“The Australian Egg Corporation, which represents most egg farmers, this week sent new draft standards to producers, which would allow a free-range egg farm to run as many as 20,000 chickens per hectare,” reported The Land.
What the!?!
Three producers—Novo, Pace Farm, Manning Valley—dominate the egg industry; they account for well over half the free-range eggs sold in Australia. Some come from flocks of up to 120,000 birds. The happy chickens on pasture printed on the label of many supermarket free-range brands are only that. Printed on the label.
Industry is keen to streeeetch the limits of what “free-range” is. There is no enforceable common standard to ensure the animals have been near a paddock (let alone a blade of grass).
So what’s to do?
Free Range Egg and Poultry Association of Australia, RSPCA and Australian Certified Organic certify free-range egg producers. They have clearly defined standards (check their websites) and regularly inspect the farms. However, the most rigorous standards are provided by Humane Choice; these would meet consumer expectations of free range farming.
Alternatively, know your farmer.
To start, here’s a list of small-scale family-owned poultry farms.
Contribute: If you know a farm that should be here, email me at info AT flavourcrusader DOT com
NSW
Anne and Warren Stuckey of Berrima Ridge move their chickens regularly over 50 acres of pasture and olive grove. They sleep in five mobile hen houses, each protected by a Maremma dog. 
John and Estelle Joseph watch their chickens scratch in the mulch piles, mow the green grass shoots and take luxurious dust baths on their 240 acre property called Brigadoon. The chickens live in a mobile house that is moved around the paddocks every few days. They eat mixed wholegrains and minerals to complement their wild diet. No chemical medications, toxic insecticides nor chemical washing of eggs.
Got a photo? Send it to me at info AT flavourcrusader DOT com
At Pitt Town, on the outskirts of Sydney, lies Clarendon Certified Organic Free Range Egg Farm. Ian Littleton’s management system for the 18 hectare organic farm is all about giving its 8,000 – 10,000 laying hens room to move and act naturally. They follow the natural rhythms of a wild hen‘s year, including a reduction of egg laying in autumn and winter; they’re never exposed to artificial light nor do they have their beaks trimmed. They’re protected from predators by a high voltage perimeter fence and Italian Maremma dogs. This means the chicken can be inside or outside at any time of the day. The farm has it’s own retirement paddock where hens past their laying prime reside. The eggs are available from FoodConnect Sydney and various delivery services.
Kerry Marshall runs Cornucopia Bio-dynamic Farm, situated at Lostock Dam on the Paterson River. The chickens roam freely throughout the day, sheltering at night in their ‘mobile homes’. Every few days the homes are pulled to fresh pasture, ensuring the chickens a constant supply of fresh green pick. Their feed is supplemented by certified organic grain. Their eggs are sold in Sydney and Maitland/Newcastle.
The Steele family run Isa browns that roam chemical-free paddocks at Forest Reefs, near Orange. They’re kept safe from predators by electric fencing and Maremma dogs. They lay and roost in a mobile sheds and eat fresh green feed and certified organic mash. Egganic eggs are available from farmers’ markets and sold direct to Sydney restaurants and delicatessens. Tip from @UrbanGreenSpace
Got a photo? Send it to me at info AT flavourcrusader DOT com
Todd and Sara Fergusson produce Farmer Brown’s Pastured Eggs on their mixed-farm at Moreton Bay South in Dunedoo. Their Isa Browns are free to feed and roam on chemical-free pasture and forage for insects and worms. They have mobile laying sheds that are towed into patches of fresh pasture every couple of days. Maremma dogs keep the hens safe from predators.
Got a photo? Send it to me at info AT flavourcrusader DOT com
Graeme and Anne Barwise of Free as a Bird have approximately 300 birds housed in mobile sheds on their Tooradin farm. During daylight hours the birds have full access to lush, green pastures; they can dust bathe and are free to graze naturally. They’re fed chemical-free grains. The farm used as a learning environment for students from the Berengarra School.
Got a photo? Send it to me at info AT flavourcrusader DOT com
Ray, Eden and Jason Bruessow produce Glenrose Biodynamic Eggs in Findon Creek near Kyogle. The hens are free to range unrestricted on the farm with constant access to biodynamic grain and lush pasture. Milk from their Jersey cows is curdled and fed to the hens daily.
Brian or Kerry Wehlburg at Kindee Valley Farm—located on the Mid North Coast, inland from Port Macquarie and Wauchope—continual move their animals onto fresh pasture to rejuvenate the pasture and sequester carbon in the soils. Chicken manure improves the grass for the cattle. The cattle trample organic matter into the soils to mulch and fertilise the paddocks. The pigs control weeds, aerate and fertilise the soil.
Sam and Prue Pincott produce Holbrook Paddock Eggs on their 518 hectare property “Kameroo” located near Holbrook. Their 2600 Isa brown hens roost and lay their eggs in portable sheds which are moved onto fresh pasture twice weekly; they’re free to roam the paddock with unlimited access to fresh grass, bugs and grubs. Two Maremma dogs protect them from predators as they are never locked up.
Peter and Julie Clinch supply open-range organic eggs from their farm Oaks Organics, located at The Oaks, approximately 70km from Sydney.
Tim and Tracy Zanker and their three sons have relocated the established egg business called Organic Ways to Bowraville in the Nambucca Valley on the mid-North Coast. The chickens are free to scratch around on certified organic pastures throughout the day, and at night are housed in moveable coops that are shifted weekly. They are guarded from predators by the Maremma dogs. The chicken’s diet is supplemented with a special porridge of full cream milk (from their small herd of dairy cows) and organic wheat, producing a great quality and tasty egg. The eggs are marketed in the Nambucca Valley, Sydney and Melbourne.
Organigrow rear 5,000-6,000 laying hens on their certified organic farm of 70 acres located at Gundurimba, near Lismore. It’s owned by two generations of the Cripps Clark family. They grow Lohmann Brown chickens from day-olds; they graduate from sheltered brooders with covered runs to mobile ‘eco shelters’. The hens are protected from predators by shady trees, bird netting, electric fencing and Maremma dogs. The hens have access to green peck-they eat lots of grass, insects, leaves-and this is supplemented by certified organic vegetarian grains. No pesticides, herbacides or other chemicals are used on the property. The eggs are stocked in many independent stores in northern NSW and southern Queensland.
Oxhill Organic Farms was founded by brothers Daniel and Evan O’Brien, in partnership with Chris Eggert. The Wauchope certified organic farm has 1800 laying hens that are free to roam; they’re moved to fresh grass every two days. The hens are fed a fresh porridge mix; the grains are cracked and mixed with organic milk from the on-farm dairy. 
Papanui is an 800 hectare property located near Merriwa in the Upper Hunter Valley of NSW. The chickens are not contained by any fences nor are they ever locked up—hence the term open range—they can dust bathe, eat grass and worms, get out in the paddock as early as they want to, fly, run or sleep. Their mobile shelters are made from old school buses; each bus has about 500 hens. No antibiotic or chemicals are used in production, just soap and water to regularly wash their buses. They’re protected from predators by Maremma dogs, two for each bus. They follow a large herd of beef cattle in a planned rotational grazing regime; they’re moved to fresh pasture regularly. They’re raised from day-old; their green feed is supplemented by a commercially produced layer ration and water at all times. They do not suffer from debeaking nor forced moulting. Retired layers are sold to local families. The eggs are sold to retailers, cafes, caterers and restaurants in Merriwa, Scone, Newcastle, Pokolbin, Wollombi and Sydney. Tip from Carolyn.
Helen and Dennis Smith have 2,500 hens at their Temora farm located in the Riverina. They have an open door policy; anyone is welcome to visit to see them. The hens have sheds with laying boxes, perches, feed (to supplement their range diets) & water. Smith’s Free Range Eggs are collected weighted, packed, marketed and distributed by the Smiths. They’re available from the Capital Regional Farmers Market at EPIC, the Double Shot cafe in Deakin; and IGA Temora and Grenfell. Tip from @bizzylizzycooks
Michele and Andy Peverill farm 2,000 hyline/isa hens on their 10 acre property in Cookamidgera located near Parkes. The hens are raised from day-olds as prior experience with 18 week old pullets taught them the older chicks didn’t know how to roam outside the laying shed. Male chicks are placed with families. Their sheds are lit for 12 – 14 hours during mid-winter and cooled with fans during the hotter months. Every 12 weeks the sheds are cleaned and hens moved to a different one to allow the pasture to recover. The hens are free to roam—they are never locked up—on the lucerne/native grass as they please. The range diet is supplemented by a GM-free blend, grown and milled by the farmer next door. The hens are protected from predators by fencing, alpacas and dogs. The Peverills have an open door to their farm with a strict biosecurity policy in place to protect the hens. Their hens are not debeaked and they manage their farm without pesticides and herbicides. They weigh, pack, market and distribute themselves; the eggs are delivered within 24 hours of being laid. Happy Chook Company eggs are available from restaurants and independent shops in Lucknow, Orange and Parkes. Tip from @AlisonFairleigh.
The Working with Nature property is situated near Guyra at the top of the catchment (1320 m above sea level) in the New England Tablelands of northern NSW. Derek and Fiona Smith use organic and biodynamic methods. Their hens are forage on greenpick as well as a mix of whole oats, sorghum, wheat, corn, molidry (diatimatious earth and molasses), kelp, calgrit and proteins are; fresh meat & lucerne meal. Their shed system is set up to be moved around daily. They run Maremma dogs with the birds all the time so they protect them from foxes, snakes, eagles and hawks.
VIC
At Al Yanna, a farm located at St Arnaud, Catriona and Robert Thoolen teach their layers to scratch, dust bathe, hunt for bugs and sunbake. A lot of them are “rescues”, hens bought from the large commercial growers at the end of their first season. They now head up to 500 metres away from their mobile shed, under the watchful eyes of Bella and Peter, their Maremma guard dogs.
Brendon and Kate of Daylesford Organics believe that producing food comes with a great deal of responsibility to the consumer, to the environment and to future generations. Their eggs are laid by hens roaming over 55 acres of organic farm. Their chickens live in mobile sheds that are moved around small paddocks regularly, they are guarded from predators by Maremma guard dogs.
Elderslie Organics is a 120ha farm producing organic eggs and milk. Run by the Wallace family they’re located in the town of Ellinbank. The hens lay eggs in old caravans parked around the dairy paddock. Maremma dogs guard the hens and travel everywhere with their allocated vans of hens. No artificial chemicals and fertilisers are used.
Phil Westwood’s Freeranger Egg Farm at Grantville, near Phillip Island is home to 1,200 Isa Brown chickens. The hens run in flocks of 200 – 300 in separate paddocks; each flock has a mobile roosting shed with laying boxes and is protected by a Maremma guard dog. The chickens eat a mash of natural grains (no meat meal nor colouring additives) and have all-day access to pastures where they forage for insects, grasses and seeds. No antibiotics are used in their management. No pesticides or herbicides are used on the pastures where they roam. Because of the low density production system there is no reason for hens to have their beaks trimmed. The eggs are graded, packed and delivered to retail outlets, restaurants and direct to home delivery customers. You can also buy the eggs from farmers’ markets at Inverloch, Churchill Island and Coal Creek (Korumburra).
Gippsland Free Range Eggs is from the foothills of the Great Dividing Range, a small settlement known as Glengarry West. The hens are pasture-fed and free to roam; their supplementary diet consists of natural grains and seeds. Three Maremma dogs keep them safe from foxes and wedge tail eagles. Because the dogs live in the paddock with the chooks there is no need for the chickens to be locked up.
Hens of Hallora is a small scale free range egg farm in West Gippsland run by Tania Murray. She has about 300 laying hens in a 3 acre range area that is fully enclosed by an electrified fox-proof fence. The chickens spend the night roosting in a small shed to protect them from the elements. In the morning they’re free to come and go from the shed as they please.
Family Homestead Genuine Free Range Eggs are produced at on 40 hectares at Myrniong Hills by the Luketic family. The hens are free to run around outside in the paddock, not in a barn; they’re never never locked up, not even at night. Maremma dogs protect their hens from predators. They’re housed in mobile sheds that are moved on a rotational basis to allow the chickens access to fresh pasture. This helps avoid a build up of bacteria and maintain grass cover, however naturally some grass closest to the hen house becomes worn. Stocking density is limited to 750 birds per hectare to maintain a healthy environment and the well-being of their birds. The hens are able to express their natural behaviour, are free to dust bathe, flap their wings and socialize with other hens.
Dan Green once was a Melbourne based film-maker; he’s now a South Gippsland farmer selling Real Free Range Eggs. His flocks are rotated to allow for natural regeneration of the soil. The hens have 24-hour access to pasture, food, fresh water and shelter. They can dust bathe as they desire, they’re not de-beaked nor fed hormones or any artificial additives. 
Taranaki Farm, managed by Ben Falloon and Nina Grundner, is a multi-generational small family farm, situated just north of Melbourne. They aim to establish a fully operational integrated local open Australian farm modelled on Joel Salatin’s Polyface Farm in Virginia, USA. Their chickens are pastured, with a regime of twice weekly egg mobile moves to keep up with the cattle.
ACT
Got a photo? Send it to me at info AT flavourcrusader DOT com
Mulloon Creek Natural Farms consists of two farms located on the Mulloon Creek, east of Canberra. Both properties are organic using the biodynamic system of agriculture. The chickens on the farm forage on pasture grasses and legumes. They’re also fed a mixture of organic grains like wheat, millet and sorgham, and free feed on shell grit and a specially formulated protein supplement. Their “eggmobile” is moved twice a week to a new spot within their 20 acre paddock. Each of the flocks of 1000 birds are protected by two Maremma dogs. They sell at Harris Farm Markets in Sydney and Eco Meats at the Belconnen Markets in Canberra. Tip from Carolyn.
QLD
Cris and Lee-Anne Geri of Rawganix Farm in Tansey use movable pens for their chickens that are moved regularly to new pasture for fresh green pick. They retire to the chicken house to lay eggs and roost at night. As they farm without chemicals and antibiotics, they deal with disease and injury by quarantining, using natural remedies and culling when necessary. Tip from @BTHOfarmgirl
SA
Tom and Fiona Fryar run 50,000 hens on their 4,000 acre poultry farm situated near Kingscote on Kangaroo Island. The hens are full beaked which enables them to peck and scratch at seeds, insects and grubs as nature intended; their feed is supplemented by a mixture of grains which are grown, crushed and mixed on the farm. Each mobile poultry shed provides 1,000 hens with shelter, nesting boxes and timber rails for roosting. They’re designed to allow the birds access in and out as they please; they’re never locked in. The sheds are moved across the paddock which gives the hen continuous access to fresh pasture. Maremma dogs protect the chickens from such as eagles and feral cats; the island is free from foxes.
Graham and Kathy Barrett of Katham Springs have been producing Demeter certified eggs since 1999. Their chickens live in mobile sheds that are moved around small paddocks regularly; they’re guarded from predators by Maremma dogs. Bio-dynamics is a holistic natural approach to farming where looking after the environment and soil is of utmost importance. Their farming is conducted in as much of a closed system as possible with no chemical inputs.
Currently under investigation by the ACCC. Rosemary Bruhn and Keith Holden run Rosie’s Free Range Eggs in Eudunda, farming an average of 4000 chooks. They run Rhode Island Red crossed with New Hampshires. The feed is made on-farm with locally sourced grain. During the day they’re free to roam; at night they’re locked up in shed for protection. A fine mist is switched on for cooling for hot days.
NT
WA
Merri Bee Organic farm is a permaculture that’s been developing slowly for 25 years on the banks of the Blackwood in Nannup. It’s the home of Stewart Seesink, Bee Winfield and their son Lee.
Graham and Nancy produce Robertjayne Premium Pastured Eggs from Wedgecarrup. Their hens and portable house are moved every day or so, to give them access to fresh forage. They range freely, surrounded by a portable electric netting fence to safeguard them from foxes. Their feed is supplemented by whole grains and during summer, lucerne and tagasate.
TAS
Related elsewhere
ABC News: Free range definition to rise, April 16, 2012
Lexicon of Sustainability: This is the Story of An Egg, November, 2011
ABC 7.30: Truth in labelling bill ruffles feathers, October 7, 2011
Weekly Times Now, Leslie White: Cracks in free-range egg debate, October 5, 2011
Weekly Times, Leslie White: Egg industry cracks, October 6, 2008
ABC Radio National: Produced by Helen Thomas: Free Range Fiddle, 26 June 2005
cc photo by woodleywonderworks
Contribute: If you know a farm that should be here, email me at info AT flavourcrusader DOT com
[...] me to know where my food has come from. If you’d rather not ask such questions, here’s a ready-made directory (courtesy of Sharon @FlavourCrusader) to get you started. Or, perhaps – if you don’t already [...]