All chickens raised for Hickory Nut Gap Meats must meet these standards:
- Have never been administered antibiotics, ever.
- Have never been given added hormones or artificial growth promotants, ever.
- Have been raised on pasture.
- Have been fed a 100% vegetarian diet
- Have not been confined.
- Have been raised and finished in the Southeastern United States.
- Have been raised in compliance with HNG’s animal husbandry standards.
- Have met HNG’s chicken quality acceptance standards.
- Have met HNG’s responsible farming practice standards.
In addition to or as an expansion of the above standards, all producers must adhere to the following list of Hickory Nut Gap Meats Requirements
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Locally Raised
All chickens are raised and finished in the Southeastern United States.
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Antibiotic Free
All chickens can never have been administered antibiotics, therapeutically or sub-therapeutically. We realize from time to time there may be sick chickens that must be treated with antibiotics and we encourage animals to be treated properly. However, we require that these chickens be marked and or separated off. These chickens cannot be sold under the Hickory Nut Gap Meats label. We require a written record of any treated chickens.
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Hormone and Growth Promotion Free
We require that growth hormones or other growth promotion drugs are not used in our chicken production.
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All Vegetarian Diet
Diets must be all vegetarian. To comply with this claim, we cannot feed meat or meat by-products. This excludes milk products which are allowed. Feed tags should be available for inspection during the annual inspection.
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Animal Husbandry Standards
Chickens must be handled with low stress methods.
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Chicken Quality
Hickory Nut Gap Farm uses bloodlines that result in high quality chicken. Cornish Cross and freedom Rangers are examples of breeds that result in high quality meat.
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Responsible Farming Practices
Hickory Nut Gap Meats raises chickens in an environmentally safe manner that adheres to all county, state, and federal standards.
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Outdoor Access Practices
Hickory Nut Gap Meats requires chickens to be raised outside with the ability to peck and scratch on pasture. By allowing chickens to exhibit these natural behaviors we can give them a happy life and improve farm efficiencies.
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Clean Water
Chickens always have access to clean drinking water. Piped water should be provided to the chickens on pasture.