🚜 TERO FARM STORY: Tero’s new laying hens – Perfect synergy at the heart of our farming ecosystem

Today we’re delighted to introduce our new feathered residents, who arrived on December 16. Indeed, 300 laying hens have joined the Tero family! In addition to providing quality eggs (and being cute), they fit perfectly into our agricultural ecosystem and contribute to a natural synergy between different elements:

Chickens, manure and organic market gardening…

Once upon a time, there was a farm where hens’ droppings were not simply residues to be disposed of, but a precious and powerful fertilizer for our crops. In organic market gardening, as we apply it on the farm, there is no use of chemical inputs (pesticides). So we need other solutions to enrich the soil and provide all the nutrients our vegetables need to thrive: that’s where our chickens come in. By introducing them into our ecosystem, we can recover their droppings and produce our own manure, essential for market gardening!

The mobile henhouse to reduce soil pressure and parasite development…

We’ve also chosen to keep our hens in a mobile henhouse, a large trailer that we can move around as needed. But why? If you’ve ever had chickens in your home, you’ve no doubt noticed that they’re experts at turning the soil from top to bottom. What’s more, the permanent presence of chickens on the same plot of land is a major factor in parasite and disease transmission. By moving them around regularly in the mobile henhouse, you reduce the pressure on the ground, which in turn reduces the pressure of parasites and disease. Hygiene guaranteed for everyone!

Egg production, of course, but that’s not all!

In addition to all that, they produce quality eggs that are served in our restaurants, butcher’s counters and lodges for a quality breakfast. Meanwhile, we’re gradually moving them to our meadow, which will continue to produce good grass. This will be cut to produce hay for the cows. So nothing is lost, everything is transformed (thank you Lavoisier).

But who takes care of all this? We have a crack team who keep the farm running smoothly. At its head, our dear Jean-Charles oversees all activities, ensuring perfect coordination. In the market garden, Julien and Antoine ensure that our vegetables flourish. On the livestock side, Bernard and Théo look after our cows and pigs. And yes, the family is getting bigger!

Basically, at Tero, the introduction of our new laying hens is not just about eggs, but rather a broader vision of a balanced and sustainable agricultural ecosystem. Thanks to everyone’s contribution, from eggs to droppings, together we’re building a future where farming respects nature while providing quality products!

Did you know? Chickens are smarter than most people think. They can solve simple problems, understand the concept of quantity and even learn tricks. Each hen has a unique personality, some being quite sociable and others a little more shy. What’s more, depending on their breed, a laying hen can lay around 300 eggs a year. Enormous, isn’t it? In any case, we hope they’ll feel right at home with us…

We end with a fun fact: there are more chickens than people on earth. So, did the egg come before the hen, or did the hen come before the egg? On that note, we wish you a lovely day and leave you to ponder this existential question…

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