I had enjoyed chickens as a youngster and acquired the flock from my grandmother who lived nearby on the family farm. As a teenager I developed the flock and sold eggs for income. I left for college, pursued a career, and the interest in chickens kept calling and once again I acquired chickens. The early flock consisted of some heavy breed old-time favorites like Rhode Island Reds, Buff Orpingtons, and Black Australorps. They matured and laid well. I experimented with my own hatches of laying hens using a few Partridge Cochin hens and some mixed bantams.

The large flock of laying hens at Seeley Creek Valley Farm free-range on 2.5 fenced acres. This means that besides regular feed they also acquire a vast diet of insects and vegetation. There's nothing new about poultry running free. A natural part of every early farm was a small flock of chickens scratching around the fields and barnyard after insects, seeds, and fruit, plus whatever feed grain they found. They are only housed during nighttime for their protection or during severe or bad weather. No chemical fertilizers, pesticides, antibiotics, or growth hormones are used at Seeley Creek Valley Farm. All eggs are brown and 100% natural with a goal of producing the best eggs under the most natural conditions.

The two main breeds of laying hens are (click to go to their pages):