The garden and livestock
Pastured Chickens
Our chickens arrive as "day old's" and are hand raised on the homestead. We have a mixed flock of heritage breeds, brown egg laying hens. The breeds can consist of barred rocks, road island reds, new hampshire reds, red & black sex links, sussex, and new hampshire X barred rocks along with a Silver Laced Wyandotte Rooster. We raise White Rocks as meat chickens.
We originally began free ranging the birds, but due to losses from coyotes, hawks, and dogs and the attraction of raccoons, as well as the destruction they cause to our gardens, we have moved to a fenced range. This allows the birds the outdoor experience while also keeping them protected. This system also allows natural fertilizers to be returned back to the land to improve fertility and soil structure. Manure is also collected from the hen house and added to the garden.
We originally began free ranging the birds, but due to losses from coyotes, hawks, and dogs and the attraction of raccoons, as well as the destruction they cause to our gardens, we have moved to a fenced range. This allows the birds the outdoor experience while also keeping them protected. This system also allows natural fertilizers to be returned back to the land to improve fertility and soil structure. Manure is also collected from the hen house and added to the garden.
Pastured Laying Hens
Our laying hens are pastured having access to green forages, sunlight, space, dirt and bugs. We also feed them locally produced grains. We try to provide them with as natural a life as possible. Our chicks are purchased from Ontario hatcheries and are raised from "day old's" here on the homestead.
Pastured Meat Chickens
Our Pastured Meat Chickens are also allowed the freedom to forage for greens, bask in the sunlight, move around, and dust bathe. We also feed them locally produced grains and do not administer hormones or antibiotics. We are surprised by the excellent flavour, firm texture and the leanness of the meat, quite different from what we had previously purchased at the grocery store.
Housing
Our laying hens have a homemade chicken coop. This is a 4' X 8' insulated building, having two man doors for easy cleaning. Nest boxes are on an outside wall and eggs can be retrieved from outside. Roosts inside provide areas for chickens to sleep at night. The building is wired for electricity. The coop is floorless allowing manure to drop onto the ground and is built on skids so it can be towed behind the tractor to fresh grass when needed.
Our meat chickens and replacement layers are sheltered by homemade, self designed, movable tractors. These are basically old truck toppers built on a riser, using recycled wood and mesh, with wheels attached. They can easily be towed by one person to fresh grass when required. We have equipped these tractors with nest boxes, hangers for feeders and water, and electricity for lighting needs. The windows have mesh across to allow for easy ventilation, along with partial mesh walls. In the winter if not in use they will be put in close proximity to the laying coop to provide additional winter areas. The tractors have also been constructed to easily add insulation and extra wall board if necessary.