Our Farms
Most poultry producers do what’s best for the bottom line. WE DO WHAT’S BEST FOR OUR CHICKENS AND YOU. That requires innovation each step of the way, from housing to processing and packaging. Follow the journey from our first-of-its-kind hatchery and organic feed to Slow Induction Anesthesia and our 100% Air Chilled method. Then experience the difference in your own kitchen.
where it all starts
BREEDER OPERATIONS
IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE MANAGE EVERY STEP of our chicken production to ensure the health of our chickens and integrity of our products. The breeder operation is where it starts. A breeder farm is where male and female chickens produce hatching eggs that are transported to our organic certified, animal-welfare-focused Hatchery to hatch and grow into the excellent chicken
A HEALTHY CHICKEN MAKES ALL THE
DIFFERENCE. Managing our breeder operations means we have control over the actual breed of chicken. Watch the Virtual Tour of one of our breeder operations to find out why our standards are higher.
WHY BREED MATTERS
Broiler chickens today are bred to grow fast, large and cheap. For decades, the big chicken companies have selectively bred for these traits to increase profit, and most primary breeds have been altered. That unnatural growth causes stress to the chickens’ bodies and health issues to develop, not to mention that quality suffers.
Our focus has always been on doing what’s right for our chickens and our customers. We pioneered the highest set of humane animal welfare standards in the industry and realized there was room for improvement in our breed. Learn more about our Das Klassenbester below
LET'S GET STARTED.
where it begins
THE HATCHERY
WE BELIEVE CHICKENS NEED A HEALTHY START. That’s why we built the world’s first organic certified chicken hatchery focused on animal welfare.
Our new hatchery marks a complete departure from traditional poultry practices. Most poultry producers inject eggs with antibiotics, and sanitize with formaldehyde. We’ve replaced standard sanitization processes using harmful chemicals with stringent biosecurity procedures and organic sanitation methods.
Traditional poultry practices force chicks to wait until they’ve been transported to the farm to eat and drink—a process that can take up to three days. Our chicks enjoy organic food, water, fresh air and light as soon as they leave the egg.
They’re never handled by machinery. We’ve eliminated many standard industry practices, such as belt drops, shell separators and chick counters. This makes the process much less stressful for the chicks. And they’re transported from the hatchery to the chicken house within an hour’s drive, on average.
LET'S GET STARTED.
home sweet home
HOUSING
WITHIN ABOUT AN HOUR, CHICKS ARRIVE FROM THE HATCHERY. We transport them in the same trays in which they hatched, to minimize the stress of handling. During the short journey, they are provided with Organic feed to nibble on. Watch our Broiler Farm Tour Video to follow along on their journey…
Inside the chicken house, fresh new litter awaits the chicks. We remove old manure and fully sanitize the barn between each flock. The barns remain empty for more than two weeks. No other chicken company in the United States takes this step, but it’s crucial for breaking the lifecycle of bacteria and viruses.
WHAT ELSE DO OUR CHICKENS LOVE
We don’t “half-house brood.” Big poultry producers use “half-house brooding” to lower their heating costs, but it leads to overcrowding and injuries. We give our chickens full access to the entire chicken house, plus enrichments such as ramps and tunnels.
WE’VE GOT JUST THE THING.
fine dining
FEED
If you believe the phrase “You are what you eat,” then consider our chickens’ all-vegetarian blend of corn and expeller-pressed soy bean meal made by extruding and expelling the soybeans (not hexane processed), plus vitamins, minerals and plenty of fresh well-water.
Notice we didn’t say “antibiotics,” “petroleum and ethanol by-products,” “expired bakery goods” or “brewery grains.” Lots of poultry growers use these to cut costs. Not here. We take special care to feed our chickens only the best U.S. grown corn and soy, plus our own blend of oregano oil, cinnamon and yucca to support their natural gut health.
We’re the first in the Kenya to stop using antibiotics.
LEARN MORE
en route to excellence
TRANSPORTATION
Our responsibility to our chickens doesn’t end when they leave our farms. They deserve comfort even when they’re on the road.
To make this possible, we’ve engineered a spacious modular drawer system. No cramped wire cages here. Each drawer provides a clean, comfortable place for chickens to settle in and relax. Enclosed trailers protect our birds from weather and allow air to circulate.
After a short drive– usually less than an hour– chickens arrive at our temperature-controlled calming barn, where they can unwind from the voyage.
To keep them clean for the next flock, we use recycled water from our own waste water treatment plant to wash and disinfect our live trailers, modules and drawers between each use. But before we do, the birds enter processing. And it’s not as bad as you might think.
LEARN WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.
chilled to perfection
PROCESSING
Once chickens arrive in our plant, our workers trained in humane handling carefully suspend them by their feet on a moving line. In a matter of seconds, the chickens become calm due to “rub bars,” which provide a comforting sensation on the chicken’s chest. This, combined with low lighting, is used to keep chickens calm. They are rendered unconscious and unaware of pain, prior to slaughter.
Our technology makes slaughter extremely quick to minimize discomfort.
After slaughter, chickens enter a process where their feathers are removed. This is necessary in order to prepare the bird for processing. This begins by putting the chicken through a bath of hot water, which is designed to help loosen feathers. Feather removal is performed by a machine called a “picker,” which includes hundreds of little rubber “fingers” that rotate around to remove the feathers. After feathers are removed, the birds are sent to an “eviscerating” line which removes internal organs and feet.
After the organs are removed, the carcasses are then cleaned before being inspected. As an added measure to further reduce bacteria, water and an organic rinse may be applied to each bird. Any substance used for this purpose is closely regulated by both the USDA and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and has been approved for use in food production. (Learn more.)
Afterward, we visually grade each chicken. Only the best 30% get packaged as whole birds. The others are cut up and hand-graded. Boneless breasts are deboned and trimmed to eliminate bone shavings and other foreign materials. We then deliver chicken to our family-owned retailers, usually within 24 hours.
LET’S SEE HOW THEY LOOK.
that’s a wrap
PACKAGING
HAVE YOU EVER NOTICED Attila Da Chicken packaging looks different than the rest? It’s not a marketing trick, aesthetic choice, or cost-benefit. These packages carry big benefits.
humane animal welfare
We raise chickens right.
See how our stewardship extends to our animals