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 without a cock, 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. We unfortunately don't ever seem to have enough surplus to meet the demand, even in the high laying 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 incubate every week 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
We breed as much as is possible using natural methods, when a hatching hen becomes broody she is set on a clutch of eggs. Hatching from the incubator is timed to coincide with a natural hatch; some of the incubator hatched chicks are introduced to the broody hen just as her own chicks are emerging from the shell. This makes for a very busy hen who manages to mother a substantial number of adopted chicks along with her own.
Artificial heat is provided as the numbers are greater than the hen can cover but never the less they are all her chicks when she goes outdoors. Depending on weather, they are given access to the outdoors at about 2 - 5 days when with an hen. This is delayed by up to 2 - 3 weeks in good weather, more if its cold or wet, if they do not have a mother.
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.
In the case of chicks which are hatched from the incubator, we use limited artificial heat in conjunction with other natural methods for the first few weeks. They are soon hardy enough to survive off heat but with a natural means of maintaining their body temperature. This process of rearing produces stronger, hardier chicks with a more natural feather growth.