Chickens help to make our farm more sustainable.

Chickens do a great job of balancing inputs and outputs on the farm. At Eastbrook Farm, our hens are not just a source of eggs. We work with them to turn “waste” into a valued output. By recognizing and supporting their natural instincts, the chickens live better lives, and we benefit from their help.

So how does this work? Well, the chickens recycle nutrients that would otherwise go to waste. We give them weeds, grass clippings and vegetable scraps from our organic garden. This practice not only keeps our hens busy during the day but also supplies them with micronutrients that help to keep them healthy. In the end, the chickens are happy and we get a nutrient-rich compost to put back on the garden.

Does this replace store-bought chicken feed?

With the increasing costs of purchased chicken feed, you might wonder if this practice affects our feed bill. Sadly, it does not replace store bought feed. Modern laying hens have been bred to produce an incredible number of eggs; as many as 300+ eggs per year! It takes a lot of nutrition to support that level of production. In order to support top levels of egg production from our hens, we provide them with the recommended amount of non-GMO layer feed every day. This means that they get 1/4 lb of food per hen per day. Keeping chickens can often feel like a labor of love but it never gets old to head out to the coop and find a freshly laid egg in the nest box.