Rondeel is like a five-star hotel for us, the laying divas of the farm! A unique form of layer farming
with a balance between corporate social responsibility, needs of the laying hen and an ideal working environment for the poultry farmer.
Chicken behavior
Being a chicken, my world is wild and adventurous. In the sand I treat myself to dust baths and from my high vantage points I keep watch for foxes and birds of prey.
My behavior is rooted in this dynamic environment. I look for sheltered places for my eggs, safe nests high above the ground to rest, and always some space to flee if needed. As Rondeel chickens, we live in small groups of 3,600 chickens, 100 of which we really know in close proximity. Therefore, we are truly group animals. Knowing my territory is vital, so I always know where to go for my basic needs and to avoid danger.
Scratching
I scratch all day long, even when I’m not hungry. I love dust bathing, sunbathing, running, fluttering and cleaning. Being with other hens is nice, and I learn from their behavior. According to the research “Houden van Hennen” – Wageningen University, we prefer to be together in a laying nest than alone when laying eggs. But when it’s time to rest, I give some space to others.
Health is crucial, as with humans, we must have enough exercise.
Temperature
As a chicken, I feel best in temperatures between 18 and 27 degrees Celsius. I like the freedom to choose warm and cool places, just like in my natural environment. Daylight also plays an important role in our lives. To have a natural biorhythm.
We like to scratch and take dust baths in the bright daylight, but for rest and egg-laying, we prefer to look for darker surroundings. This I find in the night shelter where our nests are located.
Night time area
In our night time area we can rest, sleep and find food and water in fixed places. It is furnished with the Bolegg Terrace, a system based on our natural behavior. It has levels like a tree structure, on which we can jump.
When it gets dark, we naturally “go to roost” in search of a safe place to sleep, just like in nature to avoid enemies. So above the system, extra roosts have been made so that we can sleep there with many hens together. Since we can’t see well in the dark, light cables help us find our way around our night roost.
Daytime area and wooded area
In the sunlit daytime area and along the wooded area, we chickens can roam freely, take dust baths and explore. The open layout gives us a good overview of our surroundings and provides shelter from outside dangers. It also provides a pleasant and stable climate. Different spaces create shaded areas for us. When the weather is nice, we can enjoy the open roof which, fortunately, in case of bad weather and threat of disease, automatically shields us from this. The enclosed roof minimalizes the threat of diseases such as bird flu. We enjoy the spacious sandy ground to scratch and that is what we like to do most.
A glass tunnel in the center of Rondeel allows visitors to see us up close and experience our lives at eye level. Along the path around Rondeel, visitors can see us scratching in the wooded area.
Meetings at Rondeel
At Rondeel, all houses are open to the public, so people can come and see for themselves how we live.
Rondeel is always busy with renewal and innovation, just like our co-executor, the Vencomatic Group. We welcome all your questions and suggestions. It’s open and accessible to all!
