Papanui Open Range Eggs

We at The Gourmet Grocer fully support producers that actively seek to improve the lives of the animals they farm and we are therefore particularly pleased to have met the producers of Papanui Open Range Eggs.

Papanui have both dairy cattle and chickens on their farm where the live in the open following behind the cattle as they are moved from paddock to paddock. The resultant flattened grass and cow dung is a perfect place for a chook to get a great feed each day. The chooks also have access to fresh water and a commercially produced layer ration at all times.

Protected from predators by Maremma dogs that live with them, there is no fencing or any other barrier, the chooks can roam as far and wide as they desire. The only time the chooks are enclosed is every few days just after dark, when the buses (their night shelters) are moved to a fresh area, sometimes moving 300 metres, sometimes 3 kilometres, it just depends where the cattle ahead of them have been.

The eggs are collected each night, at the same time as they feed the dogs - the dogs aren't fed until the chooks have gone to roost as other wise the dogs just stand and watch their meal disappear - they are so dedicated to looking after the chooks! The eggs are stored in a coolroom until they are delivered to us for you to enjoy.

Papanui Open Range Eggs see and taste the difference.