After the opening and introduction, Bibi from Geluksvogel talked about Wageningen's research into worms.
By moving the carts, you prevent worm infection, but the chickens eat insects that may contain larvae. How to recognise if the chicken has worms and how to fight them. It is also important that the chicken is healthy, has a good immune system and that there is good hygiene in the trolleys.
Vera Bavinck, a veterinarian specialising in chickens, talked about the process of finding the right dual-purpose chicken, where the hen lays properly and the rooster delivers good meat. That ultimately became the organic Sasso chicken. A hybrid chicken that was developed in France from old resistant breeds and was purchased and supplied as a parent by HendrixGenetics.
The first batch of chickens were hatched by the Sasso mother chicken at the GeluksVogel farm, Yvonne Sturm and Erik-Jan ten Brink, the hens grew up there and the cocks grew up on DID-it's farm. The mother animals, which are always needed for rearing, are now on DIDIT farm.
A long time of searching and experimenting with breeds of chickens, with the Sasso giving the best results. The Sasso chickens have a good immune system and are healthy. The hens are friendly chickens that barely peck each other, which is usually common. Because they start laying later, they develop strong and healthy and therefore have hardly any breastbone fractures or other bone fractures, which is very common among chickens. The Sasso adapts easily to day length and rhythm. After the moult, it can give them another second laying period.
The Sasso rooster develops slowly and therefore has firm, tender meat. Both the Sasso rooster and the hen have beautiful silver-grey feathers and are a feast for the eyes.
DID-IT's chef, Felice Cicoria, provided lunch with natural roast rooster.
Jos Fransen from the company Reudink, which supplies organic chicken feed, talked about Reudink's role: The shelter of young hens, what is important for taking care of the stable and cart, the conditions with regard to feed, water, light and space.
The whole group was shown around the DID-IT farm, the potshed with the Jersey bulls and the Puppy Love bulls in and out in the meadow, the Sasso hens and the chicken carts, the organic shop Hart voor Aarde and the Sasso mothers in a separate shed.
With darkness falling, everyone went back home with a lot to think about.
For more information:
info@geluksvogel.bio— www.geluksvogel.bio
info@diditorganic.nl— www.diditorganic.nl
For information for interested farmers:
stijn@wij-kamp.nl — www.kippenkar.nl