Our Animals

Our animals only eat certified organic grains or scraps from our personal garden (which is organic), they are not vaccinated, no herbicides or pesticides are used anywhere on our property and no antibiotics or hormones are used. We do not ear tag, dock tails or clip teeth in our pigs. In 2018 our pigs, chickens and eggs were officially Certified as Organic.

Our animals have lots of room to roam and are able to engage in their natural behaviours. The chickens have an insulated coop with roosts and nest boxes (when they choose to use them) that they have free access to and they are only closed up at night for safety from predators. The pigs have a 3 sided shelter (4 sided with a door flap in winter) for protection from the elements.

Digger

Crazy Pig

Oohtred

Charlie

Hazel & Stevie

Digger & Piglets

Bottle Feeding a Runt

Farrowing House

Piglet

When our pigs farrow (give birth), they are moved to private quarters. This consists of a 3-4 sided shelter, inside this is a creep area with heat lamps. This is an area that only the piglets can access to get out of the sow's way or to get warm. The sow and her babies are never locked in this shelter and have free access to an outside pen and then a larger pasture area surrounded by electric fencing. The inside pen is closed at night to protect the babies from predators.

We are present at every birth and keep an eye on things with cameras. We castrate the male piglets within 4 days. The sow and piglets stay together for at least 8 weeks. We do not remove the piglets until the sow lets us know it's time.

The piglets go to their own pasture for about 4 more months. We visit, play and give scratches to all our pigs often so they are happy and not stressed around humans. We slaughter on farm which greatly reduces the stress that transporting them to an unfamiliar place creates.

When we have a broody chicken (wants to hatch eggs), they are also given their own space. A private nest box and small pen away from the others. About a week post hatching we move the mama and chicks to the regular chicken pen, but in their own smaller pen. They only stay in this pen a few days until all the chickens are used to each other and the new chicks. Then we open the pen and mama chicken can take her chicks in and out as she pleases. They get locked in again at night. She eventually takes the chicks to the coop and teaches them how to roost.

Hen & Chicks

Rooster

Hen & Chicks

Eggs are collected daily and spot cleaned and refrigerated. Our coop consists of 2 rows of roosts that covers 2 walls, under this is shavings. There are 6 nest boxes which contain shavings and hay underneath and in the middle of the coop. There are windows that can be opened and closed depending on the weather and vents as well. There are two doors for the chickens to use, that are closed up at night. The coop is surrounded by a fence that is opened every morning for free ranging. I do a head count every night. We work hard to give all our animals the happiest life possible.

Chicks under warming lamp

Chicks in the Pen

Enjoying the Grass

We also raise chickens (Cornish Cross) for meat once a year. We purchase chicks as day olds from a hatchery. They spend 10-14 days in a heated brooder. Then they are put outside in a tractor (movable shelter), inside a large fenced mini pasture with a netted roof. The tractor is moved as needed to maintain a clean shelter. They have lots of room to roam, chase bugs and act like chickens. They are protected from predators from land and sky. We provide additional heat, shade, cover, fans, and sprinklers as needed depending on the weather. At 8 weeks the chickens are humanely processed and packaged on our farm.