Remember those days when you felt sad, angry, annoyed and because of that you physically couldn't cope with anything and everything you did fell apart ? Add to that being kept in a small cage with others like you and being forcefully fed with the worst possible food around.
Well, the last sentence may not apply to you but it sure does to a hen. As humans we know that it's difficult to do anything right when the environment isn't suitable. Most of us can't study maths while being at the death metal concert (I doubt anyone ever tried it...) At the same time unhealthy diet will damage our health which will also affect the quality of work we produce.
Why would a hen react differently to those obstacles ?
A hen that lives in a tiny space with lots of other hens and is being fed with chemicals can't be healthy nor happy so her meat and eggs she lays aren't very healthy. Most of the eggs and chicken meat that we buy at the shop are from unhappy hens and chickens which means that their meat and their eggs aren't as good as we could think they should be, but there are some places where chickens run around happy and hens lay their eggs in peace.
My dad has a cousin who has well... let's call it a farm. He has ducks, hens, three massive dogs and goats. He also has a garden in which he has his own vegetables. He says there's nothing better than your own vegetables that you cared about so they could grow big and tasty, fresh milk from a goat that you milk every morning, and eggs that you have to look for in a grass because the hens can run around and choose the layer for themselves.
Well, he sure is right. I don't know about vegetables but dad brought back home goat milk, eggs and goat cheese from his cousin. Now I wish I had my own farm so I wouldn't have to drink anything from the shop.
The milk has a silky texture, sweet taste and aroma of freshness. The eggs differ even in their looks. The yolk is much more yellow than most of the eggs bought in a shop. When we got them they were covered in faeces and that's actually better than perfectly washed eggs. As far as I know you should never wash eggs. They have pores in the eggshell which allow air inside. Normally nothing should pass through them but when you wash the eggs the water can sometimes go through and with it all of the bacteria from the shell. Also me and my family had a funny surprise when we opened the box with eggs. One of them went completely mad and decided to be a completely different shape than others. I guess if this chicken was born it would be a chicken Lady Gaga.
The goat cheese is amazing. Delicate, creamy, it melts in your mouth. I would imagine that's how it feels to eat a cloud. Great for breakfast, gives you a lot of energy, it's light. Goes perfectly with honey and dry fruits.
The hens are locked up for a night to protect them from foxes.
Goat is a wonderful animal. Gives you milk and you can feed it with practically everything. You don't have to worry that something is going to waste anymore !
Great breakfast. Fresh milk, scrambled eggs and goat cheese with dry fruits, honey and nuts.
I wish I could have it every day....
Butterfingered Chef
