The health and happiness of all Woolley Park Poultry is paramount. With the effort that is required to dry-pluck poultry it just wouldn’t make sense to only do a half-hearted job with the well-being of the birds.

We look after our birds by laying down fresh straw everyday (sometimes twice a day when weather conditions are very wet). The birds need clean dry bedding while they are resting at night to keep their skin in good condition as this protects the precious meat (and we all know how much we like roasted golden chicken skin!!)

While the birds are being fed every morning, all feeders are checked to ensure there is no build up of dried food or anything that needs to be washed-off. In cases such as this we simply put clean feeders in for the birds. All the water drinkers are checked daily to make sure that not only are they working properly but that they are clean. Needless to say, it is imperative that the birds have access to clean water as this keeps them hydrated and subsequently looks after all their internal organs creating a juicy flavoursome bird.

Sand and grit are fantastic supplements to the diet of most poultry. It helps with digestion which again contributes to the bird being fit and healthy and developing succulent and tender meat.

‘Checking’ the birds daily is an essential, part of the routine. With such a free life, it is usual to find the odd weaker bird which needs some extra TLC. When the birds are in their flocks it is possible to miss those that are lame or under the weather. By checking twice daily, any birds that are having a hard time can be removed and nursed back to health before being returned to the flock.

At Woolley Park Farm, we passionately believe in producing top quality birds by dry-plucking and hanging but equally by ensuring that in the flock, the birds are as fit and well as can possibly be. The happier the birds are, the more they will roam and develop a fuller flavour which in turn means an unbeatable tasting product for you.

In line with all the above, it is important to point out that our birds never go through any stress. Once they are on the farm, they stay on the farm and even at slaughter they are caught-up by the same small experienced team which feed and give them new straw daily. Although this has always been the norm to us as poultry producers, it is the dismal truth that some chickens have to travel many miles in stressful and cramped conditions to reach their place of slaughter. We are proud to offer Woolley Park birds a guaranteed happy and stress-free life.