed with the 3 Tbsp. of flour to the simmering chicken broth. Cook the mixture for five minutes, adjusting the taste with the Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper. This will create a rich light brown sauce, similar to the one in the previous recipe. Remove the sauce from the pan, rinse and dry the pan, then return it to the stove over a medium heat.
4. Heat the remaining one tablespoon of oil. Sauté the onions until they just begin to brown. Add the minced garlic to the onions and cook for one minute. Now add the bell pepper strips and the mushrooms, and continue cooking until the peppers are tender, but still firm.
5. Reduce the heat to low, and gently stir in the tomatoes, sugar snap peas, and chicken. Cook the mixture for another minute or until the chicken is heated to serving temperature. Turn off the heat, but do not cover the pan.
6. Remove the lid from the pasta pot, adjust the heat to high to bring the water to an active boil. While stirring constantly, to prevent sticking, add the dried past to the rapidly boiling water. Cook the pasta until it is just tender, and drain.
7. While the pasta is still hot, return it to the pot. Gently stir in the chicken mixture. Serve immediately with plenty of fresh grated Italian hard cheese.
The next time you go to the market for chicken, remember that you are buying more than an inexpensive and delicious meal. You are buying an important piece of history.

How to build a chicken coop time lapse. Be self sufficient. Bear proof (NICE but very expensive).

Build Your Own Backyard Coop: http://ad.trwv.net/t.pl/47595/340134
Time lapse. How to build a coop/run. We turned a old building into a coop. The run is 14' x 24' and the coop is around 8'x8'. Will hold 30 or more chickens. We painted it with valspar paint to make it look good and easy to keep clean.

Bear at my chicken coop and bird feeder, close up of claws 

Black bear,she snorts and paws the ground at me. I saw her and got the camera as she was walking around my chicken coop, she then came up to my bird feeder and I was just a few feet away to get a close up.

 

Make a Cookie Tin Waterer Heater. Under $10, & 10 minutes!

Make a Cookie Tin Waterer Heater. Under $10, & 10 minutes!

by Kathy Shea Mormino

Winter brings many challenges for the backyard chicken-keeper, and frozen water is chief among them.  You can make your own waterer heater for use with either metal or plastic waterers. It will cost less than $10, cost pennies to run and you can complete the project in under ten minutes. 

We had record-breaking, sub-zero temperatures for long periods of time in 2010 here in Connectictut and my waterers never iced over the way they used to without these heaters.  It doesn't seem as though a humble, 40 watt lightbulb should be able to produce enough warmth to keep the water in a plastic waterer from icing over, but remarkably, it does!

Supplies:

• 10", metal cookie tin (available at most dollar & thrift stores & likely in your garage or basement)
• lamp assembly kit (available oniline, at hardware & home improvement stores OR buy a thrift store/tag sale lamp and take it apart)0
• 40 watt, incandescent light bulb (in deep-freeze conditions, use a 60 watt bulb)(in light of the government phase-out, some users recommend 40 watt candelabra bulbs or CFL bulbs, but I have not, so I cannot vouch for their effectiveness)
• Drill with 3/8" drill bit

Lamp assembly parts.

Instructions:
1. Drill a hole in the side of the cookie tin.

2. String the pre-threaded lamp stem assembly through the hole & tighten the screw on the stem (with or without the decorative washer-like thingy).

 3. Screw in the light bulb. Viola!

 TO USE:

Put the top on the cookie tin and place the tin on a cinder block either inside the coop or outside in the run.  Plug into a GFI outlet. Place metal or plastic waterer on top of the water heater when freezing temperatures are anticipated. Disconnect when not in use or use a ThermoCube to turn the unit on when temperatures reache 35°F.

When I made my first cookie tin water heater, I found it difficult to believe that this device, which barely felt warm to the touch, could possibly do the intended job. I was only convinced the first frigid morning I went out into the run and found no ice ring to chip out of the waterer. You may have to try it to believe it too.

Korean Marinade, Crock-pot Chicken
For Marinade:

• 1 20-oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 to 1 3-oz can tomato paste
• 3 tbsp garlic, crushed or chopped (about 2 cloves)
• 3 tbsp Tamari or soy sauce
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp fresh orange juice (or juice of a sweet citrus fruit, tangerine, etc.)
• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar (or dry white wine)
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 3 green onions, finely chopped
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp red chili flakes
• 1 cup water (if needed for thinning mixture slightly)

For Crock-pot:

• 2 pounds chicken breast, with or without bone-in
• 1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped

Directions:
Mix marinade together until tomato paste and honey are dissolved and everything is well incorporated.
Place half of the marinade into the crock-pot. Add the chicken and onions and pour the remaining marinade over the top.
Turn the crock-pot to the low setting and let cook “Slow and Low” for at least 7-8 hours. The longer the better and the lower the temperature, the more the flavors meld together and the chicken falls apart.
DELICIOUS!

Pros and Cons of Hatching Chicks: Broody Hen vs. Incubator

Pros and Cons of Hatching Chicks: Broody Hen vs. Incubator

When it's time to add to your flock, you can buy day-old chicks from a local farm or feed store, or order them to be shipped from a hatchery or breeder through the mail. But why not try instead hatching some chicks of your own? 

Springtime is the preferred season to raise baby chicks for a few practical reasons including more temperate weather, a greater selection of hatching eggs or chicks and more in keeping with the natural order of rebirth. Spring equals baby animals! 

There are two ways to hatch fertile eggs - under a broody hen or using an incubator. Neither is necessarily 'better', but there are pros and cons to both methods. Either way, you are going to need some fertile eggs. You can use eggs from your own chickens if you have a rooster, otherwise you will need to buy fertile eggs from a local farmer, on Craig's List, ebay or shipped from a hatchery or breeder.

Once you're all set up with a source for your fertile hatching eggs, you need to decide if you want to use a broody hen or an incubator to hatch them. Let's look at hatching chicks under a broody hen first.

Hatching Chicks under a Broody Hen

Hatching baby chicks under a chicken really only requires two things: a broody hen and the eggs. In a perfect world, the hen will sit on the eggs for 21 days, at which point the eggs will hatch and the hen will teach them how to eat and drink, as well as keep them warm and safe from harm from predators or other flock members.

Pros of Using a Broody Hen

• The hen acts as both the incubator and the brooder box. No heat lamps or electricity needed! 
• The hen turns the eggs, ensuring they each spend equal amounts of time on each side and rotate from the center to the edges of the nest for even warming. 
• Because the broody has plucked out her breast feathers to allow skin-to-egg contact, she regulates the humidity in the nest. 
• It's said that broodies can detect non-fertile and non-developing eggs and will kick them out of her nest - no need to even candle the eggs. 
• If only one chick hatches, it won't be all alone as a brooder baby would be, since it will have the mother hen for company. 
• The mother hen will teach her chicks to drink, teach them what to eat and where to find bugs and weeds, and also teach them the dangers of predators and how to take dust baths. 
• A good broody will judge the ambient temperature and could have her chicks outside for short 'field trips' in just a few days, thereby allowing them exposure to the pathogens and bacteria in the environment and beginning to build strong immune systems. 
• Since the rest of the flock will be used to the chicks being in the coop and run right from hatch, they are far more likely to accept them without any trouble.

Cons of Using a Broody Hen

• Timing your hatch can be tricky since you can't 'force' a hen to go broody, so ordering fertile eggs to arrive at the same time as you have a broody hen can take some coordination. 
• Some hens don't sit the entire 21 days and will abandon their nest partway through - in which case an incubator should be your Plan B. 
• Not all broodies make good mothers and once the chicks hatch, will sometimes lose interest in caring for them, or worse, maim or kill them, so you should have an indoor brooder box at the ready just in case. 
• I have found that chicks hatched under a hen aren't nearly as friendly as my 'brooder babies' that I raise in the house since I'm more hands-off with the chicks raised outside by a hen. 
• Both the hatching eggs and baby chicks are vulnerable to predators such as rats and snakes in addition to other flock members, so you will need to be sure the nest your broody has made is in a safe place and once the chicks hatch, you move them to a safe crate, cage or pen inside your coop.

How to Hatch Eggs Under a Broody Hen

And now let's look at hatching using an incubator...

Hatching Chicks using an Incubator

Hatching baby chicks using an incubator requires a bit more hands-on work by you. You will, of course, in addition to the eggs, need an incubator, a thermometer and something to gauge the humidity if your incubator doesn't come with one, a candler, a power source and water.

Pros of Using an Incubator

• You can hatch whenever you want, you're not limited only to times when you have a broody hen. 
• You control the temperature and humidity, often resulting in a far better hatch rate. 
• You are generally able to watch the chicks hatch through the incubator's clear top, something not often possible when you use a hen, since she's sitting on the eggs. 
• Depending on the size of your incubator, you can hatch many more eggs at one time than the dozen or so able to fit under a broody hen. 
• Your eggs (and hatched chicks) are safe from predators and flock members in the incubator (and later the brooder box) inside your house. 

Cons of Using an Incubator

• Incubators aren't cheap. I have the Brinsea Mini Advance incubator and really love it. It costs around $150 and it one of the most economical. 
• If your incubator doesn't have an automatic turner, you will need to turn the eggs several times a day religiously. 
• You need to monitor the temperature and humidity and keep the water reservoirs filled. 
• If you lose power, you could lose your entire hatch. 
• You will need to prepare a brooder for your chicks after they hatch, and be prepared to clean it regularly. 
• You need a heat lamp for your brooder, which you will need to monitor, and again, in the case of a power outage, you need to have a backup plan to keep your chicks warm. 
• You can expect your chicks to be indoors until they are at least 8 weeks old and then spend another few weeks separated from the rest of the flock until everyone gets used to each other.

How to Hatch Eggs Using an Incubator

http://networkedblogs.com/SQL8c

Here's Why Americans Are Eating Butter and Chicken in Record Amounts

It's an odd sign of a nation shifting toward healthier diets.

January 08, 2014 By Willy Blackmore

Willy Blackmore is TakePart’s Food editor. He has written for The Awl, The New Inquiry, and elsewhere.

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On the whole, chicken Kiev is the dish that best describes Americans’ diets in 2013. The preparation of chicken breasts stuffed with clumps of herb butter, then breaded and fried in more butter, didn’t take on Korean-taco-like food-fad status last year, but according to two recently announced consumption numbers, we as a nation passed a couple of milestones in 2013. Americans ate more chicken than beef for the first time in 100 years, and our butter intake hit a 40-year high.
Both shifts, it turns out, are the result of a population that is increasingly concerned with healthy eating.
Swapping beef, with its many cardiovascular-health-related implications, for leaner chicken, a trend that’s been developing since the 1980s, is one thing. But reaching for the butter in the name of good health? If you’re among the segment of the population that opts for olive oil or coconut oil rather than butter, congratulations—you live in a bubble. For many Americans, eating healthier involves moving away from margarine and trans fats toward butter.
At least that’s how the folks at the American Butter Institute are looking at the jump in per capita consumption to 5.6 pounds per year, up from a low of 4.1 pounds per year in 1997.
“Consumers are changing their perception of food and looking for healthier alternatives. They’re moving away from highly processed foods and artificial ingredients,” Anuja Miner, the institute’s executive director, told the Los Angeles Times.
With the Food and Drug Administration moving toward an effective ban on trans fats, used to mimic the more expensive fat in many processed foods, it’s a trend that will likely continue in the coming years—unless, that is, food companies turn to palm oil instead.
So while pouring on the olive oil may help you to live longer, don’t be afraid of cooking with a bit of butter. Certain things, chicken Kiev chief among them, just aren’t the same without it.

http://www.takepart.com/article/2014/01/08/america-really-like-butter-and-chicken?cmpid=foodinc-fb

Chicken Bacon Crock Pot Chowder

This chowder is deliciously rich and flavorful.  If you are looking to impress your friends with your cooking skills, this would be the dish to make them. Although it keeps well in the fridge, good luck having any leftovers. 

INGREDIENTS

4 Cloves Garlic - Minced

1 Shallot – Finely Chopped

1 Leek – Cleaned, Trimmed, and Sliced

2 Ribs Celery - Diced

6 oz. Cremini Mushrooms - Sliced

1 Medium Sweet Onion – Thinly Sliced

4 Tbs. Butter – Divided

2 Cups Chicken Stock – Divided

1 lb. Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts

8 oz. Cream Cheese

1 Cup Heavy Cream

1 lb. Bacon – Cooked Crisp, and Crumbled

1 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Pepper

1 tsp. Garlic Powder

1 tsp. Thyme

(2 Tbs. Peace and Love)

DIRECTIONS

Heat slow cooker on low setting

To slow cooker, add garlic, shallot, leek, celery, mushrooms, onions, 2 Tbs. butter, 1 cup chicken stock, and salt and pepper.  Cover, and cook vegetables on low for 1 hour.

Complete this next step while the vegetables are cooking – In a large skillet over medium-high heat, pan-sear the chicken breasts in the remaining 2 Tbs. butter until they are browned on both sides. – About 5 minutes each side. (Chicken will not be fully cooked during this stage.)

Remove chicken from pan and set aside. De-glaze the pan with the remaining 1 cup of chicken stock. Using a rubber spatula, scrape up any bits of chicken that may be stuck to the pan.  Add chicken stock to slow cooker.

Add heavy cream, cream cheese, garlic powder, and thyme to slow cooker.  Stir until well combined and there are no longer any visible chunks of cream cheese.

Once chicken has cooled, cut into cubes and add to slow cooker, along with bacon.  Stir until all ingredients are well combined.  Cover and let cook for 6-8 hours.  

Makes 16 Servings: 

1 Serving:  1 cup

Calories: 236
Carbs:   2.5 net grams

Fat:   13 g

Protein:   16 g

Prep Time – 45 Minutes
Cook Time – 6-8 Hours

 

Spatchcock Roasted Chicken with Lemon, Garlic, and Ginger Marinade

Spatchcock Roasted Chicken with Lemon, Garlic, and Ginger Marinade

 One fine summer day, I asked my butcher for a whole chicken.  "Do you want it spatchcocked?" he asked.  Before I knew what spatchcocked meant, I said "Yes."  Then, I watched him deftly remove the  backbone, and splay it out, flat-- "See, I like to call it "roadkill chicken," he said with a sly grin.  I bought it.  And I think he may come to regret ever showing me this option.  I love to cook whole chickens-- but it takes time, and it's a little tricky to do on the barbecue in the summer (although I have tried and enjoyed the classic beer can chicken.)  We started buying spatchcocked chicken every week, and now that the weather is warming up, I have gotten two at a time for the last couple weeks, since they make such great leftovers.  I'll link to a video on how to remove the backbone of your chicken, for those of you without a friendly butcher nearby.

 More amazing pictures and the recipe by Ariana Mullins:

http://and-here-we-are.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/spatchcock-roasted-chicken-with-lemon.html