Welcome to Our Pasture-Raised Artisan Chicken Meat Shop

Our chickens change with the seasons.  Have you ever tried apple finished pastured heritage chicken?  How about a pumpkin finished one?

We are a leader in our marketplace...the first to provide fruit or vegetable finished pasture-raised birds.  We sell chickens finished with in season produce carefully grown on our farms.  Whether it's fresh pumpkin, fresh corn, fresh apple, wild blackberries and more.  We use integrated pest management systems with a focus on all natural and organic practices. 

Soaking in the sun, dust bathing in the pasture, noshing on bugs and timothy hay already gives our pastured poultry a scrumptious and superior taste.  But the unique way we finish our birds with fruits and vegetables that are abundant for each season of the year gives the meat even more flavor.  Ask those who have tried one of our sweet pumpkin finished Bresse.  Absolutely superb!  In the fall months, we have birds that are apple or pumpkin finished.  During the summer months, we have wild blackberry or corn finished birds. 
Unlike other pastured chicken farmers who buy traditional Cornish cross chicks from a hatchery to raise for meat; here at Spring Creek Heritage Farms, we hatch, grow and preserve our own breeds of rare and heritage birds.  The flavor and texture of a Bresse chicken is different from a Bielefelder, Le Grand or an Ixworth.  Every breed has its own unique characteristics. The best comparison I can think of  would be the difference of Wagyu beef from Angus. 
When you buy chicken from us, you are not only getting a treasure trove of culinary flavors but you are also supporting a chicken preservation effort.  It’s a circle of sustainability that is driven to preserve the birds that we love for many more generations to come.  We have lines of pure bred birds that can be traced back hundreds of years.  Some of those old breeds we preserve have actually helped rebuild native populations that would have otherwise been lost if it weren’t for the few committed people who see the necessity in keeping them going.  We strive to home birds first and foremost. Meat is secondary but an integral part of our farm plan. We are a no-kill chick farm and every bird has a chance to grow into a hen or a rooster on pasture thus producing some of the best tasting chickens in North America. ​​
"We chewed, sipped broth, and then did it all over again,
​as though to see if what just happened was a dream."
The excerpt above is from a Globe and Mail article about pastured chicken raised by our partner farm in Canada.  We now have the same chicken right here in Bellingham, Washington.  We call ours the Pacific Northwest Bresse Chicken.  Try our pasture raised Bresse finished with milk and grains.  Bon appétit!

​What better testimonial about pastured chicken than from the renowned food journalist Mark Schatzker who has deep appreciation for the taste of heritage birds.  Mr. Schatzker is the author of the compelling book about food and flavor, The Dorito Effect, where he devoted an entire chapter on chickens.  His award-winning journalism has appeared in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.  He was also a field reporter for The Dr. Oz Show. His latest book "The End of Craving: Recovering the Lost Wisdom of Eating Well" is an international best seller which shows the inception of our dysfunctional relationship with food—and how science is leading us back to healthier eating and living.


​Here is the article:
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Photo by Michelle Siu for the Globe and Mail. This photo is from the Globe and Mail article above.

In-House Specials

Poulet de Bresse: The Best Chicken You’ll Never Have (in Canada)
MARK SCHATZKER
Special to The Globe and Mail
Published September 23, 2014
Updated June 5, 2017​
"I just wanted to send along a note, we roasted our first Spring Creek bird (I think it was the apple finished) yesterday and it was probably the best bird I've ever tasted.  And this is even considering I had Bresse chicken at a famous restaurant in Paris last year.  I'm always iffy on store bought chicken, it's not my favorite but my husband and I were tempted to consume the whole Spring Creek bird yesterday.

Just wanted to let you know how much we enjoyed it and hopefully when we have our own acreage we can buy some birds or hatching eggs from you."
V.D., Mill Creek, WA
"I just wanted to let you know I cooked your chicken today. It was delicious.
Attached you will find a photo.
I roasted in the oven the chicken with Italian herbs, thyme and rosemary, with olive oil and lemon.
Then, I did a sauce with onion, port wine, porcini mushrooms and whipping cream.
I also made mashed potatoes and spinach.
The taste of the chicken meat was excellent."
V.A., Fayetteville, Ark.
"Happy Thanksgiving!

We received the birds, well packed and ready to cook! Flyer was good too! Thank you kindly.

FYI your bird was the clear winner when up against the Green Circle Chicken from d'Artagnan. Like it wasn't even close! The entire family agreed your chicken was more flavorful. Pretty sure we might not do turkey again.

I did a short brine of both birds and stuffed each with clementines and rosemary. Roasted both birds together until about 165F.  Really delicious thanks again!

Will definitely be looking your way for Christmas dinner . . ."
J.S., Lake Elmo, MN
"Do you have chickens available? Is Matt going to be back in Seattle? Your chickens are FANTASTIC."
X.H., Seattle, WA
"It was very delicious and definitely not your regular chicken. I roasted it per the instructions that came with it. There’s some left overs that I plan on using to top a ramen soup and make a chicken stock out of the carcass." 
A.P., Hopatcong, NJ
"​Thank you for that chicken! 
I roasted it last night as I could not wait to try it. 
The flavor was amazing, especially with the finish of pumpkin and corn, it had a firmer meat than any I have had here which was nice to have some bite. Also the skin was crispier.
I will contact you in the future when I create a menu using poultry you will be the first call!"
D.B., Jamaica Plain, MA
"Wow wow wow!! The chickens arrived yesterday. I let one of them completely thaw and then I did a simple roast, which was the best chicken I've ever had. I was telling a friend today who suggested that it was the cook! Hah!! No, this is THE BEST CHICKEN, ever....."
J.S., ​Los Gatos, California 
"Thank you for stopping by my shop last week, the chickens you gave me were outstanding. ."
K.S., Seattle WA

Poularde

Very Limited Artisan Poultry

 Our poularde is raised on pasture and finished in our Austrian Pea fields with a rich diet of our own organically raised corn and apples. After a Sunday dinner last week, without any hesitation, our farm manager said this is the best table bird he has ever raised. It is our own breed known as the Amrocks. These are part of our vertically integrated strategy where we do not need to bring in birds from other sources for meat and eggs, thus limiting our footprint by keeping everything in-house and limiting possible deleterious effects caused by commercial birds, mega hatcheries, and shipping. These female chickens are raised a minimum of 120 days with fresh air, water and sunshine. We guarantee this to be the best tasting chicken that you will find in America. Our abattoir is located less than 20 minutes away, keeping our circle small and local. Wonderful, rich dark meat and plenty of white meat for those who still think dark meat is unhealthy (It’s not). Only available for December, typically served for Christmas gatherings in Europe.  

We are passionate about what we do and care about every animal we raise. We don't do this often. We don't typically raise hens for the table because the economic value of a hen laying eggs is greater than processed meat. But we do this for friends and family for the holiday season. While we were sad to see these birds go, our bellies were delighted with the final product. Unlike Europe, we do not spay our hens. And every one of our birds gets careful treatment during crating and a thank you before leaving the farm.

Only 30 available. 

Raised a minimum of 120 days with fresh air, water and sunshine. 

$15.99 per lb. (whole bird approximately 3.5 lbs. each).

​​Very limited artisan poultry. Giblets are excluded.

Austrian Pea Finished Pasture-Raised Heritage Type Chicken​- Sold Out!

Due to special requests we now have a pasture-raised compact bird for our customers who like their birds cooked in an air fryer. These have been raised in a field of our own Austrian peas and supplemented with non-GMO feed and a few apples. Smaller birds make for perfect small meal for the convection turbo cookers. Some are larger and suitable for a meal for two.

Please specify if you want a larger bird.

​These were USDA processed so we can ship them out-of-state.

Raised approximately 12 weeks on pasture.

$9.99  per lb. (whole bird approximately 1.25 to 2.5 lbs. each).

Small batch artisan chicken. Giblets are excluded.​
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Coq au Vin
(Forest-Raised Heritage Type Chicken)-Sold Out!

Pasture-raised roosters from our Le Grand and Amrock breeds of heritage type birds. Longer frame and perfect for French recipes like Coq au Vin or for any other dish that require slow cooking.

These cockerels were raised in our pasture; completely allowed to roam uninhibited on 5 acres for a minimum of 12 weeks and were supplemented with apples and sweet corn grown right here on the farm plus non-GMO feed. 

These also make for a great roast chicken. Will compliment Indian, Filipino, Chinese and French cuisine.

​Raised a minimum of 12 weeks on pasture. 

$6.99 per lb. (whole bird approximately 4 to 6 lbs each).
​
Small batch artisan chicken. Giblets are excluded.​
This holiday season, if Coq au Vin will be on the menu and you are looking for the right bird for it, our Coq au Vin pastured bird is sold out, so please try our Pumpkin, Apple and Sweet Corn finished (triple finished) artisan bird instead. When you order, just indicate in the comments section of the order form that it's for a Coq au Vin dish and we will pick a triple finished pastured rooster (a Coq au Vin triple finished bird) that will be perfect for the dish.  

Pumpkin, Apple & Sweet Corn Finished
(Triple Finished) ​Pasture-Raised Heritage Type Chicken-Available Now!

We have received happy emails regarding the quality of our triple finished pastured birds. We have selected some of our pastured heritage type birds and finished with our signature recipe of fruits and veggies (our very own pumpkins, apples and sweet corn) and imported organic Canadian cereal grains. 

We are one of the first to offer something this unique for your palate. Creamy and delicious.

Raised a minimum of 16 weeks on pasture. ​

$7.99 per lb (whole bird approximately 3.5 to 5.5 lbs. each).
​
Small batch artisan chicken. Giblets are excluded.​
If you are looking for a bird for Coq au Vin, please just indicate it in the comments section of the order form and we will pick a triple finished pastured rooster (a Coq au Vin triple finished bird) that will be perfect for the dish.  

Pacific Northwest Artisan Bresse Chicken

SOLD OUT!

The Pacific Northwest Bresse is finished as closely to the French standard as possible using milk and cereal grains as well as a few special finishing touches.  

Raised a minimum of 16 weeks on pasture. ​

$12.99 per lb. (whole bird approximately 3 to 5.5 lbs. each).
​
Very limited artisan poultry. Giblets are excluded.​
There is no guarantee we can fill all the orders on waitlist, please check in with us before Thanksgiving or Christmas if we will be able to fill your order.  If not, we have alternative artisan birds in time for the holiday season that can substitute for the Bresse.
Thanksgiving or Christmas Waitlist for the Pacific Northwest Bresse
Due to high demand for live Bresse chicks to raise for breeding, the Pacific Northwest Bresse pastured chicken has been very limited quantity in fall/winter 2024 and is now sold out. For the past couple of years, the orders for chicks were always well above our projected demand.  The majority of Bresse chicks we've been hatching in recent years found new homes with people who are interested in focusing on and partnering with us in our preservation efforts. We have a waitlist for the Pacific Northwest Bresse for eating and we will do our best to start filling orders again in fall/winter 2025. But there is no guarantee that we can fill all the orders on waitlist by that time, please check in with us before Thanksgiving or Christmas 2025 to see if we will be able to fill your order. We will do our best to compensate to meet the demand for rare breed and heritage chicken preservation.  As an alternative, we suggest one of our specialty-finished artisan birds at this time.  Our Pumpkin, Apple & Corn (Triple) Finished Pastured bird or our Poularde will be perfect for Christmas' and New Year's celebrations.

Apple & Corn Finished Pasture-Raised Heritage Type Chicken-Sold Out!

This collection is from our heritage type chickens like Le Grand that are faster growth birds. Apple plus our very own organically raised Bellingham Sweet Corn finishing lends a unique flavor to the already wonderful birds we raise, and the apple seems to act almost as a tenderizer. Sweet notes in combination with yellow fat makes this a bird worth the time to cook. 

​These were USDA processed so we can ship them out-of-state.

​​Fryers. Raised 12 weeks on pasture. 

$6.99 per lb (whole bird approximately 2.5 to 3.5 lbs each).

Small batch artisan chicken. Giblets are excluded.​

Soy-Free and Corn-Free Pasture-Raised Cornish

Through a partnership with a young local farmer, we are now able to offer a more cost-effective chicken. Some consumers with dietary concerns have asked us for these birds. We feel that this is a good transitional bird from store bought chicken to real farm-raised on pasture.  These chickens are raised just down the road from our farm on lush green pastures on a diet free of corn and soy. 

​Raised 8 weeks on pasture. 

$6.49  per lb. (whole bird approximately 4 to 6 lbs each).
​
Giblets are excluded.​

In the News:

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​​ 
“Even the white meat of the chicken tasted rich and flavorful, and the sweet...”

The excerpt above is from the November-December 2021 edition of Bellingham Alive! magazine about our farm and our chickens. We do our best to provide our customers with quality chicks, poultry breeding programs, sustainable seasonal vegetables, fruits, and flavorful chicken for your table.  

The article is entitled "Chickens Raised with Knowledge, Care, and Fresh Air"; found on page 109 of the November-December 2021 edition of Bellingham Alive! 
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​“..the breast meat was so flavorful it satisfied even those sworn to dark meat.”

The excerpt above was from an article in the Winter 2019 edition of the Edible magazine in Vancouver about the chickens in our British Columbia partner farm.  We have the same pasture raised heritage chickens right here in Washington.

Wholesale Inquiries:

For restaurants, hotels or specialty meat shops that want to offer something unique to their customers, you may want to try our pasture-raised heritage & heritage-type birds.  Please contact us, we would love to hear from you.
Home of Pastured Heritage Chickens

Washington Delivery:

Pastured Chicken Free Delivery in Bellingham

within 5 miles of Bellingham International Airport.

Pasture-Raised Chicken Delivery to Seattle, Everett,
Lynnwood, Ballard, and Beyond

for a small fee once a week.

We Ship Pasture-Raised Chicken all Across Washington State

We can ship to you within Washington State, one day delivery.

We now offer USDA processed pasture birds that we can ship out-of-state!

For all our customers who have ordered from California, New Jersey, Illinois, Kansas, Florida, Washington DC, Colorado, Oregon, Texas, Maryland, Indiana, Pennsylvania, New York and Wisconsin, we can now fill your orders. 
​We can ship our USDA processed pasture birds across the Continental USA!

Spring Creek Heritage Farms, Bellingham, Washington State

Home of Rare and Heritage Chickens & Seeds