April 3, 2025
Category: Sustainability
At Brookhaven Farms, our chickens aren’t just egg-layers or meat birds—they’re the unsung heroes of our pasture. Every day, after the cows and sheep graze, these feathered dynamos roll in, scratching and pecking their way through the paddocks. They’re not just eating; they’re working—busting pests, boosting soil, and keeping our herd healthy without a single chemical. It’s a gritty, beautiful piece of our regenerative puzzle, and it’s why our eggs and chicken taste like the real deal. Want to meet the cleanup crew? Let’s follow them through a day on the farm.
The Setup: Cows First, Chickens Next
It starts with the herd. Our grass-fed cows and sheep move daily, chomping through tall grass in paddocks we’ve planned weeks ahead. They leave behind cropped pasture, a few trampled bits, and—let’s be real—cow pies. That’s where the chickens come in. Two days after the herd moves on, we tow their mobile coops to the spot—say, Paddock 5 today, a quarter-acre tucked against the Virginia mountains. The doors swing open, and out they spill, a flurry of feathers and purpose.
These aren’t cooped-up birds on concrete. Our hens and meat chickens live on pasture, foraging freely in the wake of the herd. Why two days later? Timing’s everything. It gives flies and maggots just enough time to hatch in the manure—prime pickings for a chicken’s beak. We’ve watched it play out: the herd grazes Monday, the chickens hit the scene Wednesday, and by dusk, the paddock’s a cleaner, richer place.
Pest Control, Chicken-Style
First job: pest busting. Those cow pies aren’t waste—they’re a buffet. Flies lay eggs fast, and within 48 hours, maggots are wriggling. Left unchecked, they’d swarm the herd, irritating eyes, spreading disease, stressing our cows. Conventional farms spray chemicals or dose animals with drugs to fight that. Not us. Our chickens dive in, scratching through the manure, snapping up every larva they find. It’s not pretty, but it’s effective—nature’s own fly trap, no poison required.
They don’t stop at maggots. Ticks, beetles, even grasshoppers—anything buzzing or crawling gets gobbled. We’ve seen fewer flies on our cows since the chickens took over, and that’s no accident. It’s a symbiosis we’ve leaned into: the herd feeds the chickens, the chickens protect the herd. No vet bills, no pesticides, just a flock doing what flocks have done for centuries. The result? Healthier cows, cleaner pastures, and meat that’s pure from start to finish.
Soil Boosters: Fertilizer on the Fly
The chickens don’t just take—they give. As they peck and strut, they drop fertilizer—rich, natural, and perfectly timed. Chicken manure’s a powerhouse: high in nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, all the stuff grass craves. Spread by their busy feet, it sinks into the soil, kickstarting regrowth. We’ve tracked it—paddocks the chickens work green up faster, sometimes shaving days off the 30-day rest we give the grass. It’s like a shot of espresso for the pasture, all without a bag of synthetic junk.
This isn’t random scatter. Their coops move daily, so the fertilizer’s even, not piled in one spot like a barn flock. Pair that with the cows’ grazing pressure, and you’ve got a soil-building machine. The herd trims, the chickens feed and fertilize, and the land comes back stronger—deeper roots, more carbon locked in, a pasture that’s not just surviving but thriving. That’s regeneration in action, and it’s why our farm’s a living system, not a factory floor.
The Payoff: Eggs and Meat That Shine
This cleanup gig isn’t charity—it feeds our birds, and that feeds you. Our hens forage bugs, trimmings from our beef and lamb, and a bit of clean, non-GMO grain. The result? Eggs with yolks so golden they glow—packed with protein, healthy fats, and vitamins you won’t find in a carton from caged birds. Studies show pasture-raised eggs have more omega-3s, vitamin D, and E—nutrients your kids need for school, your body craves for energy. They taste richer too, a creamy snap that’s pure farm.
Our meat chickens bulk up the same way—pasture, bugs, and clean feed. They’re leaner, firmer, with a flavor that’s chicken, not bland mush. No antibiotics, no cramped sheds—just birds living right, giving you meat that’s clean and real. Families love it for the safety, health buffs for the fuel, eco-warriors for the footprint. It all ties back to that cleanup crew, turning cow pies into quality.
The Bigger Picture: A System That Works
This isn’t some cute farm trick—it’s a piece of a bigger puzzle. Our chickens close the loop. The herd grazes, leaving food and pests. The chickens eat, dropping fertilizer. The soil feeds the grass, which feeds the herd again. It’s a cycle we’ve tuned over years, inspired by folks like Joel Salatin at Polyface, but shaped by our own dirt and sweat. We’re not perfect—moving coops in the rain’s a slog, and scaling means more birds, more work—but it’s worth it. Every egg, every drumstick, carries the proof.
Conventional farms miss this. They lock chickens in cages, spray fields with poison, and call it efficient. We call it shortsighted. Our way builds—soil, health, resilience—while theirs burns out. That’s why our eggs crack open with a story, why our chicken roasts with pride. It’s not fast, but it’s right.
Your Seat at the Table
By dusk, the chickens are back in their coops, the paddock’s picked clean, and we’re knackered but grinning. This is daily life at Brookhaven Farms—grit, purpose, and a flock that’s more than just poultry. Want in on it? Every dozen eggs or pound of chicken you grab keeps this crew clucking, this system spinning.
Stock up on pasture-raised eggs and chicken at shop.brookhavenfarm.net. Join our list for more farm tales and recipes—because good food starts with a good cleanup.