Raising Chickens Right

Lucky for us, he didn’t leave the poultry business or lower his quality standards. The chickens he supplies to us from Fredericksburg, PA are fresh, flavorful, and juicy, thanks to the way they’re raised and handled. “It’s fun for me as a family business to do things differently,” says Scott. “I like to eat what we make. And if I don’t like to eat it, we won’t make it.”

Scott has been recognized as an industry leader for humane animal treatment for over 40 years. “We’re the only hatchery in the world where chickens have water and organic feed waiting for them as soon as they chip out of the shell,” he says. Bell & Evans chicken houses have cement floors for thorough cleanout and are disinfected between flocks. Their healthy chickens feed only on a 100% vegetarian diet of U.S.-grown corn and soybeans. Scott was the first in the industry to raise chickens without antibiotics, decades before the industry caught up.

To meet USDA food-safe standards, meat must be cooled to a certain degree. Industry standard is to chill chicken by immersing it in vats of cold water to bring it to the proper temperature, but Bell & Evans insists on 100% air-chilling the meat. The chicken is cooled by passing through three chambers of cold, purified air, so there’s no added or retained water to dilute the flavor or compromise the naturally juicy, tender texture.

This kind of care is why we believe Scott’s chicken is the best-tasting you’ll ever enjoy—and we’re not the only ones. Bell & Evans chicken consistently wins awards for its distinctively fresh taste and juicy texture. “Most producers take the cheaper or easier path, but Bell & Evans uses common sense and does things the right way,” says Scott.