Where do all the tough old birds go?
The first comment or answer that says "Alaska" will be promptly downvoted.
Seriously though, I keep hearing about the superiority of "stewing hens" for stocks and soups, and I'd really like to get my hands on a few. All those eggs we buy have to come from somewhere, I've got to assume that the hens that make our eggs are eventually turned into soup. I'm not asking for a specific source recommendation, just for clues to direct my search.
Does anybody know where the old birds go?
Best Answer
They go into soup. Or pot pies. Or any of the other myriad industrially produced canned or frozen foods which require chicken stock or chicken flavoring and sometimes canned chicken meat.
The millions of cans of Campbell's have to come from somewhere :-)
For smaller home chicken farmers, they probably end up in the stock pot. If you know people who keep backyard flocks, they may be willing to sell you their culls for a very reasonable price.
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Where does the old birds go to die?
It's only because living birds are so conspicuous that it seems strange not to see them when dead. Birds don't usually drop dead in mid-flight - they die in their nest or are caught and eaten, much like other small animals.What do birds do when they are old?
As birds age, a decrease in physical activities is usually observed as energy levels go down. Also conditions like arthritis may make certain movements uncomfortable / painful. Look out for limping.Where do Pigeons Go to die?
Also popular are abandoned buildings and garages, and Graves says that every \u201cold warehouse with broken windows has its share of dead pigeon remains.\u201d Pigeons tend to die solitarily, but occasionally they will clump up, forming depressing mounds of scattered bone and feathers.What is a tough old bird?
Any older person. The phrase can either be disparaging or endearing. Oh, be quiet, you crazy old bird. Don't worry, Grandpa's a tough old bird.Where I'll Be Found
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Answer 2
Sorry for the necromancy, but I have seen a documentary on the logistics of poultry farming on Dutch television that might shed some light onto this.
The Netherlands produces quite a lot of eggs and so we also have a large supply of older chickens that are not sold through the regular channels. The documentary makers actually managed to follow a batch of biologically fed free range chickes (doesn't get much better than that right?) to Africa (of all places) where they were sold nearly for free to the locals who use them in stews and told the film makers that the Dutch are absolutely bonkers as far as they are concerned.
As always, this type of free-market-gone-wild thing had the lovely side effect of destroying the local production, as the prices for chickens produced in Europe, frozen, packaged and transported to Africa were so low that local farmers could no longer compete.
I do buy stewing hens all the time myself though, through poulterers on (farmers) markets and I have to agree that for use in stews and soups they are by far the better option as they have better, deeper flavor and retain a lot more texture during the long cook.
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