Mountain Bird is the first state-licensed pastured poultry operation on the Western Slope. In 2012, after realizing that city life wasn’t my calling, I fled for a change of pace. After dropping out of college, I explored agriculture through WWooFing, internships, and jobs at different farms nationwide. I learned what worked for me (and what didn’t) before deciding to branch off on my own.

In 2015, we breathed life into Gray Acres, boasting 100 chickens, a few milk goats, and some strawberry plants. As we grew, so did our needs. With a little seed money, encouragement from our mentors, and a new partnership with Ben Gillespie, we launched Diamond G (the earliest iteration of Mountain Bird). We championed rules through the state to allow for the sale of poultry, and fought for conditions that would provide a safe and clean environment for the birds. Together, we built the first licensed poultry processing facility on Gray Acres.

Years later, after trial and error and lots of learning, the business shifted. Ben left to start his own family, and we established Mountain Bird.

It can be hard to raise birds in Colorado. With cool nights, warm days, and high elevations, it is a challenge for even established farms. But at Mountain Bird, we focus on raising healthy birds that create the highest quality meat.

We raise our chickens with clean mountain air, fresh water, and optimal living conditions from the moment they arrive at our farm. We always handle our birds by hand and one at a time, taking the time and care they deserve. We butcher our chickens in small batches and clean our facilities using hydrogen peroxide, never bleach.

As our chickens scratch at the fresh grass, they work their manure into our soil, naturally enhancing soil fertility for the next generation. As they run around in the fields, they fill their lungs with fresh mountain air and their bellies with bugs.

Just like us, pastured birds are healthier because they, too, are what they eat. As our birds run around our farm, scratching and pecking, they consume diets rich in vitamins, minerals, proteins, and fatty acids. Pastured birds require no hormones, antibiotics, dyes, or GMOs. And because they are running around the farm and not confined, they maintain lower fat levels. Healthier birds are healthier for you to consume.

We were instrumental in passing both HB 18 – 1235, which allowed for the sale of licensed birds in Colorado. As well as SB 16-058, which recognized the USDA’s exemptions for small producers, allowing anyone raising under 1,000 birds to market and sell their birds directly.