| | True Bird is run by Laura and Dan Bird outside of Crossfield, Alberta. On 10.5 acres of land they raise pastured, organically fed, soy free eggs, chicken and turkey.
Originally True Bird was a home delivery egg and chicken business and while Laura still does some home deliveries, you can find True Bird products at the Parkdale Farmers' Market, Water Valley Farmers' Market, and Cochrane Farmers' Market. You can learn more about True Bird and how they care for their flock on their Facebook page.
How True Bird began:
Laura and Dan have always had a passion for animals. When they built the beautiful barn on their land, they had envisioned it for horses. While they still do keep a couple of horses, baby chicks now kick up wood shavings and cuddle under incubator lights in the repurposed horse stalls.
When they started pasture raising their poultry, many conventional farmers were surprised and cautioned them against doing so. It was a steep learning curve but each year Laura and Dan find new ways to keep their outdoor birds happy, healthy and safe. Recently they acquired a guardian dog, Fergie, for their flock. Since Fergie has been around they've lost none of their flock to the neighbourhood owls, weasels, hawks, etc.
How True Bird does it differently:
While it is co-incidence that Laura and Dan's last name mimics the product they raise, the name True Bird stands for much more. They're passionate about being open and honest about the way they raise their birds. Laura herself is discriminating about the food they eat in their home and appreciates when customers call to find out how they raise their birds.
The birds largely forage for their food but Laura supplements their diet with certified organic grains which they mill themselves as well as a mineral compound and apple cider vinegar for a probiotic boost. In the first three weeks to help them get used to foraging for food, the chicks are fed some sprouted wheat.
Laura and Dan also have to monitor the protein levels in the bird's diet to make sure they're not bulking up too quickly. They only use flax meal, hemp meal and peas for protein in their diet in addition to foraged insects.
Their production cycle is considerable longer than for most chicken farmers. In conventional agriculture broiler birds are usually ready for butchering at four to six weeks of age. Pasture raised birds take about 13 weeks to finish.
Their relationship with their customers and role in the community:
Laura loves to get people more active in their own food production even going as far as helping others to start raising their own eggs and birds. The demand for eggs raised with the kind of care True Bird puts into their products is immense and Laura and Dan often find themselves extending their knowledge and passion for an excellent product to their community. Whether it's cooking tips at the market table or sharing delicious recipes through their Facebook page, Laura shares her culinary knowledge with her customers because she wants to ensure that every customer can enjoy the birds to the fullest.
Their customer base is mostly made up of young families who care deeply about how their meat is raised. Having a direct connection to like-minded people who are passionate about their food is energizing and inspiring for Laura.
The future of True Bird:
While the birds do keep Laura and Dan very busy, they're not limiting themselves to chicken. In the coming year they're trying out bee keeping and moving into raising and selling duck eggs. In the distant future, they may even consider expanding their operation to include lamb or beef but these decisions will not come lightly because they do not want to be a large scale farm. They are intent on ensuring that there is absolutely no compromise when it comes to the level of care they provide for their animals.
“Birds raised just how nature intended it!” – Laura Bird
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