Grill: Open Tue-Sun 11am-8:30pm (Closed Mon), Market: Open Daily 9am-7pm
The James Ranch laying hens spend the daylight hours running through the pastures close to the dairy herd. They forage for grass and insects and help spread the cow manure around the pastures. This benefits the microbes in the soil by breaking down the waste more quickly and helps control flies.
By late afternoon these ladies have laid their daily eggs and it is time to collect, hand wash and sort. The multi-colored eggs create a pallet of natural hues not to be ignored.
The hens are fed a diet that is completely soy free and comprises non-GMO grains, grass, bugs, and occasional milk from the dairy.
James Ranch Eggs are only sold at the James Ranch Market.
Laying hens need a lot of protein in their daily diet to lay eggs well. The industry relies on the monoculture of soybeans to supply that protein need. We are passionate about feeding our hens soy-free feed which has led us to diligently source from local farmers as much as we can. The wheat and milo are from multi-generational farmers from the Mesa. The corn, we are thrilled to report, is not genetically modified and grown by the Ute Mountain tribe. The dry land farmers in Dove Creek grow the regenerative, black oil sunflower seeds. Our goal is to find the best possible feed, while being conscious of low transportation costs, supporting our local farmers, while providing the hens with nutrient dense whole grains.
Pasturing is the traditional method of raising egg-laying hens and other poultry. It is ecologically sustainable, humane, and produces the tastiest, most nutritious eggs; eggs from pastured hens contain up to 2 times more omega-3 fatty acids as compared to factory-produced eggs.
Not only do we all love eating these fresh, nutrient-dense, clean eggs laid by such fortunate chickens, it is an absolute pleasure working with them and witnessing their healthy, clean, and protected lives.
