At Deer Run Acres, "pasture raised" isn't just a label — it's a commitment to raising our hens the way nature intended. Every single day of the year, our chickens have full access to the outdoors. Here's how we make that happen in northwestern Pennsylvania, even through harsh winters.

The Egg Mobile — Rotational Grazing for Chickens

For 9+ months of the year, our laying hens live in and around their mobile "Egg Mobile" — a portable shelter on wheels that we move regularly across our pastures.

How it works: The Egg Mobile provides roosting space, nesting boxes, and protection from predators at night. During the day, the hens roam freely on open pasture — eating grass, scratching for bugs and worms, dust bathing in the sun, and doing all the things chickens naturally love to do.

Why we rotate: Moving the Egg Mobile to fresh pasture regularly means the hens always have access to new foraging ground. This is a key principle of regenerative agriculture — the chickens fertilize the soil as they go, and the pasture recovers behind them. It's a win-win for the land and the animals.

What they eat: Our hens forage on a diverse diet of grass, clover, insects, worms, seeds, and other natural food sources. We supplement with non-GMO feed to ensure they get complete nutrition, but the foundation of their diet comes straight from the pasture.

Winter Housing — The Hoop House

Pennsylvania winters bring snow, ice, and temperatures well below freezing. Many farms confine their chickens to sealed barns from November through March. We take a different approach.

Our winter setup: When temperatures drop, our hens move into a spacious hoop house — a greenhouse-style structure with deep bedding, natural ventilation, and most importantly, open access to the outdoors.

The door is always open: Even on the coldest days, our hens can choose to go outside. Chickens are surprisingly cold-hardy, and many of them do venture out on sunny winter days to scratch in the snow and get fresh air.

Deep bedding method: Inside the hoop house, we use a deep bedding system with straw and wood shavings. This creates natural warmth through composting action and gives the hens a comfortable, dry environment. It's also excellent for the soil once we compost the bedding in spring.

Why This Matters for Egg Quality

The way hens are raised directly impacts the quality of their eggs. Here's what 365-day outdoor access means for the eggs you eat:

Better nutrition: Hens that forage on diverse pasture produce eggs with significantly higher omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E, vitamin A, and beta-carotene compared to confined hens eating grain-only diets.

Richer flavor: You can taste the difference. The varied natural diet produces eggs with more complex, richer flavor — especially noticeable in simple preparations like fried eggs or omelets.

Deep orange yolks: That vibrant orange color isn't artificial — it comes from the beta-carotene in the grass and insects our hens eat. It's a visible indicator of higher nutrition.

Stronger shells: Well-nourished hens on pasture tend to lay eggs with thicker, stronger shells. This means better protection and longer freshness.

How We Compare to Industry Labels

The egg industry uses a lot of labels that can be confusing. Here's how Deer Run Acres compares:

"Cage-Free" means hens aren't in individual cages, but they're still confined indoors in crowded barns. No outdoor access required.

"Free-Range" requires only a door to the outside, but the outdoor area can be tiny and most hens never use it. There's no requirement for actual pasture.

"Pasture-Raised" (certified) typically requires 108 square feet of outdoor space per bird. This is good, but many certified operations only provide access seasonally.

Deer Run Acres provides genuine year-round outdoor access on rotating pasture. Our hens aren't just "allowed" outside — they actually live outside for the majority of the year, with the Egg Mobile as their mobile home base.

Regenerative Farming — Beyond Just Eggs

Our chickens are part of a larger regenerative farming system at Deer Run Acres. By rotating them on pasture, they contribute to soil health through natural fertilization. Their scratching and foraging helps break pest cycles and distribute nutrients evenly across the land.

This isn't just about producing great eggs — it's about building healthy soil, supporting biodiversity, and creating a sustainable farm that works with nature instead of against it.

Taste the Difference

We believe you should know exactly how your food is raised. When you buy eggs from Deer Run Acres, you're getting eggs from hens that live the life chickens are meant to live — outdoors, on fresh pasture, eating a natural diet.

Pick up eggs anytime at our farm stand in Edinboro, PA, or subscribe for delivery throughout Erie County. Once you try real pasture-raised eggs, you won't want to go back.