In February 2018, Gabi & Jacqui lost their daughter Lily Grace in a tragic 4wd accident at the age of 20. In the grief stricken days that followed, a vision was born out of the deep love that a mother has for her daughter. On Lily’s bucket list was a dream to own a bush block, have pasture-raised chooks, sell their free-range eggs while operating a beauty salon on the farm.
Within a few weeks of Lily’s death Gabi & Jacqui secured a lease on a 50 acre property in Somerville and Lil’s Farm and Li;’s Yolky Dokey pasture-raised egg dream was to become reality.
Lil’s Farm has around 1900 “Gypsy” chooks who roam free during the day and sleep in caravans at night. With 15 alpacas and three maremma dogs as guardians to protect their brood. Lil’s dream could not have been made a reality without the dedication and support from her friends and family.
They keep the number of chickens to fewer than 100 hens per hectare. This plan for low stocking density is something that is of great pride to the farm, for the well-being of their chooks. Until they started this venture, they were unaware that most free-range chicken farms have anywhere between 1,500 – 10,000 hens per hectare!
The chooks on Lil’s Farm have the freedom to enjoy dust bathing, flying and scratching for bugs and grubs at their leisure. They believe their way is the key to both sustainable farming and ensuring that their girls have plenty of space to live a happy and healthy life. The Gypsy chickens will live in the best conditions out in the open pastures, enjoying their freedom to roam.
