Chickens are Omnivores
As documented in my blog from January, my time as a new farmer at Maranatha Farm has been filled with learning new things. I have had the privilege of being able to learn a plethora of new information on the lives of chickens. These incredible creatures each have unique qualities and vary in size, color, lifespan, and overall purpose depending on breed of the bird.
Chickens are typically divided into two categories: layers and broilers. Layers are chickens that are primarily used for egg production. Broilers are chickens that are primarily used for meat production. Each chicken breed is unique, but they share one common trait. Every chicken is an omnivore, not a vegetarian. This was groundbreaking knowledge to me. I never realized that chickens enjoyed eating the bugs, worms, or any type of animal meat they can find as part of their diet. I had always heard growing up that chickens are vegetarian and preferred the leafy greens. False! Chickens will eat just about anything that crosses their path which includes meat. I have watched our chickens enjoy eating a large variety of foods.
Matt Watson- Farm Manager at Maranatha Farms
At Maranatha Farms we want our chickens to live exactly how chickens were created to live. So, we are taking measures to ensure our chickens have the best possible life while simultaneously providing you with the highest quality meat and eggs. This means we allow our chickens the ability to have a diverse diet that consists of our NON-GMo feed, bugs, grubs, seeds, or anything they find appealing in our pastures. We raise our chickens as omnivores ensuring they consume an ample amount of protein. The chickens enjoy a better quality of life and in return give us higher quality eggs and meat.
Another way we ensure high quality chickens is through pasture raising our chickens. Specifically, our chickens can freely roam our 400-acre property -- from the rolling pastures to the ponds to the woodlands. During the day, our chickens embrace the fresh air and sun that commercialized chickens never experience. At night, the chickens stay in our mobile chicken coops that provide them with protection and a place to sleep through the night. We want our chickens to enjoy the beauty of the land as much as we do!
Pasture raising our chickens gives the meat and eggs a richer taste filled with more nutrients than the store-bought chickens. Our pastured chicken meat is dense in nutrients from the exercise they get leading to a higher Omega-3 content. Harvard School of Public Health says, “Omega-3 fats have been shown to help prevent heart disease and stroke, may help control lupus, eczema, and rheumatoid arthritis, and may play protective roles in cancer and other conditions”. This is just one of the many health benefits to consuming our pasture raised chickens.
Reach out to Phil (phil@maranathafarms.com) any time to learn more about Maranatha Farms.
At Maranatha Farms, we raise great food - all our animals are pastured raised, finished with non-GMO grains, and butchered with care. Our farm proudly raises purebred Berkshire hogs, Mangalitza hogs, certified Charolais Cows, certified Wagyu Cows, Lambs, and Chickens for both laying and meat. We are officially selling our chicken eggs. Contact us (info@maranathafarms.com) if you are interested in purchasing our eggs. We are offering free delivery for all egg purchases and are working towards having our future products available in May.
12 Fresh Eggs. Mixed Size. Multi-Colored.
Our eggs are produced from our pasture-raised chickens that have free range over our 400 acres. We feed our Chickens a complex diet with non-gmo feed that helps to create our rich and flavorful tasting egg.
