Large and Small Indiana Egg Farmers Shell Out Success

By  |  6 Comments

Scrambled, poached, sunny side up, no matter how you prefer them, the fresh eggs in your refrigerator likely came from Indiana. Ranked No. 3 in the nation in production, the Hoosier State knows its eggs. In 2011, the Indiana Agricultural Statistics Service valued the state’s egg industry at more than $422 million, thanks to the success of both small-scale operations, such as Akers Hatchery and Eggs in Salem, and larger, multi-location farms, such as Seymour-based Rose Acre Farms.

Akers Hatchery and Eggs

Advertisement

Hatching a Small Business

For Craig Akers, his wife, Lindsey, and their two young daughters, each day begins with collecting eggs from the approximately 350 hens in their small, family-run hatchery. The Akerses hatch their own chicks by putting eggs in an incubator, where they stay for 21 days until hatching occurs. Craig Akers says the chickens usually don’t start laying until their about five months old. Unlike many other egg operations, they produce new hens out of the existing flock, choosing not to bring in poultry from other places.

“We’re fairly self-sufficient,” Akers says. “We raise our own chickens and breed for what the standard of that chicken is.”

The family carefully looks after their birds. They grind their own feed, consisting of corn, alfalfa, calcium and a protein supplement, about once a month and make sure the chickens have plenty of water.

“We have an automatic water system that catches rainwater and pipes it through the coops and buildings,” Akers says. “But in the winter, we have to carry fresh water out (to the chicken houses) every day.”

Akers Hatchery and Eggs

As a small-scale egg producer, this attention to detail is important for Akers. They don’t supply to grocery stores, so being able to offer the best product to local consumers is vital.

“There are so many other places that people can go and get eggs, but we have very loyal customers that come to us year round in snow, sun or rain,” Akers says. “People like our product and what we do.”

Depending on the time of year, Akers Hatchery produces between 15 dozen and 18 dozen eggs per day, and also has chicks for sale, allowing consumers to start raising their own hens for eggs.

Ensuring Safety and Sustainability

On the other side of the Indiana egg spectrum, Rose Acre Farms produces close to 440 million dozen eggs per year.

“We’re a multistate operation, but we’re still family-owned,” says Mark Whittington, vice president of risk management at Rose Acre. “We like to maintain that family-business feel.”

Rose Acre is home to a vast number of hens, but despite the quantity, the operation takes great care of each and every one of their egg producers. All birds from the chick stage to mature hens follow an animal health protocol put in place by the United Egg Producers, and they have a veterinarian on site to ensure the birds receive the best care.

Rose Acre Farms

Daily operations include washing and packing the eggs, shipping, feeding and maintaining the birds’ environment, including air and water regulation. Whittington says the welfare of the hens is top priority, with sustainability high on the list as well.

“We value natural resources and take responsibility to be a good neighbor in the community,” he says.

Rose Acre puts these ideals into action by buying local grain to support the economy and reducing water usage in the facility. They also recycle the chickens’ manure into organic fertilizer that’s sold to neighboring farmers to help them grow their crops.

Although Rose Acre runs 40 locations in six states, Whittington says they embrace their strong connection to the Hoosier State, where the company was founded in 1933 and remains based today.

“Rose Acre has roots in Indiana,” he says. “We are proud to be part of a great agriculture industry and provide a high-quality, nutritious egg product.”

Cracking the Industry

While both operations provide Indiana with protein-packed eggs, changes in terminology over the decades have brought questions from consumers. Is there a difference between white eggs and brown eggs? What do trendy terms such as “free range” and “cage-free” really mean? How long does it take for eggs to go from the chicken to the grocery store?

Indiana Eggs

According to Whittington, the color of an egg’s shell, whether it be white, brown or even blue, is solely dependent on the hen’s genetics. “You can usually tell the color of the egg by the color of the feathers around the hen’s earlobe,” he explains. “There is no difference in taste or nutrition.”

Nutrition also remains the same, regardless of whether hens are raised conventionally, cage-free or free range. Cage-free hens are required to have access to the floor but can still be raised in a building. Free-range hens must have access to the outdoors, and their eggs often cost more because they have to be gathered by hand. Rose Acre offers a line of cage-free eggs, but they note that all of their hens have “plenty of space for each chicken to move about and socialize with the other chickens.” In fact, the company’s website even has a webcam to show that their hens receive enough space and constant access to fresh food and water.

As far as the farm-to-fork timeline for large-scale farms such as Rose Acre, eggs go from henhouse to grocery shelves in just three to five days, Whittington says.

For visitors who make the trek to the Akers operation, the eggs were likely laid that morning. Akers says he has even gone to gather eggs while people wait for them.

“I can’t tell you how many people have come to look at the farm and see what we do,” he says. “It makes us very happy that we can do what we love and be able to educate people as well.”

If You Go…

Akers Hatchery and Eggs
Phone: (812) 896-2098
Web: www.akershatcheryandeggs.com
Where to buy: On their farm, but please call ahead to confirm availability.

Rose Acre Farms
Phone: (812) 497-2557
Web: www.roseacre.com
Where to buy: Look for the Rose Acre Farms brand of eggs at your local grocery store.

For recipes shared by Akers Hatchery and Eggs and Rose Acre Farms, visit www.my-indiana-home.com/eggs

6 Comments

  1. Penny Durm

    June 11, 2014 at 5:49 pm

    DO YOU HAVE BUFF SILKIES TO SELL AT THIS TIME. IF NOT BUFF COLOR WHICH DO YOU HAVE? MY SON IN LAW BUILT ME A NICE COOP AND I HAVE PURCHASED A DOG KENNEL FOR THEM WITH RABBIT WIRE ACROSS TOP. ONCE I GET THE KENNEL PUT TOGETHER WILL BE READY FOR THEM. FOUND A BREEDER NEAR EFFINGHAM, ILL. BUT THAT IS A LONG WAY TO GO TO PICK UP. WHAT IS YOUR PRICE? THANK YOU.

    • Rachel Bertone

      June 12, 2014 at 8:16 am

      Hi Penny,

      Thanks for your comment. For product availability and pricing, please contact Akers Hatchery directly at 812-896-2098. Hope this helps!

      Rachel Bertone
      editor, My Indiana Home

  2. Lisa Davidson

    March 17, 2016 at 1:15 pm

    Hello I ordered some chicks from u last night and not sure if they come male or female. 8 really want all female if I have to pay extra. I want to pick them up to save on shipping. Wasn’t sure how long it would be before u got them as well. My number is 812 896 4616. Thanks

    • Rachel Bertone

      March 18, 2016 at 8:12 am

      Hi Lisa,

      We wrote an article on Akers Hatchery but are not directly affiliated with them. We suggest contacting them at 812-896-2098. They should be able to help. Thanks!

      Rachel Bertone
      editor, My Indiana Home

  3. donna

    October 30, 2016 at 11:17 am

    hello…..I bought a rooster by mistake…..would rose acres in rennselaer take it?

  4. Christine Messer

    May 12, 2020 at 3:54 pm

    Hello!

    I’m interested in Guinea Hens. Any suggestions?

Leave a Comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

By submitting this form, you accept the Mollom privacy policy.