All Good Days Except For One

From the time our chickens arrive as day old chicks till they go off to the abattoir we aim for “All good days, except for one”.

This is a overview of how we raise our pastured chickens.

For the first 2.5 to 3 weeks depending on weather and growth, the chickens are in a brooder where the chicks are kept warm and safe. Lighting is set on a timer to approximate the natural light cycle. A radiant heat panel is set on the other side of the brooder to act as a electric hen where the chicks can settle and rest, away from the hustle and bustle of the feeder and water fountain beneath the light.

The chicks are fed a commercially prepared high protein certified organic mash that is lacto-fermented to increase the bio-availability of the nutrition within. Coarsely ground organic barley is added to the feed mix from the start of week 2 in increasing amounts. The chicks feed is supplemented with fresh picked chopped greens like dandelion, clover and perennial grasses. Also a daily treat of meal worms raised in house on organic grains and carrots is given.

The addition of the greens and meal worms reinforces the instinct to scratch, peck and hunt that is often lost when raised on only prepared feed.

mealwormsbarley

Once the chicks are well on their way to feathering out they are moved to a low portable shelter often called a chicken tractor. This tractor is open bottomed so that the chickens can scratch and peck freely. The tractor is moved at minimum a full length every day so that the chickens have access to fresh unsoiled pasture.

DSCN5182

As the chickens grow larger they are then moved into a larger tractor where again they are moved at least the length of the tractor daily but usually further.