Brief Recap

Bonanza City deals with its first crisis as temperatures plunge and the water supply freezes. As the town debates whether or not to kill chickens for protein, a group of Kids protests by locking the chickens--and themselves--in the coop. The Town Council find themselves in a tense stalemate as they debate between two possible recipients for the Gold Star.

The Kids come closer to the realities of the food pyramid when they realize they'll have to kill town livestock if they want protein in their food. Greg assumes the leadership role as the Town kills chickens for protein. After the Showdown, while the Green District is stuck as Laborers, the Yellow District remains as Cooks and continue to shirk their duties. Michael solves the town's water crisis and is rewarded for his hard work with the Gold Star, much to the dissatisfaction of Greg.

"We've got this animal part under control."
As the sun rises on Bonanza City, Kids gather eggs in the chicken coop. Many of the Kids come from farming backgrounds and have already formed close bonds with the livestock. Nine-year-old Emilie, whose family runs a horse farm, is particularly at home with the animals: "They're my soft spot."

In the Town Chapel, Mike, Taylor, Laurel and Anjay read the next chapter in the Pioneer Journal. The Journal states that the Kids are probably tired of eating jerky and beans, and then offers them some advice: "You brought chickens with you, right? Truth is: they're good for more than eggs."

The four young Council members look at each other in shock. Can they kill a chicken?

As Sophia, the resident cook, is in the kitchen lamenting over the lack of fresh food, Anjay is excited by the thought of fresh meat, declaring, "I want a chicken dinner enough that I would kill it." Laurel is shocked. "Are you that heartless that you could kill a chicken?" she asks. The Council Leaders realize that if the four of them are divided on the issue, the rest of the Kids will undoubtedly also have strong feelings about killing chickens. They decide to put the issue to a town vote.

"To kill or not to kill? That is the question."
Inside the Mess Hall, the young pioneers reluctantly dine on yet another starchy breakfast of grits, oatmeal and biscuits. Spooning up a sticky glob of oatmeal, Savannah observes, "The food here doesn't have its own taste. It is its own taste."

The Mess Hall goes into an uproar when Mike announces that the Council is considering killing chickens. DK wonders why the Kids are so upset when most of them eat meat at home. "What's different now?" he asks. "Are you in love with a chicken or something?" When Markelle questions whether the Kids even know how to kill a chicken, Greg announces to the crowd that he has experience working as butcher's assistant and is quite confident in his ability to kill a chicken properly. With all arguments on the table, Taylor puts the matter to a vote. The majority vote for the chickens to be killed. Emilie, who thinks killing animals is "mean and cruel," and only a few other Kids vote against the proposal. Taylor declares, "We are cooking chickens!" as Emilie wonders, "Oh my God, what is happening in this town?"

Emilie threatens the Council that she will go home if they kill a chicken. She, Campbell and Savannah run to the chicken coop and lock themselves inside, intent on stopping any chicken-killing. Savannah, a stranger to the butchering process, wonders, "Are they gonna hang them like they did Saddam Hussein?"