There's an article in Newsweek this week that talks about the difference between Thanksgiving turkeys from way-back-when to the modern "factory grown" birds.
That got me thinking about other poultry.
Growing up in York City in the 1940s, my grandparents -- who operated a store/home across the street from our house -- raised their own chickens in the backyard. A wire fence surrounded a concrete patch and there was a hole cut in the wall of an adjoining shed so the chickens could either be inside or outside.
It wasn't exactly the Life of Reilly for the birds. They were being raised for the dining table a few feet away. Because of religious reasons, they had to be dispatched in a certain manner.
I can still recall the air filled with chicken feathers as the deceased chickens were plucked and cleaned for a Friday evening dinner.
We were warned not to get too attached to any of the chickens in the coop. Easier said than done for a youngster.
Chicken is still one of my least favorite foods.
Hello Gordon,
I too remember the chicken coops in York. When living in the 100 block of S. Cherry Lane, my Great Uncle Willie who also lived in that block raised chickens. We would watch him ring a chicken's neck in preparation for a meal. He subsequently moved to 545 S. Duke St. and we to 447 S.Duke St.
Speaking of birds for a meal, Thanksgiving or Christmas and now living in New Orleans LA I've come across something called a "Turducken". It is a de-boned Turkey stuffed with a de-boned duck, stuffed with a de-boned chicken, all stuffed with your favorite bread stuffing, cornbread, oyster, rice, seafood, sausage, etc. In preparation the birds are injected with Cajun seasonings. I just had to try it and we bought one for Christmas and are still eating on it, sixteen pounds of well seasoned poultry with sausage and green onion stuffing. Talk about something mouth water good!