Free Range Chickens
Farm Fresh Eggs of All Kinds and Colors
Our chickens are free ranging, pasture fed and happy! Happy chickens make great tasting eggs! $4.50 a dozen.
Why Free Range Chickens?
According to U.S. Department of Agriculture regulations," free range chickens must have access to the outdoors". In contrast commercial growers raise "conventional" poultry confined indoors in cages. It is important to note that pasture raised hens eat a diet of bugs and grass in addition to their grain diet. On the flip side, commercially raised hens eat a diet of strictly grain. Also interesting to note is the fact that USDA regulations do not require free range hens to actually have access to pasture. This is something consumers should know when buying eggs at the supermarket but unfortunately most probably do not. The studies have been done comparing pasture raised hens to conventional poultry, To make sure you get all the added health benefits of free range eggs, make sure they come from PASTURE raised flocks!
Health Benefits of Free Range Eggs
- 1/3 the cholesterol and 1/4 the saturated fats
- 50% more vitamin A
- More vitamin E acting as an antioxidant
- Two to four times the Omega -3's (Depending on the study)
Geese
General Info
We have ten domesticated resident geese here at Old Bridge Farm, one Graylag Toulouse goose and nine Chinese geese. Their main job on the farm is to act as guards for the chickens, fighting off smaller predators and alerting us when larger ones come around. Domesticated geese typically live between the ages of 15 - 20 years and generally weigh around 10-15 lbs each. Depending on the species, the average adult female goose can lay upwards of 12 - 20 eggs per year. For those who have tried goose eggs, they described them as tasting similar to a chicken egg with a slightly gamier taste. Goose eggs also have a denser texture but can have a phenomenal taste if properly prepared!
Additional InformationOur geese are fed organic grain twice a day and are allowed to range free in the summer months to graze. Additionally, our flock of geese also have their own kiddie pool for bathing and have access to the warm alpaca barn in the winter months.
Each goose in the flock has its own unique personality. The younger ones are much more inquisitive and curious while the older ones tend to be more protective and knowledgeable. One of the more well known characteristics of geese is there incredible bonding instincts. Geese generally imprint on the first thing they see after being born and all our geese were born under our watchful eye. Our Geese are a wonderful addition to this farm and get along greatly with all the other livestock we own. You're always welcome to stop by and check them out. We also sell fertilized and non fertilized goose eggs during the laying months. More information on this can be found below Fertilized Goose eggs will be available from mid February to mid May! Contact us for additional information and pricing.
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Chinese Goose egg laid here at Old Bridge Farm
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Videos
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Video of the Geese in action (12/20/2020)
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Video of baby goose being born
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