Bee Heaven/Rachel’s Eggs
| Rating |  |
| Farm/Brand Headquarters | Homestead, FL |
| Website | www.beeheavenfarm.com |
| Market Area | South Florida |
| Total Score | 2400 |
They write: “Our happy hens eat soy-free, certified organic feed, harvest gleanings from the farm, and they’re pastured in our tropical fruit grove in their chicken tractors. Wait……. their WHAT??? What’s a chicken tractor? It’s a bottomless, moveable pen, which provides shelter from the rain, roosting poles, nest boxes and protection from predators. We move them every few days to new grass, giving the hens regular access to fresh pasture, bugs, weeds and seeds. They, in turn, reduce the insect and weed population and fertilize the soil as they go along. We love it and so do the girls! Our farm has been certified organic since 1997. Our first laying flock began producing in November 2004. Every year we add some new chicks and cull our roosters and older hens. Our assortment of heritage breeds ensures that every pack of our eggs includes a rainbow of brown, white, green, blue and speckled eggs, in nearly every size imaginable (we eat the really teeny ones, and the occasional ones that are so big they’d get crushed in the egg carton).”
| Criteria | Points | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| TOTAL (possible score is 2600) | 2400 | 5-Egg Rating | Top Rated |
Family farms and farmer cooperatives that market their own eggs receive the most points. Corporations that do not produce any eggs receive the fewest points.
Ownership Structure | 100 | family farm, produces all of own eggs |
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Flocks of 500 birds or fewer receive the most points based on Animal Welfare Approved standards.
Average Flock Size | 100 | flocks under 500 |
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Single henhouses receive the most points.
Single or Double Henhouses | 100 | single |
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Animal Welfare Approved and Biodynamic certifications receive the most bonus points. Producers are not penalized for not having additional certifications beyond organic.
Other Certifications (bonus points) | None | |
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Points determined by integrity of the brand’s organic certifier.
Organic Certifier | 85 | Quality Certification Services |
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Farms that are 100% certified organic receive the most points, farms/brands that are split conventional and organic receive fewer points.
Commitment to Organics | 100 | 100% organic farm |
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More than 1.8 square feet per bird receives the most points, less than 1.2 square feet receives the fewest.
Indoor Space per Bird | 100 | more than 3 sq ft/hen |
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Farms with perches, scratching areas and deep litter or year round pasture receive the most points. Indoor Enrichments | 100 | perches and year round outdoor access |
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Farms that freshen litter weekly receive the most points. Litter Management | 100 | year round pasture access, no litter |
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Farms that ensure birds have ample access to outdoors during daylight hours receive the most points.
Natural Light | 100 | ample access to the outdoors, lots of natural light |
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Farms that ensure 108 square feet per bird or more outdoors receive the most points.
Outdoor Space per Bird | 100 | more than 700 sq ft/hen |
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Farms that ensure birds are in mobile housing or 1 large door per 75 birds receive the most points.
Popholes/Exit to the Outdoors | 100 | mobile coops, always outdoors |
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Farms that ensure birds have access to feed, water and shade outdoors receive the most points. Outdoor Enrichments | 100 | feed, water, shade |
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Farms that can ensure outdoor access year round or those that only confine birds during inclement weather receive the most points.
Outdoor Space Exemptions | 100 | outdoor access year-round |
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Farms that use mobile housing rotated on pasture every 1-2 days or weekly receive the most points.
Outdoor Management System | 95 | mobile coops moved 2+ times a week |
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Farms that recycle chicken manure on the farm, using it for fertilizer, without causing nutrient pollution, receive the most points.
Manure Handling System | 100 | manure recycled on the farm |
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Farms that never force molting receive the most points. Forced Molting | 100 | no forced molting |
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Farms that never trim or tip beaks receive the most points.
Beak Trimming | 100 | no beak trimming |
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Farms where hens live an average of 3+ years or 1.6-3 years receive the most points.
Laying Hen Lifespan | 80 | 2-3 years old |
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Farms where spent hens die a natural death, are sold for meat, or are processed and sold for human consumption, receive the most points.
Use of Spent Hens | 100 | processed on farm |
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Farms where the death loss rate of hens is less than 3% annually receive the most points.
Death Loss Rate | 60 | between 5-10% |
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Farms that breed and incubate their own chicks, or raise their own pullets, receive the most points.
Pullets | 90 | raise up chicks, hatch some chicks |
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Farms that allow pullets access to the outdoors within the first 6 weeks of life, or within 6-10 weeks, receive the most points.
Pullet Access to Outdoors | 100 | 5 weeks old |
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Farms where all feed is produced on the farm receive the most points.
Feed Produced on Farm | 50 | no feed produced on farm but year round access to pasture |
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Farms where 100% of the feed is grown in the US or Canada receive the most points.
US Grown Feed | 70 | feed is local when available |
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No points are given for this but the information may be useful to certain consumers looking to avoid soy. Soy in Feed | No | no soy in feed ration |
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Farms that do not feed synthetic amino acids receive the most points. Synthetic Amino Acids | 70 | No more than 2 lbs synthetic methionine used per ton |
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Farms that participated in Cornucopia’s research providing full transparency receive the most points.
Disclosure Rate | 100 | full disclosure |
