We have prepared our farm for broilers (meat birds)! The farming books we have been reading have a protective enclosure that allows the chickens to graze on green grass the way God intended them to.
The breed we will be getting is called a cornish rock cross, aka the broiler. They are a meat bird, ready for butchering at only 8-9 weeks! They are bred for this. Did you know the chicken breasts you buy in the supermarket, unless it says pastured & organic, is fed so much hormones that it's ready for butchering in 5 weeks?! They are fed the hormones to fatten them quickly, then because they grow at such a fast rate, their young legs aren't ready for the weight. So then comes the antibiotics because they get sick and weak from just laying around since their legs can't walk them around! Not only that, commercialized chickens are grown in houses with no sunlight available and in overcrowded situations.
**If you are buying "organic" chicken without "pastured" on the label as well, it doesn't mean much of anything! They are still grown in chicken houses with dirt floors, over crowded conditions and no sunlight. They only difference is their feed is organic. That may be a step in the right direction to better chicken, but the best are those which are allowed to be on pasture, pecking at bugs and grass. The safest way to get the real deal is to KNOW YOUR FARMER!!
Our chickens will be out on green pasture! Moved a minimum of twice a day by the boys, they will have constant access to bugs and grass. Plus organic feed, lots of sunlight and all while being protected from predators :) They will be some happy chickens!
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