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Heritage Bred / Sun-Raised Chickens

THE SOMMERLAD

Clean Energy  /  Ethical Farming  /   Healthy Choice

AN ALL-AUSTRALIAN 

The Sommerlad is a robust heritage bred Australian chicken, bred in Australia for Australian conditions. It is bred to forage thrives in a range of conditions and is especially suited to being raised in the open pasture underneath the solar canopy of the Hillston Sun Farm. 

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Unlike the conventional white birds that are raised indoors under artificial conditions, the Sommerlads are colourful in appearance and have personality and character.  

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They mature slowly and develop meat of exceptional quality. Our chickens take 11-13 weeks to reach maturity and become strong boned, flavoursome, and juicy due to exercise and higher fat content.

An orange, grey and brown coloured Sommerlad Chicken eating under the canopy of Hillston Sun Farms solar panels.

ETHICAL

FARMING

A small brown and orange Sommerlad chick on fine wood chips.

NATURAL AND SUSTAINABLE

Four Sommerlad chickens on green grass under the canopy of Hillston Sun Farms solar panels. They are coloured white, grey/brown, black/orange, and black respectively.

Natural
and
Sustainable Choice

At Sun Farms, we are committed to providing our customers with the highest quality heritage bred chickens.

 

Our chickens are raised in a sustainable and ethical manner, to ensure they are healthy and happy. No industrial sheds or air conditioning for the Sommerlad – just shelter and the natural environment. The Sommerlad benefits from the shade and protection provided by the solar panels, engaging in a life of natural behaviours like foraging, scratching, and taking dust baths. 

Sun farms Sommerlad Chickens underneath the canopy of Hillston Sun Farms solar panels.

Ethical
Farming

At Sun Farms, we prioritise the well-being and nutrition of our chickens. The pasture under the solar panels is free from glyphosate and industrial fertilisers. Our birds have a range of organic grains and seeds to feed on at will.

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When you choose a Sommerlad, you can be confident that you are getting ethically raised, high-quality chicken that is both delicious and sustainable.

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Try our delicious roast chicken today and taste the difference.

An orange and pink sunset over Hillston Sun Farms solar panels.

HOW BEST TO ENJOY

A slow roast Sommerlad recipe

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  • Rub in butter and olive oil, place a lemon in the cavity.

  • Cook at 160 degrees (fan forced oven) with the breast down in some white wine and chicken stock for around 15 minutes then turn it over then baste.

  • Remove from oven when the breast temperature reaches 65 degrees then rest it for 15 minutes. (If the skin is not browning sufficiently, you can lift the temperature to 180 degrees for the last five minutes of cooking but be careful not to overcook it - the breast temperature rises exponentially). 

  • Note that the thighs of the Sommerlad have some pink meat. This is inherent in the breed and the normal outcome of a life of foraging....and there is no bleaching in our processing. The pink meat is sometimes confused with the meat being under-cooked but it is the natural result!.  

 

*Approximate cooking time is 35 minutes per kilogram

Dark Blue coloured old style salt and pepper shakers.
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