Our Methods
We use natural methods as much as possible, so our numbers are small. We aim for quality rather than quantity.
Poultry Keeping
In our approach to keeping and rearing poultry naturally, we get great satisfaction from providing quality rather than quantity. The entire flock is free range. All our breeding groups are outdoors, on grass, in separate pens and housing. As segregation is necessary, we are limited in capacity and our numbers are small.
Our hens and our imagination are always ahead of our ability to provide the means to bring it to instant fruition. We no sooner have the work completed for one idea when another situation presents itself. The next project is already waiting to be started.
Eggs
We keep laying hens for eggs for the household. Any eggs surplus to our needs are placed in an honesty box by the gate where neighbours and passing traffic can help themselves. They take the eggs and leave the money. It's as simple as that. We believe that if we entrust to goodness and honesty it will be honoured. We have not been disappointed. Unfortunately, we don't ever seem to have enough surplus to meet the demand, even in the high laying season. The proceeds from the honesty box goes to help pay the feed bill in the local co-op each month. 
This year, 2011 because we are breeding by natural methods only, our egg surplus is greater as we are relying on hens to go broody before we can collect eggs to hatch. The selection methods we've used to improve the utility of our stock over the last few years are now proving themselves. Very few of our egg laying, purebred hens go broody, the heavier meat fowl only do so much later in the season.
Hatching Eggs
We collect eggs daily, they are dated and labelled to identify breed. Our eggs are turned daily and stored to maximise hatchability. We hatch under broody hens only since 2011, and any surplus eggs are used to fill orders received during the week. There is no difference between the eggs we hatch and the ones we sell for incubation; this ensures that we are aware of the fertility of our eggs at all times.
There have been occasions when we had a bad result from a hatch but it's been a known issue. All unhatched eggs are examined to determine the cause of the problem.
Breeding
In previous years we hatched our eggs both in an incubator and under broody hens.
Beginning in Spring 2011 all our eggs will be hatched using natural methods only, when a hen becomes broody she is set on a clutch of eggs. The little family is confined to a smaller space so the chicks can't stray too far from Mother Hen and perish when they get lost in tall grasses.
Little chicks must have cover above as well as on the ground. Magpies and sparrow hawks have their own broods to rear at this time of the year also and will swoop in the blink of an eye, taking each and every hatchling if they are left unprotected.
As you can see from the image above and from the following video, chicks like to scratch around and forage from a very early age. Young chicks need protection from predators and from the elements if they are being encouraged to go outdoors when very young.