Ashley Park Pastoral – f&P8

Ashley Park Pastoral has been farmed by the Just family since 1902 at Sellicks Hill, South Australia. They run 1500 head of sheep, 300 head of cattle and 10 000 hens over 900 hectares. The hens improve the soil and pasture and reduce the need for chemical inputs.

Maremma dogs are vital to the success of pasture-raised egg farming. They are guardians and protect the hens from predators like foxes and eagles. Hens spend all of their time outdoors. Mobile caravans provide roosts and protection from the elements and also house the laying boxes. The eggs roll out onto a conveyor belt and are collected daily.

Ashley Park has four Maremma dogs. Ash, Penny (the pup, Blue and Jock. Jock’s dad is Ollie who is the feather&PECK mascot – featured on feather&PECK cartons and on the sides of the delivery vans.

These are pullets – young hens who are ‘learning to lay’. They are kept in smaller areas as they mature into hens (at around 22 weeks old). This helps them conserve energy as they grow and makes it easier to train them to lay their eggs in their laying boxes.