Bell & Evans Chicken
We are proud to announce our partnership with Bell & Evans Air Chilled Chicken. We strive to bring you the freshest, tastiest chicken available.
About Bell & Evans
Bell & Evans is a family-owned and operated company located in Fredericksburg, PA. It is the nation’s largest grower and processor of chickens raised with ZERO antibiotics, as well as a USDA certified organic program. They are considered pioneers of the poultry industry and base their success on exceptional growing and farming practices that support a stress-free environment for the birds, including raising chickens without the use of antibiotics since 1998. Bell & Evans have the strictest quality guidelines in Pennsylvania, are passionate about their chicken and control every aspect of the process.
Facts about the process
At The Hatchery
No injection of antibiotics into the egg or sprayed on after hatch
Slow Induction Euthanasia (SIE) prior to culling lame or sick chicks
Our new hatchery will give chicks Immediate Access to food and water
On The Farm
All of the chicken houses are:Built with Cement Floors and side curbs to prevent rodents and other animals from burrowing into the house. Rodents are primary carriers of bacteria and disease
Completely Cleaned and disinfected after each flock
Vacant for 2-3 weeks in order to break any virus or bacteria life cycle that may be present
Filled with Fresh Litter for every flock. We do NOT pile fresh litter on top of old manure
Provide Enrichments to encourage movement and build muscle structure
In The Feed
All vegetarian diet
Zero antibiotics
No Hexane - 100% extruded and expeller-pressed soybeans
No DDGS (distillers dry grains with solubles) - means No Ethanol By-Products (known to contain antibiotics)
No animal by-products, expired bakery goods, grease or arsenic
No grains Imported from China
Various Natural ingredients to promote gut health, including Oregano Oil, Cinnamon and Yucca Root
Through The Process
Chickens are loaded into drawers on the farm and remain there until after Slow Induction Anesthesia (SIA) - No Dump System
Slow Induction Anesthesia (SIA) - our birds are slowly rendered unconscious prior to the start of processing
All transportation trailers, modules and drawers are Thoroughly Washed and Sanitized after every load
100% Air Chilled system
No retained water (including chlorinated water)
Lesser chance for cross contamination
Reduced water usage by tens of thousands of gallons each day vs. traditional water chilling
All of these attributes accumulate into the Bell & Evans Humane Animal Welfare Standard, one that far surpasses the recognized standards of the industry.