Free-Range Chickens

Your Average Grocery Store Chicken Chickens are one of the most abused production animals in our conventional food system. Unfortunately there are very few farms raising chickens using humane and natural methods. The high cost and labor necessary to raise quality chickens deters most farmers.  Conventionally, meat chickens are raised in large confinement warehouses where chickens never see the light of day. The high stress and crowded conditions promote pecking among the chickens which companies prevent by painful debeaking. The chickens are raised from hatching to slaughter in as little as 5 to 6 weeks. The extremely high growth rate results in crippled chickens that never can stand and a high mortality caused by heart attacks. Chickens are processed under inspected, but still questionably unsanitary conditions. The carcasses are injected or allowed to absorb up to 15% of their weight in a saline broth intended to add moisture and flavor to an otherwise unnaturally dry and tasteless meat. This entire process is kept as an industry secret. The rare instance of footage captured from this system is usually from hidden cameras. A seemingly inexpensive chicken at the grocery store actually carries a high hidden cost. How We Raise our Chickens Chickens are amazing creatures that are to be treated with respect, even if their final destination is on a dinner plate. From the time they are chicks to raising them to maturity we treat them with care and concern. We have adopted a pastured approach which we are continuing to improve. This approach allows for the chickens to bask in the sun, scratch for seeds and bugs, and forage for plants, all while remaining safe from the weather and predators. The chickens are rotated on paddocks of grass allowing them to stay clean, fertilize the ground, and have a continually growing salad bar of grasses available for their consumption. We process the chickens on the farm which allows us to control the entire process, from chick to the packaged chicken. The end result is a chicken much more full of flavor, moist, and with a more firm texture. Your only risk is not wanting to eat regular chicken ever again. How to Reserve and Buy We are raising at least 6 batches of broilers this year, available beginning in May. You can click here to reserve and pre-order your chickens. Chickens are to be picked up at the farm from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on processing day, or at one of our drop-off locations. The dates are: June 25, July 30, August 13, September 17, and October 15. Broilers are $3.75 per pound and are currently only sold whole. All 6 batches will be the standard Cornish Cross breed chicken. We will also be raising a limited number of a slower growing alternative breed. We are still trying to gauge customer interest, so please let us know if you would be interested. CSA Poultry Share Save money and help support our efforts with our CSA Poultry full and half share. This allows you to pay upfront for the season of chicken (6 months). Full share includes 4 chickens each month, and a 1/2 share includes 2 chickens per month available for pickup or at drop-off point June 18, July 30, etc. You can order and pay on our How to Buy page. How_to_Buy.htmlContact_Us.htmlHow_to_Buy.htmlhttp://appenzellfarm.com/apzl/Contact_Us.html#contactformshapeimage_4_link_0shapeimage_4_link_1shapeimage_4_link_2

The Difference:

  1. ■Other than first 3-4 weeks in a more protected brooding house, birds spend entire lives on fresh, rotated pasture.

  2. ■No hormones or growth stimulants

  3. ■Fed an all-grain diet with no animal by-products

  4. ■Additional diet provided by fresh grasses.

  5. ■Waste from chickens renews the land.

  6. ■Processed on farm


The Principles of Responsible Chicken

Chickens must be given ample room.

Plenty of sunlight.

Clean living area.

No debeaking or other unnecessary trauma.

Must have the ability to scratch around in the dirt, spread their wings, and otherwise express their chickenness.

Minimal transportation costs and use of fuel.

Quick and humane processing.


Reserve Your Chickens

We are only raising a limited number of these free-range broilers, so make sure you get yours reserved today!


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Take the Farm Tour A photo tour of the farm and our different ventures.Farm_Photo_Tour.html
Farm Practices Our values are reflected in the way we farm.About_Appenzell.html
Fresh Produce Check availability of our delicious garden produce.Fresh_Produce.html
About Us Find out more about who we are and what we do.About_Appenzell.html

Limited Offer

Open-Ranged Heritage Turkeys

We are raising a very limited number of free-range heritage turkeys this year. They are raised according to the same principles as our broilers.

Ready for Thanksgiving, they will be priced at $4.50 per pound, (avg. 15-20 lbs) or $80-$90.

Pre-Order NowHow_to_Buy.html

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Conventionally raised poultry.

Our Free-Range Pastured Chickens