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Phone: 320-532-4946 / 1-800-323-1361 |
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Eller Family Farm |
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Getting the chickens out on pasture provides a delightful and healthy quality of life for the bird and a healthy source of protein for us. Contrast this to the factory chicken who spends life wing to wing in a wire cage forced to eat unnatural protein sources, antibiotics, and other chemicals. Not healthy.We raised Red and Black Cornish broilers in 2005 and are raising heirloom White Plymouth Rocks in 2008 and 2009. If available from our local hatchery, we plan to return to the Red broilers that are a Cornish-Cornish cross. Our broilers spend their first 3 weeks in a brooder that provides needed warmth, food, and water. Their initial ration is a 19%-21% organic protein mix of soybean meal, fish meal, corn, oats, amaranth, and a vitamin and mineral ration balancer. From their third day of life we start finely chopped plantain and clovers, and fine gravel for grit to grind the forage in their gizzards. Our chicks get all the green grass and forbes they care to eat along with the insects and worms they find in the pasture. We use 1 tablespoon of organic apple cider vinegar in 5 gallons of their drinking water to slightly acidify their guts. This serves to reduce the numbers of harmful bacteria and coccidia in their guts. We do use an herbal product called Pivot from Crystal Creek to control coccidia and improve feed efficiency. After about their 5th week, chickens develop a natural immunity to coccidia, and in a clean environment, this is no longer a concern. We avoid pasture areas soiled by migrating water fowl. These wild birds are the main carriers of avian viruses that can cause disease in flocks. In a healthy, natural environment chickens do not need all the chemicals and antibiotics that are fed in commercial poultry barns. Our chickens do grow more slowly, but the taste is worth the wait! This year we’ll again be teaming with Nelson-Shine Produce for processing. Current prices can be seen at http://www.nelsonshine produce.com . They process, freeze, and vacuum pack your chickens for very reasonable prices. We will still do limited on-farm processing if clients prefer but we must charge $2.50/bird for this labor intensive adventure. If you choose on-farm processing, you must pickup your chickens from us immediately after harvest. Call or email ellerb@mlecmn.net for additional information. |
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Raised without antibiotics, coccidiostats, or pesticides… the taste is worth the wait! |
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Chickens living like chickens. . . |
Day Range Chicken |
