Description

Our Story

I started raising chickens back in 2007, because I couldn’t find the quality of meat that I demand for my family. I still don’t know anyone in our area growing chickens for sale that can compare to the quality of these on pasture. I also don’t know a lot of people. 🙂 We have been raising hundreds of chickens each year for our family, and I have had a lot of requests to sell these birds over the years. Unfortunately I have had to say “no.” Raising chickens for yourself is a lot different than raising them for others. We didn’t have an excellent set up, and while we were very clean, I knew we could do better if we had the right knowledge, set up, and equipment. I have studied the best, proven techniques for delivering the safest product to our customers, and we have invested in commercial, stainless steel equipment that can be sanitized and will make things more efficient. People need good quality chicken, and we are ready to meet that need!

How We Raise Our Chickens

When you read a label on an organic chicken that states, “free-range or pastured” most of us will visualize chickens out on green grass enjoying the good life, but actually I have heard that the organic, “pastured” chickens raised for meat aren’t raised much different than the conventional model. Yes, they are given organic grain and free of toxins and antibiotics, so it is better. What most of us don’t realize is that organic chickens are still raised in a huge building that lacks sunshine (think vitamin D) and nutritious green plants and bugs to devour. Fresh air, sun, plants, and bugs create very nutritious and flavorful meat. The label “free range” simply means they aren’t in a cage and “pastured” means they have “access” to the outdoors (often through a little door with hopes that they won’t make it outside). Those quaint pictures on the the labels are a bit deceitful. Here at Mentink Family Farms, we are passionate about growing the best quality food for our family and customers and that means our chickens are going to be outside on pasture! Because they are rotated on pasture, you will notice the fat is more yellow than the chickens you purchase that aren’t out on pasture. Remember this, grass=more vitamins.

Our chickens are raised in a brooder for about the first 3 weeks of their life. We use a deep bedding of wood chips or straw from our beyond organic wheat harvest for keeping the chickens warm and comfortable, the area clean, and the air clean to breathe for the chicks. After 3 weeks the birds are placed in moveable shelters and moved daily on green pasture.  We raised a small group of chickens in a shed several years ago and left the door open to range outside, but none of them went out. Even after several days of taking them outside, they wouldn’t go out on their own. That’s why we started using the moveable shelters.  We feed our chickens a certified organic soy/corn free mix. We add some of my homemade beyond organic organic apple cider vinegar with the mother to the water. I love hearing from our customers! If you have a question of any kind, I would love to chat with you!