What’s the Yolking Difference?
Rotationally Moved
Our hens are rotationally moved across the landscape on our
farm using portable chicken coops (also known as chicken caravans or tractors).
This has many benefits for hen health, environment and the end product of our
pasture raised eggs.
The hens have significantly increased foraging opportunities
than that of a convention ‘free range’ hen. With frequent access to new ground
there is a treasure trove of insects, bugs and other goodies to be discovered by
the ladies.
A key component of why we use a rotational based system is
to provide our pastures with ‘rest’. Not only does this allow time for the
grass, small herbs to recover fully, it also provides a mosaic or patchwork
affect across our farm which is vital for ecosystem function and local biodiversity.
Egg quality and Flavour
It is well documented that pasture raised eggs are highly nutritious,
significantly more than a hen which is locked up inside a shed or limited
access to quality forage. One of
the key reasons is our hens spend a greater amount of time out in natural
sunlight and on fresh green pastures which they consume. Our eggs have a greater amount of Vitamin D, imparted into the egg at a rate of about
3x to 4x more! Our eggs are also higher in Vitamin E, Vitamin A, Beta Carotene,
Omega-3s… PLUS Lower in Cholesterol and Saturated fat! All of these extra nutrients have a strong correlation with flavour (think of homegrown vegetables compared to supermarket varieties)
Stocking Density
Our stocking density is less than 85 hen/hectare, much less
than the ‘free range’ approved stocking density of 10,000/hectare or the RSPCA
standards of 1,500/ha.
Why does this matter? Well this directly relates to
significantly reduced stress on each hen, as there is less competition for
food, shelter, and perching spaces. Not to mention the build-up of manure which
has been proven to taint the flavour of eggs with the high ammonia gases
released when it anaerobically decomposes or ‘rots’. So it is true what they say;
you can taste the happiness of the hen in the egg.
Environmentally, Sustainability & Ethically Focused
Our management techniques are improving our local
environment on a day-to-day basis. We are fully chemical free in the way we
produce our eggs, which means you are receiving a highly natural egg. Produced
as nature intended. It is our belief that happy hens will produce the best
product for our customers, we like to think of our production system as ‘HenCentric’
or having a holistic approach to producing eggs on an ethical, environmentally regenerating
and sustainable scale.
