I made a flyer....

I made a flyer...

Yes, I made a flyer for the chicken and the eggs, full disclosure, and here it is:

THE FOUR DAUGHTERS' FARM
Farm Fresh, Free-Range Chicken and Eggs!
Susan Brown
808-375-6821
stbrown808@gmail.com

Better than organic, humanely treated, locally raised and fed.

THE CHICKEN:
$15/chicken, whole, fresh-"frozen, oven-ready when thawed

What kind of chicken is it? They are hybrid meat birds, called Cornish Cross Rock. They are specially bred to eat a lot and grow fast, so that they are ready to butcher, at 3 - 5 lbs dressed, in 8 weeks.

Where do we get them? We buy them as day-old chicks from either McMurray Hatchery or Ideal Hatchery. Both are reputable mainland firms. They ship them via USPS, usually reaching us within 4 days

Do we keep them in a pen? Then how can you call them "free-range?" Free-range birds are required to have 4 feet of inside (coop) space and 10 feet of outside (running around) space per adult bird. We adhere to this requirement for all our birds. Our meat birds run around, dig, climb on their structures, romp with one another, and compete for treats, the way that socially integrated birds do.

What do they eat? In addition to the staple, 22% Nutrena Meatbird Crumbles, we give our meat birds the following twice a day:
* Local papayas
* Natural, non-GMO Brown rice
* Natural, non-GMO barley, sprouted
* Organic soy milk
We augment their diet, when available, with local-grown vegetables, weeds, and table scraps.

How do we kill them? We believe that the less trauma the chicken suffers, the better the meat will taste. We love our chickens to the end. We wrap the chicken snugly, and hold him, petting him until he is calm. Then we cut the jugular to drain the blood, afterward removing the head. We continue to hold the chicken until he stops moving. We believe that is more humane than many alternatives we've investigated.

Do we use chemicals, pesticides, hormones, or antibiotics? No, no, no, and no. We butcher our chickens outdoors, depending on UV light to naturally disinfect the area. (As with all poultry, you should always cook it through -no pink!) If mites or parasites show up, we fight them naturally, with diatomaceous earth, grapefruit seed extract, etc. We turn the pens with fresh straw in between batches.







THE EGGS:
$5/dozen

Why do the eggs seem dirty? Because we do not wash them! When a hen lays an egg, it is covered with a thin, protective film. It seals the egg and keeps dirt and bacteria out. Unfortunately, it is water soluble, so washes off with water, leaving your porous eggshell an open door for bacteria. Commercial enterprises wash all the "dirt" off the eggs, oh, and the natural protection, so then they add an artificial sealant to keep the egg fresh longer! No need with these natural eggs! I wipe off the big chunks, but no water. So, wash them right before you use them!

Why are they different sizes and colors? These eggs are from different breeds of chickens, and different ages of chickens, thus they vary in size and color.

How old are these eggs? I can't tell you exactly, but my chickens lay 18 - 24 eggs per day and I usually have 1 - 3 dozen in the house at any one time, so the eggs you are buying are at most 3 days old. I often sell out, and say, "Come back tomorrow, or have a cup of coffee; they're working on it!"

Are the eggs from free-range chickens? Yes! Free-range birds are required to have 4 feet of inside (coop) space and 10 feet of outside (running around) space per adult bird. We adhere to this requirement for all our birds. Our layer pens have very complex social structures. We have 5 layer pens, and they all have their own society!

What do they eat? We give our chickens food twice a day. We try to give them a large variety of food to choose from. We do give them some standard scratch grain and high quality layer pellets, to ensure a vitamin balance. But, additionally, we give them:
* Local fruits and vegetables
* Natural, non-GMO brown rice
* Organic soy milk
* Eggshells
* Homemade sourdough bread
* Leftovers and treats whenever possible!

Our chickens live happy lives, and you will taste the difference. If you have any other questions, please email stbrown808@gmail.com or call 808-375-6821.
<end flyer>
No, it's not fancy, or colorful, but it's honest and forthright. My values. I distributed 5 of them to small cafés and restaurants along the highway to Kona. A lot of "oh, wow, yeah, we'll call you!" But no calls to date.

Note that I feed my chickens bread and barley. Hmmm... For all you gluten-free fanatics out there, does that mean that the eggs and the chicken aren't gluten-free? I only ask because, well, follow me now.... Eggs and chicken aren't organic, even if they are not exposed to harsh chemicals, if they eat something that is not organically grown. Some yogurt, in the store, although all yogurt is made from milk and bacteria (not wheat or other gluten-containing grain), is marked 'gluten-free.' Is that because the cows that produced the milk consumed no gluten? What about their mommies?