Broken H Farm

Heritage poultry breeds such as the Dominique and American Bresse can be found here, and both serve the modern homestead or backyard flock keeper exceptionally well.

The Dominique chicken is currently listed on The Livestock Conservancy's Watch List, while the American Bresse was developed from the renowned French Bresse breed.

Both the Dominique and American Bresse are considered dual-purpose birds. Hens can produce up to 250 eggs per year, while young roosters processed at around 18 weeks provide a nicely sized carcass for the table. Both breeds are relatively easy to raise and maintain. This year alone, my Dominique hens successfully raised three clutches of chicks—a great example of flock sustainability at its finest.

The American Bresse is often promoted as a sustainable alternative to commercial meat breeds. In my experience, while it does provide quality meat at 16–18 weeks, its greatest strength may actually be egg production. Young hens begin laying early and consistently produce a plentiful supply of eggs.

Roosters often have a reputation for being difficult or aggressive, but that has not been my experience. I believe this is partly because I have raised them from chicks and always interact with them in a calm, respectful manner.

Have you ever tasted a farm-fresh egg? How about meat from a heritage breed raised on a natural, whole-grain diet with plenty of time on pasture? Once you've experienced the difference, store-bought products pale in comparison. This is the kind of food our grandparents knew—food that nourishes the body, mind, and soul while reconnecting us with nature. Chickens were not meant to spend their lives in cages, nor were they intended to be routinely fed antibiotics and heavily processed feeds. Likewise, we were not meant to rely on those products as our primary food source.

As part of that philosophy, I continue working to develop a soy-free feed recipe that provides complete nutrition throughout the year. My goal is to grow or locally source all ingredients, either through our local cooperative or directly from fellow small farmers. My chickens thrive on this whole-grain diet, along with the many benefits that come from free-ranging. 

Want to learn more about heritage breeds? Check out: https://livestockconservancy.org/heritage-breeds/