Processing Day Mishap

Last Wednesday was Freezer Camp Day—aka the day we load up the chickens and take them to processor out in East TX.

When we have a smaller number of chickens, say, 60 or so, we just do it ourselves. But we’ve been processing larger batches, about every other month. That, alone, has built some much-needed time back into my schedule, which was needed.

Last week, I wrote a post about the respect and attention we give leading up to processing day, and how we work hard to ensure our chickens’ stress level remains as low as possible, for their sake. You can read all about that here.  But y’all. Last week was a doozie!

We woke up around 4:30am, hit the field by 5, and were on our way to East TX by 5:45. Noah came with me this trip. He wants to take over the farm someday, and likes taking care of the chickens. So does Charlie, so I guess she gets to come with me next time!

 We arrived at 8am to drop off the chickens. We waited in line as usual, and were told to come back between 2 and 3, as usual. When we came back around 3:30 (they normally call when they’re finished), our chickens weren’t quite finished yet. The processor had other orders, and had a slight hiccup in their schedule—which happens—and we were asked to come back. So we did. An hour later. They were still tied up. So we left again. For an hour. Which was fine, because we needed to drive around the corner and pick up another 100 meat chicks anyway. Then we came back. And they were still tied up. So we left. AGAIN. And this time, I was aggravated, and let my irritation get the better of me for a second.

Literally. One second.

I turned left out of the processing facility, instead of right, like I was supposed to. The pavement ends about 15 ft past that exit. And turns to mud. Guess what the name of that road is?

Mud Road. No lie.

And it rained cats and dogs last week.

Driving on that road was kinda like driving on snot. In a pick-up truck. While pulling a trailer.

ow, I know how to drive a 4-wheel drive vehicle. I used to have a Jeep that I took off-road regularly. But I had the tires to do so. This truck has “pavement queen” tires, because we have no need for mud tires. Tires that can handle wet sand? Sure. But wet clay mud? We don’t have that here in the Red River Valley/Blackland Prairie eco-region. As soon as I hit the mud, I stopped and put the truck in 4W high, and started driving. Made it around the first curve, thought I was going to end up in the bar ditch going around the 2nd curve, and that’s where I stopped. 0.4 miles away from the processor. From there, it was a straight road ahead of me. I put the truck in 4W low. I knew stopping to shift gears would either get me good and stuck, or would get me out of the mud. My bet was on getting stuck. And I was right. But at least I was well-positioned for a rescue!

I called the processor to see if they had a tractor that could haul me out. Tractor? Yes. Haul me out? Nope, too busy. They did give me a number for a local tow company.

Of course, the tow company had to send in a skid steer to drag me back onto the pavement, about a quarter of a mile down the road. Hearing that skid steer coming up behind me was my favorite sound all day long!

When I finally made it back to the processor YET again, another hour and a half later, my chickens were finally, FINALLY finished and ready to load.

We paid up, got everything loaded up and iced down, grabbed dinner, and were back on the road.

We finally rolled in around 10:30pm. Noah slept most of the way home. I was so tired I could barely see straight, much less back up that dadgum trailer for the…I dunno…5th time that day? Darrin tried to guide me in, but I could no longer understand trailer commands. He ended up having to back the trailer up closer to the garage. The chickens get transported back to the farm in a chest freezer. It makes life so much easier when I get home, and buys me time, when necessary, so I can do inventory the next day. Darrin ran an extension cord to the freezer to keep everything good and cold overnight, while I huffed the 100 chicks out to the brooder to get them tucked in for the night.

After that, it was time to pass out. I had no chickens to move in the morning, so Noah and I both slept in until nearly 10!

It was an adventure, to say the least. But the important thing is that we have a freezer full of fresh, pastured chicken, and a brooder full of the next round of chicks!