Broiler Chickens
We raise slow-growing chickens (10-12 weeks to process verses the conventional 6) on our organically-managed pasture. Slower-growing chickens tend to be better foragers than their conventional counterparts, and the extra time allows them to eat plenty of bugs and grasses to enhance the nutritional value and flavor of the meat. Our chickens are rotated on a daily basis, and have access to fresh-milled organic grain.
Laying Hens
The number and type of layers we have changes from year to year depending on their age, and (unfortunately) if we’ve lost any to predation. We have two locations for our chickens: a mobile coop for the mature chickens which gets rotated behind the sheep, goats, and cows so that they are able to scratch up and spread the manure as well as eat the larvae of various pests; and a stationary coop for the younger flock which has access to tree cover, and tall grasses for shade, shelter, and yummy bugs!
Once the hens are around 2 years old, their production significantly slows (but their appetites do not!), so at that time we will have them processed as stew birds. Because the bones are so mature, they make an excellent broth but they are not suitable for roasting since what little meat they have is quite tough!