Ashley Farms Quality...

Natural Growth and Humane Treatment in a Low-Stress Environment

Over the past few decades, in order to produce lower cost products, large agribusinesses have employed factory-farming methods. In this environment, sometimes farm animals are subjected to inhumane treatment. Because Ashley Farms believes chickens raised under humane, low-stress conditions produce a superior product, we maintain a low-stress environment in our houses and make sure that all birds are handled humanely, insuring not only optimal growth, but a more tender, better tasting processed bird.

Our flock sizes are strictly controlled to prevent over-crowding. Our chickens are provided sufficient space to roam freely within their houses so they can get plenty of exercise. They have easy access to both feed and water, and controlled ventilation systems provide plenty of fresh air. The houses are well insulated, and heated in winter and cooled in summer to protect the birds from the strain of adapting to extreme temperatures. Constant temperatures keep the chickens feeling good and eating well, insuring a healthy, uninterrupted growth cycle.

These low-stress conditions allow Ashley Farms Chickens to grow comfortably and naturally, without the pecking and fighting that occurs within most flocks. So while some growers routinely de-beak their chickens to minimize damage from fighting, Ashley Farms birds get to keep their beaks, further minimizing trauma and stress.

No hormones or artificial growth promoters are used in Ashley Farms chickens (in fact, USDA prohibits the use of hormones in poultry grown in the United States).

Non-antibiotic vaccinations are given to our birds to protect their health, and an industry leading team of veterinarians, nutritionists, and animal husbandry experts continuously monitor the bird's health, growth, and welfare.

To ensure that Ashley Farms chickens do not have to spend long periods of time on a truck without food or water between the farm and processing plant, they are grown on farms within sixty miles or two hours of the processing plant. The time between loading and processing is closely controlled and is kept at six hours or less. This is significantly better than most of the industry. (Rules set by Humane Farm Animal Care's Certified Humane Raised and Handled program only require limiting the birds' transport time from farm to plant to less than twelve hours.)

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