How We Raise Them

Growing in the Brooder

- Fresh water and feed from day-one.

- Feed is non-GMO grain only (meaning no animal by-products) for non-organic chickens.

- Feed is 100% organic certified for organic chickens.

- No exposure to chemicals or pesticides. No use of antibiotics or medications.

Enjoying the Outdoors

- Moved to pasture at about two weeks of age.

- Free to roam, pecking away at the grass, enjoying the sunshine and outdoors.

- Co-ops for shade and sleeping.

Ready for Your Enjoyment

- Ready for processing at about eight to nine weeks of age.

- Processed at Ontario Government inspected abattoir.

- Available for pick-up as fresh or frozen whole chickens. Delivery can also be arranged.

- To buy our delicious chickens, go to How to Order

The Life of a Chick

The day olds are started in what’s known as a brooder, which is essentially a heated and safe area that emulates what it would feel like for the chicks to be in the nest under a mother hen. The brooder is initially set to 95F, with fresh wood shavings on the floor and feed and water available from day-one.
The chicks are free to roam under the brooder when they want to be warm, or around the large open area when they want to eat or simply explore.
The chicks grow very quickly, tripling in size (or more) in the first week alone! They become less reliant on the warmth of the brooder as their feathers start to grow, and really start to eat and drink a lot – and poop a lot! Shavings are scattered every other day to keep the area fresh and dry. Feed is available constantly and the waterers are cleaned and filled twice per day.
Although Mother Nature always has the last say, we try to have the chicks moved to pasture at about two weeks of age. While they are kept in a fenced area to protect against predators, it’s a very large area where they can roam freely eating grass, worms and insects. Water and feed are always available, and it’s basically left to the chickens to decide what they want to eat – in most cases, they choose both. There are co-ops inside the fenced areas for the chickens to have shade and a place to gather and sleep at night. While predators are always a concern, the fence is six feet tall, buried six inches underground, and electrified.
Getting the chickens outdoors and watching them continue to grow is by far the most fun and rewarding part of having them! They roam freely, pecking away at the grass, enjoying the sunshine and fresh air of the outdoors. The chicks are ready for processing in about eight to nine weeks of age, with the females having a live weight of about 8 lbs and the males about 10 lbs. Dressed weight is about 75% of the live weight.