Our Pasture Raised Chicken Process
​​At Castors Pastures, we are dedicated to raising chickens ethically and sustainably.
As consumers we care about what goes into our products, and as a small-scale farm we take pride in the personal attention and the care we give to our birds.
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Read more below about the farming practices in which we follow.*
*Note - this is applicable to the broiler (meat) chickens. Our laying hens will be responsibly sourced from local farmers.
Day old chicks
Our chickens begin their lives with us as day old chicks where they are lovingly raised in a brooder for 3 weeks.
This 'housing' provides them with heat from our solar powered heaters and shelter from the weather, giving them a warm & comfortable start to life.
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Moving day
Once our chickens reach 3 weeks old, they are big enough and have enough feathers for the outside world. They are then moved to their new home out on the fresh natural pasture.
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"Pasture: land covered with grass and other low plants suitable for grazing animals"
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Raising on lush pastures promotes natural behaviours and grazing, to ensure high standards of animal welfare.
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Fresh pasture, everyday
Our chickens live in small groups in a portable shelter.
This shelter is floorless & not fixed, allowing us to move the chickens to new pasture, twice a day, everyday.
This daily rotation not only ensures that our chickens have access to fresh grass and insects, but it also helps maintain the health of our pastures by fertilizing the soil, reducing parasites, spreading nutrients and preventing overgrazing.
By providing our chickens with a natural, healthy environment, we allow them a diverse and nutritious diet, we are able to produce high-quality, flavourful meat.
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Food & drink
As poultry cannot survive on grass alone, we supplement their diets with organic feed. This is essential for the development & health, so we add this to the pasture to peck at, alongside bugs & grubs.
They are hydrated with fresh water which is filtered to remove Trihalomethanes and Microplastics.
We believe in providing our chickens with the very best diet so you know exactly what goes into their body, goes into your body.
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Humanely processed
Once our chickens have grown to size, we ensure that all chickens are humanely processed by ourselves at Castors Pastures.
Our farm is unique in that we do not transport the chickens to slaughter. This practice ensures our chickens remain stress free and receive the highest standards of care from start to end. As a result, the meat is exceptionally tender, flavourful, and nutritious.
We are specially trained by the Humane Slaughter Association and have a strong commitment to animal welfare and humane treatment throughout the process.
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