Our Free Range Hens

Nellie’s Free Range Hens are among the happiest hens on earth. They love spending their days in the sunshine and laying nutritious eggs that simply taste better than factory-farmed eggs.

Understanding Free Range VS. Cage-Free

Most “cage-free” farms pack hundreds of thousands of hens into multi-story steel enclosures that look an awful lot like massive cages. Nellie’s hens have the freedom to move about their barns and their adjoining pasture at will. Our hens live in a healthy, happy environment – just as it’s meant to be!
Our Free Range Farms

We Treat Our Hens Like Friends

We were the first egg producer in the world to receive the Certified Humane® seal for the kind, ethical treatment of animals. This means that our family farmers treat all of our free range hens like they would treat any friend, with love and gratitude. In return, our happy, lovable hens provide families with nutritious, wholesome eggs. We love our hens, you’ll love our eggs. And speaking of our hens, have you ever wondered what breed they are? All of our partner farms raise Bovans Browns or Hylines, which are two of the most common in the country. Both breeds are friendly and consistently lay high quality, thick-shelled brown eggs. Thanks to the slight red tint to their gorgeous brown feathers, these breeds are often mistaken for Rhode Island Reds!
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Test Your Knowledge

Can You Ace Our Hen Quiz?

Hens are the closest living relative to which animal?
Dog
T-rex
Platypus
Monkey

Correct! Scientists have found that the collagen fibers in the bones of a T-Rex are almost identical to those of a chicken.

Wrong! It’s a T-Rex. Scientists have found that the collagen fibers in the bones of a T-Rex are almost identical to those of a chicken.

1/10 NEXT
What part of a hen’s body determines the color of the eggs she lays?
Feathers
Eyes
Earlobes
Tail

Well done! Hens with white earlobes lay white eggs. Hens with red earlobes lay brown eggs.

Wrong! It’s their earlobes! Hens with white earlobes lay white eggs. Hens with red earlobes lay brown eggs.

BACK 2/10 NEXT
Free range eggs contain high doses of what?
vitamin d
calcium
salt
sugar

That’s right! Free Range hens who spend their days outside in the sun are known to lay eggs that are higher in Vitamin D than those of caged and cage-free hens who spend their days inside.

Wrong! It’s Vitamin D. Free Range hens who spend their days outside in the sun are known to lay eggs that are higher in Vitamin D than those of caged and cage-free hens who spend their days inside.

BACK 3/10 NEXT
What’s the average number of eggs a hen lays per year?
245 eggs
354 eggs
450 eggs
2000 eggs

Nailed it! The highest known record is 371!

Wrong! The average is 245 eggs. And the highest known record is 371!

BACK 4/10 NEXT
What determines the color of the egg yolk?
the hen's beak
the hen's weight
the hen's diet
the hen's feathers

Superb! Hens with a healthy diet of insects and yellow-orange plant pigments (like flowers) tend to lay eggs with richer, golden yolks.

Wrong! It’s the hen’s diet. Hens with a healthy diet of insects and yellow-orange plant pigments (like flowers) tend to lay eggs with richer, golden yolks.

BACK 5/10 NEXT
What kind of baths do hens take?
dust baths
bird baths
bubble baths
mud baths

Spot on! Dust clogs the breathing pores of parasites, mites, and anything else that can jump onto a hen's feathers.

Wrong! It’s dust baths! Dust clogs the breathing pores of parasites, mites, and anything else that can jump onto a hen's feathers.

BACK 6/10 NEXT
Hens are really good at remembering what?
Best foraging spots
Human faces
Favorite laying spot
Names

Right! Hens can remember up to 100 different human faces.

Wrong! It’s human faces! Hens can remember up to 100 different human faces.

BACK 7/10 NEXT
Different sized eggs depend on...
Temperature
Age
Breed
All of these

Impressive! It’s all of these! The age, breed, and living conditions of a hen determine the size of the egg.

Wrong! It’s all of these! The age, breed, and living conditions of a hen determine the size of the egg.

BACK 8/10 NEXT
How long does it take for a hen to lay an egg?
1-2 hours
24-26 hours
5-8 hours
10-12 hours

Nice! Hens don’t all have the same laying cycle, but typically a hen lays an egg every 26 hours.

Wrong! Hens don’t all have the same laying cycle, but typically a hen lays an egg every 26 hours.

BACK 9/10 NEXT
How fast can a hen walk?
4 miles per hour
7 miles per hour
9 miles per hour
15 miles per hour
Oops! You haven’t completed the quiz yet. Go back to finish answering all the questions.

Good answer! Despite their little legs, hens can run up to 9 miles per hour!

Wrong! Despite their little legs, hens can run up to 9 miles per hour!

BACK 10/10 FINISH
- / 10

Wow! You’re a regular hen-cyclopedia!

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Great crack at it!

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