Heavenly Homestead
Naturally Raised
Pastured poultry chickens are truly natural as they are raised without the use of any GMO-supplements, growth hormones, antibiotics, or steroids. In contrast, many industrially raised chickens are fed a steady diet of genetically engineered soy and corn. They are also provided with growth hormones to increase their size and antibiotics to prevent the spread of diseases from a large group of birds living unnaturally close to each other.
Free Range Chickens
Pastured poultry get their food from free range foraging and have a steady supply of natural insects, worms, seeds, and grass. In addition to their healthier diets, pastured poultry tend to be healthier, happier birds compared to their industrially raised counterparts. Chickens that get to live the majority of their life outdoors and have access to sunlight, fresh water, and a pasture to graze on are typically healthier and happier than the birds that are confined in dark, overcrowded, and typically dirty environments.
Nutrition
The natural upbringing of pastured poultry also results in a more nutritious final product. Allowing the chickens to free range grants them constant access to the natural nutrients they are supposed to have in the forms of insects worms, seeds, nuts, and grasses. In comparison to factory raised chickens, pastured chickens can have up to 3 times more omega-3s, 50% more Vitamin A, D, and E, and 21% less saturated fat.
Giving Back to the Land
When chickens are raised on pasture, they both live off the land and give back to the land. As the chickens consume resources from the land, they give back to the land in the form of their waste. Chicken waste provides a substantial benefit to the soil they pasture by increasing the moisture capacity of the dirt. Additionally, it adds beneficial microorganisms back into the land. This is a great example of regenerative farming. Rather than depleting the land that they graze on, the chickens actually revitalize it. This drives a cycle of life that promotes sustainability and mitigates environmental harm.