The Process of raising meat chickens at Pasture Paradise
Start to Finish
Arrival at the farm
Within 3 days of hatching our Cornish Cross chicks arrive via USPS shipping from a hatchery in Ohio. We unbox the chicks and make sure they appear healthy to start assimilating them to their new home.
Brooder Stage
Much like a newborn baby, the chicks are very delicate when they are small. They are very sensitive to maintaining a consistent body temperature therefore the first few weeks at the farm they are kept under heat lamps in a smaller pen. Within the first few weeks they start developing feathers and gain more strength.
Mobile Coop
At approximately 3.5 weeks old, the birds are moved to the mobile coop where they can graze on fresh forage. The coop is moved daily on land that has been drilled with clover, cow peas, oats and rye grass. The coop features automation that provides supplemented grain feed on demand as well as bulk water on dribble lines. The solar panel on the coop allows curtains on the sides to raise and lower based off of temperature and humidity to optimize the health and comfort of the birds. The coop offers ample space for the birds to graze and relax but provides safety from natural predators that may be lurking nearby.
Processing
At about 8 weeks old when the birds have reached optimal size, they are transported to J & M Poultry in Richmond, Indiana. J & M Poultry is a state certified poultry processor. The meat is processed and safely transported back to our location in Franklin, Indiana and is then ready for our customers to enjoy!
