| Happy Chicken - OEconomic model - local scale |
Happy Chicken is based on a simple premise- local markets and total quality. We are small, streamlined, motivated and accountable. This is a standard business litany these days but that is just a start.
In manufacturing -and food is basically manufactured these days- quality and quantity are usually mutually exclusive; as one goes up the other falls off. To increase production and profit, manufacturing wisdom advocates ever tighter controls and monitoring.
We take a different path. We are not manufacturers or managers. We facilitate. Because chickens are the real experts when it comes to egg production, they know exactly what they need to do, and how to go about it. Our job is to help. Our spheres of influence and action overlap but do not interfere since we each have our own specialized roles. The excellent flow of quality gourmet eggs that results from this collaboration requires a very small investment of both cash and time.
We supply safe shelter and lots of clean water. We research their lives and try to provide the basic elements that let them thrive; they do the rest.
The chickens have access to good commercial feed at any time and clean, fresh water is available at scattered locations on the range. But when it come to eating, they spend virtually all their daylight hours foraging in mixed grass and woodlands. They decide what to eat, when, and how much (usually lots!). Their forage diet is mixture of bugs, grass, plants, grains, and seeds.
Guaranteed
quality
|
||
| If this is such a bright idea why don't real egg ranchers use it? Good question. They don't. There's a simple reason. Our method only works on a small scale. It's extremely localized and specialized. The larger our flock, the more control and interference would be required. Right now, except for making sure that they have enough light to keep the eggs flowing (chickens are quite photo active) we do not manipulate their environment in any way. We'll never make millions this way because there is a natural limit to how many eggs we can produce and how many customers we can reach under the conditions we have set.That's why we say it's a local model only. The good news is that everyone benefits. You get great local eggs, the chickens get money for feed, and we have an excuse to get some more birds... Environmental impacts are absolutely minimal due to the scale of operations.
|