The home of free range chicken in New Zealand

Our community of farmers has always been at the forefront of free range chicken farming in New Zealand. And we’re still leaders in the field today.

Our Origins

We’re proudly Waikato

Our free range farms are all located among the rolling green hills of the Waikato. Known for its rich soils and great growing conditions, it’s a perfect place to farm free range.

A great place to raise chickens

It isn’t just the sunny, green pastures that make Waitoa’s farms such a paradise for our poultry. Our state-of-the-art barns protect them from the weather and predators at night, while opening each morning so the birds are free to roam.

Nurturing and protecting the land for future generations.

Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do at Waitoa, including water management and soil health, to ensure the land remains in great shape long into the future.

Our Farmers

A community of local farmers

All our farmers share a common desire to put our chickens first. Working daylight until dusk to ensure every bird’s needs are met, inside their barns and outside in the paddocks. It takes real commitment but the reward is the satisfaction of seeing happy, healthy chickens every day.

Looking after the environment

Doing right by the environment is essential to doing our best for our chickens. So we look for ways to minimise our impact by driving down energy use, water use, waste to landfill and the wastewater we generate. The end result is chicken that’s as good for the planet as it is for you.

Animal Welfare

Raised with care

The care our farmers put in to raising their flocks is absolute. Every morning they inspect the barns, taking note of the temperature profile and how much food and water has been consumed. Nothing beats walking through the shed and taking in how the birds are doing. It’s all about making sure they’re comfortable in their environment.

Space to roam outside

As the barns open for the day, the chickens are free to roam the paddocks, forage, rest and do what they please. There’s plenty of range, trees for shelter and the barn remains open if they prefer to head back inside for food, drink or away from bad weather. This is what free range means, and it’s an essential part of providing the best care. Such is the overall level of care our farmers provide that Waitoa chicken is SPCA certified for animal welfare.

Respect for nature comes naturally

For our farmers, raising chickens free range is more than a career. It’s a calling. It takes dedication, but the reward is raising a healthy flock in a way that’s close to nature, and kind to it too.