Kat Ferrero and Duncan Holt establish Tamar Valley Pastured Eggs at Glengarry

Former Queenslanders Kat Ferrero and Duncan Holt did not waste any time when they moved to Tasmania to set up an agricultural business.

Good eggs: Duncan Holt. Picture: Chris Kidd

FORMER Queenslanders Kat Ferrero and Duncan Holt did not waste any time when they moved to Tasmania to set up an agricultural business.

The couple, together with Ms Ferrero’s mum, Meredith Tiller, had established their Tamar Valley Pastured Eggs business and started production within six months after arriving.

Now the trio have 700 hens running on their property at Glengarry in the state’s North.

Apart from Ms Tiller having kept a few chickens previously, they did not have any experience in the poultry industry before starting the business, Mr Holt said.

Tamar Valley Pastured Eggs at Glengarry. Picture: Chris Kidd

“Meredith has always had chooks, but it’s too hot in Queensland to do anything like this outside,” he said.

As part of setting up the poultry farm, they have purchased four specially designed chook caravans.

The portable caravans are placed inside the electric-fenced paddocks which are regularly moved to give the hens access to fresh pasture.

The design of the caravans, where the hens lay their eggs, means they stay very clean.

The hens lay onto nest box areas lined with fake grass and the sloped bottom means the eggs roll down on to a conveyor belt at the bottom, which the chickens do not have access to.

This meant the hens do not tread on the eggs which prevents them getting dirtied by manure, Mr Holt said.

As well as a laying area, the hens can also go under the caravans when they want shade or if there are predators around.

The caravans every few days to spread the manure evenly around the paddock.

The eggs are collected twice a day and cleaned by hand before being graded into size and put into the cartons.

Katt Ferrero and Meredith Tiller of Tamar Valley Pastured Eggs. Picture: Chris Kidd

Ms Ferrero said a priority for them was having a sustainable business that worked in harmony with the environment, which is what the pastured hen system does.

Because of the high nitrogen levels in the chicken poo, the paddocks were the hens are run are growing significant amounts of pasture, which Mr Holt said they grazed down with their cattle.

He said the hens were also a great way to get rid of any unwanted pasture pests such as corbie grubs, which they loved to eat.

Most of the eggs produced are now sold through some local retailers and at the Launceston Harvest Market.

Ms Ferrero said customers were much more aware of how their food was being produced and were quite keen to ask questions about the farm.

“I think people are a lot more savvy when it comes to free range and the different definitions now,” she said.

“We have quite a few ask us what our stocking density is and what we feed them.”

Once the hens are finished their commercial production, Ms Tiller said they find homes for them with people who like chooks.

“They’ll still lay every second or third day, which is plenty for most people, it’s just that it’s not enough for us commercially,” she said.

At present, demand for their eggs is outstripping supply, however Mr Holt said they were keen to keep the business fairly niche at this stage.