July 17, 2025
Category: Farm Practices
At Brookhaven Farms, every golden-yolked egg tells a story—of hens roaming free across Virginia pastures, scratching in the dirt, and basking in the summer sun. These aren’t your average chickens; they’re pasture-raised partners in our regenerative mission, working alongside our South Poll cattle and pigs to heal the land and deliver food that’s pure, nutritious, and delicious. Caring for our hens and moving them daily isn’t just routine—it’s a craft that ensures their health, the soil’s vitality, and the quality of every egg you crack. Want to know what’s behind those eggs? Let’s step into the coop and explore.
Pasture-Raised Living: A Hen’s Natural Life
Our hens aren’t cooped up in cages or crammed into barns—they live a life as close to nature as it gets. At Brookhaven Farms, pasture-raising means freedom: freedom to roam, forage, and thrive. Here’s what sets their lifestyle apart:
- Space to Roam: Each hen enjoys at least 108 square feet of pasture—10-20 times more than “free-range” labels (2 sq ft) or conventional cages (0.5 sq ft), per USDA standards. With 500-1,000 hens across our 100 acres, they’ve got room to stretch their wings, dust-bathe, and chase bugs—a stark contrast to the 80% of U.S. eggs from confined systems, per American Egg Board data.
- Diverse Diet: Their buffet is eclectic—lush grasses, clover, insects (grubs, worms, flies), seeds, and even trimmings from our beef and lamb, supplemented with clean, non-GMO feed. This diversity isn’t just tasty; it’s transformative—pasture-raised hens produce eggs with 2-3 times more omega-3s, double the vitamin E, and 50% more vitamin D than caged counterparts, per Penn State studies.
- Daily Sunlight: Exposure to sunlight—8-10 hours daily in summer—triggers vitamin D synthesis in their skin, boosting egg content to 4-6 mcg per yolk (100-150% DV), per USDA data. It’s nature’s way, not a factory’s.
This isn’t pampering—it’s hen care rooted in their biology, delivering eggs that reflect the pasture’s vitality.
Hen Care: Keeping Them Healthy and Happy
Raising hens on pasture demands hands-on care—daily attention to their needs keeps them thriving without shortcuts. Here’s how we do it:
- Mobile Coops: Our hens live in custom mobile coops—think chicken RVs—designed for safety and mobility. Each coop houses 100-200 hens, with perches, nesting boxes (1 per 5 hens), and wire floors for droppings to enrich the soil below. Built from lightweight steel and wood, they’re towed by tractor, moving daily to fresh pasture. This keeps hens predator-safe (foxes beware!) while giving them new ground to explore.
- Water and Feed: Fresh water is non-negotiable—each coop has a 50-gallon tank, refilled daily from our well, delivering 0.5-1 gallon per hen (double summer needs, per Virginia Tech Extension). Their non-GMO feed—corn, soy, and minerals—is stored in weatherproof bins, offered free-choice alongside forage (20-30% of diet from pasture, per our logs), ensuring balanced nutrition without chemicals.
- Health Checks: No antibiotics here—our hens’ health comes from nature. Daily walks spot-check for signs—bright combs (red = healthy), active foraging, steady egg-laying (80-90% daily rate). Parasites? Pasture rotation cuts worm loads by 50-70% vs. static coops, per Rodale data—no dewormers needed. Sick hens get isolated with herbal boosts (oregano, garlic) if rare issues arise.
- Predator Protection: Electric netting around coops (5,000 volts) deters foxes, hawks, and raccoons—tested weekly for charge. Our farm dog, a Great Pyrenees mix, patrols nights, dropping predation to near-zero—less than 1% loss yearly.
This care ensures hens live naturally, producing eggs that are clean, safe, and nutrient-packed—perfect for families and health buffs.
Daily Moves: The Grazing Dance
Moving hens daily isn’t just logistics—it’s a cornerstone of our regenerative system, planned weeks ahead with the same precision as our cattle and pigs. Here’s how it works:
- Timing and Sequence: Hens follow cattle by two days—Paddock 1 grazed June 24 gets hens June 26. Why? Cattle manure hatches flies and larvae within 48 hours—peak pest protein for hens, per Virginia Cooperative Extension. We tow coops (2-3 per day, 10-15 minutes each) with a tractor, setting them 50-100 feet from the last spot, ensuring fresh forage and even fertilizer distribution.
- Paddock Planning: Our 100 acres are split into 20 paddocks—5 acres each—mapped with grass growth cycles (30-40 days rest, 1-2 inches daily in summer). Hens graze 0.25-0.5 acres daily per 100 birds, synced with cattle and pig moves via a grazing chart updated weekly. Weather tweaks it—rain speeds regrowth, drought slows it—but daily checks (grass height, soil moisture) keep us on track.
- Soil Impact: Hen droppings—0.5-1 lb per bird daily—deliver nitrogen (20-30 lbs/acre yearly), phosphorus, and potassium, boosting soil fertility by 15-25% vs. ungrazed land, per USDA data. Their scratching tills manure into soil, feeding microbes and cutting pest cycles—flies drop 70-90%, per Savory Institute studies.
This dance—planned, precise, daily—regenerates soil, keeps hens healthy, and powers eggs that shine.
The Egg Payoff: Nutrition and Flavor
Our hen care and moves translate to eggs that stand out:
- Nutrient Density: Pasture-raised eggs pack 2-3 times more omega-3s (150-200 mg), double vitamin E (1-2 mg), 50% more vitamin D (4-6 mcg), and 2x choline (250 mg per egg) than caged eggs, per Penn State and NIH data—brain fuel, heart health, and recovery power in every bite.
- Clean Quality: No hormones or antibiotics—unlike 10-15% of conventional eggs with residues, per Food Safety studies. Perfect for eco-conscious eaters and families seeking purity.
- Rich Flavor: Forage and freedom give yolks a creamy, nutty depth—golden proof of pasture life, unmatched by pale factory eggs.
Recipe: Summer Egg Salad
Taste the difference with this quick, healthy dish:
Pasture-Raised Egg Salad (Serves 4)
- Ingredients:
- 8 Brookhaven Farms pasture-raised eggs
- ¼ cup mayo (or Greek yogurt)
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
- 1 celery stalk, diced
- 1 green onion, chopped
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- Optional: pork bacon bits
- Instructions:
- Boil eggs 9-10 mins, cool in ice water, peel, and chop.
- Mix mayo, mustard, dill, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
- Fold in eggs, celery, onion, and bacon if using—chill 30 mins.
- Serve on greens or bread—simple summer bliss.
- Why It Works: 16g protein, 5 mcg vitamin D, 200 mg choline—light, nutritious, and bursting with hen-crafted flavor. Stock up eggs now!
Behind Every Egg: Our Promise
Our pasture-raised hens—cared for daily, moved with purpose—embody our regen mission. They heal soil, eat naturally, and lay eggs that fuel you right. Shop shop.brookhavenfarms.net for eggs, beef, or pork. More farm stories? Join our newsletter.
At Brookhaven Farms, every egg’s a labor of land and love.