Sam and Steph Hondema - Rosa's Ridge

Upon graduating into their one-of-a-kind chicken chalets (a large portable chicken coop, the first of its kind seen in Australia) which the family engineered and built on farm, their birds have direct contact to pasture. Once in the chicken chalets, there are up to 7.5 birds per square metre - much lower than the 20 birds per square metre in conventional poultry sheds, or even 12 birds per square metre in free range certified organic sheds.

Their chalets are then moved daily to maintain optimum soil and animal health and are specifically designed to allow for natural behaviours (such as dust bathing and perching), fresh air and vitamin D from the sun. The birds have 24 hour access to a smorgasbord of micro-organisms, insects, seeds and grasses whilst being protected from harsh weather and predators such as foxes, hawks and eagles. The chalets are fitted with timed sprinklers, roll-down sides and airflow windows to ensure the birds are kept cool and happy on hotter days.

A life on pasture ensures their birds are happy and healthy, producing the very best meat produce for Aussie families, and also plays a vital role in their farm's soil building, sanitation, fertilisation and regeneration. At full production, the pasture has 365 days to recover before another batch of birds have contact with it - so that the soil can metabolise the nutrients imparted by the chickens allowing for plant recovery. Sam and Steph are continually sourcing the very best of WA’s feed for their chickens that is free of GMO’s, hormones and medications.

Rosa’s Ridge chickens are finally hand-processed at Southampton Homestead, a licensed on-farm micro-abattoir, one of only two in Western Australia. Here they are treated with care and respect, resulting in calm birds, with their meat clean and uncontaminated for the highest eating experience.