In this episode of the Joyfully Prepared Podcast, Wendi pulls back the curtain on why her family chose to raise and process their own meat chickens. This is not a how-to guide. It’s a conversation. Wendi answers real questions she’s been asked over the last ten years. Questions about food quality, self-reliance, animal care, cost, emotions, and whether this skill is actually within reach for ordinary families. She shares what she’s learned the hard way. What she would do differently. And why learning even one small food skill can change how you think about what’s in your freezer, how you cook, and how much you waste. If you’ve ever been curious about raising your own meat but felt overwhelmed or unsure where to start, this episode is for you.
- Why we decided to raise our own meat chickens instead of just buying “better” meat
- How seeing someone else do it made us realize we could try
- Whether you need land, special equipment, or a farm setup
- Meat chickens vs laying hens and which makes sense for beginners
- What “raising meat chickens well” actually means in real life
- Early mistakes we made and what we wouldn’t repeat
- Feeding chickens too much and what we learned about healthier growth
- The emotional side of raising and processing your own meat
- How our kids were involved and what they learned
- Staying calm, respectful, and grounded on processing day
- How raising our own meat changed how we cook and waste food
- Why using the whole chicken matters
- How one small food skill can shift your confidence and mindset
If you’d like a more in-depth, step-by-step series on raising and processing meat chickens, let me know. I’m happy to go deeper if that would be helpful.
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