Chickens

Layers

In May 2011 we started out with 23 chickens and two roosters, 7 from our Portland home and the remaining 18 from our friends home in Portland. In addition to these we purchased 50 (give or take) laying chickens (Black Australorps, Cuckoo Marans, Delawares and New Hampshires ).

Over the last three years the flock has grown to include many additions of mostly classroom incubated groups. In spring 2014 we purchased 50 Golden Sex links to add back in specific genetic line.

Eggs are available at $5.50/doz.  Contact us to set up an egg subscription service!

Meat Birds

the backstory

We are going to be fully pasturing meat chickens as well–and that means making some compromises about what we’re going to be producing.  The “normal” meat chickens that are at the supermarket are some sort of “Cornish x cross” mutant hybrid that is designed to put on weight and build a huge breast over being a “normal” animal.  Most cannot survive the 6-8 weeks past a regular “harvest” time because their genetics are so whacked out.

But “real” non-hybrid heritage chickens not only grow at a more “normal” rate, they also dress out looking quite different than cornish crosses.  They might weigh in at half the weight or less of a cornish cross, with breasts that are much, much smaller.  Sadly, those birds are much harder to market, even if they’re healthier and happier.

The Plan

So we’re going to go with a mixture of a less radical hybrid bird called, affectionately, “Freedom Rangers” ((tm), I’m sure.)  They apparently get pretty closer in dressed look and size to cornish x’s without being quite as genetically compromised.  The other half will be New Hampshire heritage chickens.

2014

We will raise 5 batches of 100 Freedom rangers.