Meat Related Questions

 

Who do I make my check out to?

Please make checks payable to: Abigail Grice

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Why do you require a deposit cost on a chicken, turkey, or duck?

I require a small non-refundable deposit on every bird you purchase. But why do I do this?

In order to stay within Iowa state laws, I have to sell each bird while it’s still alive. The bird then becomes “yours” while I raise it for you. 

Paying the deposit also ensures that your bird is reserved for you and that I’ll have enough to go around.

The remaining price of your bird (minus the deposit) is required at the time of pick-up. 

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Where do I pick up my chicken, turkey, or duck?

You can pick up your bird at our farm or pay $0.60 per mile to have it delivered.

Schedule permitting, we do provide free pick-ups in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Please note, you must be flexible on pickup times and dates, as we only come into Council Bluffs, Iowa every one to two weeks.

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What is the difference between the Bronze and White turkeys?

"The Broad Breasted White is by far the most common turkey raised for food these days. Hands down, this is the best turkey breed for a fast-growing, meaty bird with the table quality most people expect from their Thanksgiving bird. This is the turkey you’ll find at the grocery store.

"The Broad Breasted Bronze is the same size and meatiness as the BB White but looks much like the Standard Bronze heritage turkey. It’s the other fast-growing option for homesteaders who want to dress all of their birds at the end of the season. Some growers will raise and market them as heritage birds, but that’s false advertising! Due to the dark-colored feathers, the carcass doesn’t dress up as clean looking as white birds."

-The Self Sufficient HomeAcers

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How often do you have meat chickens for sale?

Currently, I only raise two batches of chickens a year.

I raise them in the spring and early summer to avoid hot weather, which can be deadly for meat chickens.

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My fresh chicken meat is green! What do I do?

First of all, don’t worry, this is usually perfectly safe*. Green meat in freshly-butchered chickens generally means they had Green Muscle Disease. This condition affects inactive birds, like broilers. 

Meat birds (broilers) don’t move much except to eat and drink. Their sole purpose in life is to get big and heavy. When they’re sent to the butcher they move around more in one day than they do in their entire lives. 

The green meat (usually found in the breast) comes from poor circulation due to their lack of exercise. When they experience a burst of energy (like flapping their wings excessively), they compromise their blood supply. This leads to muscle tissue death.

While it looks disturbing and disgusting, it’s perfectly safe for you to eat. It’s not an infection or harmful disease.

*Though extremely rare, it could be an infection, not Green Muscle Disease. If you receive a chicken with green meat, please contact me immediately.

 

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