Welcoming Our Meat Birds to the Homestead

Why These Chickens Will Be Nameless, But Still Loved

There’s a new group of feathered residents settling in at 1737 Urban Homestead… and this time, things feel a little different.

We recently welcomed 9 American Bresse chickens to the flock. These birds won’t be getting names like our Buff Orpington girls. They won’t be starring in chicken coop stories or showing up in Instagram captions.

But make no mistake, they will still be deeply cared for, respected, and loved.

Because this is what full-circle homesteading looks like.

A New Chapter in Our Homestead Journey

When Jordan first started growing food, it was about health, healing, and taking back control of what we put on our table. Over time, that little backyard garden grew into something bigger, something rooted in purpose, sustainability, and community.

Adding meat birds is another step in that journey.

This decision didn’t happen overnight. It came after lots of learning, reflecting, and asking ourselves an important question:

If we eat chicken… shouldn’t we be willing to take responsibility for where it comes from?

Homesteading isn’t just about the beautiful parts.
It’s about the honest parts, too.

Why American Bresse Chickens?

American Bresse chickens are often called “the queen of meat birds.”

They’re known for:
• Exceptional flavor and texture
• Strong, healthy growth
• Active foraging ability
• Thriving in pasture-based systems

These birds are meant to live like chickens should, scratching, pecking, sunbathing, and enjoying fresh air and real grass.

And that matters deeply to us.

If animals are going to nourish our family, they deserve a good life first.

Why They Won’t Have Names

This was a conscious choice.

Our laying hens are part of the long-term rhythm of the homestead. They’re here for eggs, personality, and many seasons of life.

Meat birds serve a different purpose.

Giving them names would make it harder for our hearts to hold space for the role they play. Instead, we honor them as a group with gratitude, respect, and intentional care.

Being nameless doesn’t mean being unloved.
It means being honored differently.

The Heart of Ethical Meat Raising

Raising meat birds ourselves means:

• Knowing what they eat
• Knowing how they live
• Knowing they experience sunshine, fresh air, and safety
• Knowing their lives are handled with dignity from beginning to end

It also means teaching ourselves and someday others to reconnect with the reality of food.

This part of homesteading is tender.
It’s emotional.
It’s humbling.

And it’s deeply grounding.

Because food doesn’t start at the grocery store.

Gratitude in Every Meal

These birds will nourish our family and our homestead in a powerful way. They will provide clean, responsibly raised protein. They will help us become more self-sufficient. They will help us live closer to the land and the rhythms of real food.

And when the time comes, we will be grateful.

For their lives.
For their purpose.
For the role they played in sustaining ours.

This is the part of homesteading people don’t always talk about, but it’s one of the most meaningful parts of all.

Full Circle Living

Adding meat birds isn’t about becoming hardened.

It’s about becoming more connected.

More grateful.
More intentional.
More aware of the sacred exchange that happens every time we sit down to eat.

This is what it means to live closer to the land.

And this is just another step in the journey of cultivating community… and harvesting home.

XOXO,
1737 Urban Homestead 💚🌱