Our Herb Fed Free Range Chickens
From North Yorkshire at the foot of the Hambleton Hills.
A small batch of day old chickens arrives on the farm each week. They come straight from the hatchery just a few miles up the road and go into a sectioned off area into brooding sheds where they are kept warm by gas heaters or ‘brooders’ for up to 3 weeks.
At this stage fresh herbs are introduced into hay racks that are regularly topped up. At 3 weeks of age they come off the heat as they have developed feathers to keep themselves warm.
Having had a week to get use to the temperature change, the chickens at 4 weeks old are moved from the brooding shed to a mobile outside shelter where they are truly free range having constant access to a grass paddock to enjoy the outdoor environment. During this period, they are able to make use of their natural instincts; being able to peck at the grass, find and eat insects, dust bathe and soak up the sunshine.
They are fed on locally produced chicken feed that is a corn based diet free from growth promoters and drugs. Whole corn is mixed in with the feed to give the birds a healthy cover of fat that helps it stay moist once cooked and adds to the flavor of the meat.
The Herb Fed Bit
From 3 weeks old, fresh herbs are introduced into the chicken’s diet with the use of custom made miniature hay racks.
The herbs are a mixture including basil, chives, dill, coriander and various salads to name just a few but their absolute favorite is rocket! They don’t like is sage!! All the herbs are trimmings or have simply gone past their best and are a by product that would have otherwise ended up on a compost heap.
By 8 weeks old the chickens will eat up to a kilogram of fresh herbs each week. Furthermore, the herbs give additional nutrients to the chicken’s diet other than a standard formulated diet and pecking through them keeps them occupied resulting in a happy and extremely healthy bird.
