Have you ever wondered what “Pasture Raised Chicken” really means? Raising chickens outside on pasture is really becoming a much more popular way to raise chickens. Not only is it better for the environment, but it also produces a chicken that is more flavorful and healthier to consume than conventionally raised chicken.
Joel Salatin of Polyface Farm in Virginia really popularized this method of raising chickens. He also raises cattle and in studying nature’s systems, he realized the benefits of the leader/follower system for pasture health. He runs the cattle through a pasture and then follows them with chickens, contained in a structure called a chicken tractor. These tractors are moved typically 2 or more times a day. The chickens come through after the cattle and scratch in the cow droppings, eating bugs and fly larvae and fertilizing the pasture. Added benefits include the chickens being in fresh air and eating grasses as well and their waste not piling up all in 1 place, but being spread out over an area. We run the sheep through an area and then move the chicken tractors through behind them to mimic this leader/follower system on our farm.
This process has been found to create a more nutritious product. According to the American Pastured Poultry Producers Association:
“Pasture-raised chicken meat tends to be higher in iron, higher in Omega 3, have a lower Omega 6:3 ratio, and be higher in antioxidants (Vitamin E, for example). Pasture-raised eggs have higher Omega 3s, a lower Omega 6:3 ratio, increased vitamin D, and more antioxidants.
When we talk about nutrition, fat gets our attention and dominates our conversation, but there’s nutritional benefits beyond fats. Vitamin E, for example, is an antioxidant, and pasture-raised chicken has higher densities of vitamin E.”
In addition to the pasture raising benefits, our chickens are also fed certified organic grain so that there are no added hormones, antibiotics or Roundup that these chickens are consuming.
Pasture raised chicken is more time consuming to produce than confinement chicken, but the benefits are many. We’ve had many compliments on the flavor of our chickens. We hope you try some pasture raised chicken today! You will taste the difference.
From your local farmers,
Ryan and Jackie Sullivan at Sullivan Family Farm
Sullivan Family Farm 