The Wild Way Flock
Our laying flock is unique, developed on the farm to fit our specific farm system.
FOR SALE
FOR SALE
The Wild Way Flock is for sale, along with it’s guardian dogs and infrastructure. Please see the home page for a detailed description of what is included in the sale, or continue reading here to learn more about the flock, it’s purpose, and genetics.
Our goal with our 100% free range flock is to develop birds who require less commercial feed than traditional hens, are predator savvy and active foragers, consistently lay colorful eggs, and whose roosters dress out well for our personal consumption and grow feathers that are sought after by fly tyers.
We started in 2020 with a flock of feral hens from New York- they had been wild and self-selecting for over 10 years, living without human intervention or care. We began a number of different genetic lines by crossing our Phoenix, Liege Fighters, Cubalaya, and Ameracauna, with our feral hens. Even though we have only been working to expand the flock and its potential for a short time, we already have birds who are active foragers, fantastic flyers, intelligent, good layers of colorful eggs, and have the foundation of quality feathers for tying.
In a system where interdependence and a web of interconnections are key to ecological health and farm success, developing a flock that fills as many roles as possible helps us develop a resilient, thriving farm.
Pasture Raised
The flock lives in a large mobile coop, which is moved every three days to fresh forage. The coop follows Timshel Wildland’s cattle, allowing the chickens to spread the manure, add their own, and reduce our pest load. The combination of these two species adds huge amounts of Carbon (from the cows) and Nitrogen (from the chickens) to the soil, and the result is lush, dense vegetation. Moving the coop frequently ensures high density, intensive pressure and subsequent prolonged periods of rest and recovery for the plants. Frequent, long distance moves also encourage our wild hens to lay their eggs in the coop rather than the forest or greater pasture.
Active Foragers
In order to truly integrate with a natural system, domestic animals must utilize the abundant, wild food sources present. While most commercial breeds rely heavily, if not entirely, on commercial feed for their diet, our tri-purpose flock receives a maximum of 10 pounds of feed per day for all 200+ birds. Their ability to find and utilize all of the vegetation, invertebrates, and small vertebrates within the native ecosystem greatly reduces their reliance on external inputs, improves their health, allows them to integrate more fully with the native landscape, and produces eggs, meat, and feathers that are of the highest quality.
Multi-Purpose
Every animal on the farm fills multiple roles; this creates a farm system that is resilient in the face of stress and change. The roosters raised from our Wild Way flock spend their days roaming our pastures and woodlands, developing complex flavor and delightful plumes. Once their feathers are fully grown in, the best individuals are selected for breeding, and the remaining birds are harvested for meat and feathers. Their pelts are harvested, dried, and cleaned, and are available locally and online, and their meat is sold to our community. Our hens are retained for egg laying.
Flock Protection
With free ranging comes the threat of predators, especially in a rural area like ours.
We have a team of livestock guardian dogs (LGDs) who watch over our chicken flock. They live full time with our chickens and keep all manner of predators at bay. Because the dogs live within the portable chicken fences, the wildlife is still able to occupy their natural role within the ecosystem, and the chickens are also kept safe. It’s a natural way to stop our wildlife from enjoying an easy meal from the farm.
Our current team includes Esther, Finn, and Charlie. Esther is a female Great Pyrenees who was raised from a puppy on the farm. Finn is a rescued male Akbash who came to us as an adult in August 2021. Charlie, another rescue, is a male Great Pyrenees. They make a fierce team, and we are so grateful to have them as co-workers; they make it possible to have free range flocks.
