New cage-free housing unveiled at Rose Acres

As the Farm Babe explained in her column, Top 6 egg labels and what they actually mean for chicken health, raising cage-free is no easy task. That’s where Summit Livestock comes in.

With Wrap-the-Equipment, Summit Livestock’s patent-pending construction design, the company is building a state-of-the-art cage-free facility at Rose Acre Farms in Pulaski County, Indiana, where laying hens can sit, stand, roost, run, and fly in multiple levels. Feed systems are engineered to waste less while providing consistent access to high quality feed. Air circulation is facilitated by plenums built into the outer walls. A remarkable output of the cage-free buildings is the low 12-14% moisture manure — attracting fewer flies, benefiting habitat conditions, and overall health. The new cage-free operations require only 4-5 employees per building to manage.

The Indiana cage-free layer facility is scheduled for hens to move in late May. In the meantime, check out the construction here.