How long does it take to raise a chicken that chefs rave about? Nearly a year, if you do it right! Our Poulet Rouge® Heritage Chicken begins with carefully sourced breeder eggs from France’s heritage poultry lines—birds known for their signature featherless neck trait and exceptional culinary qualities. From there, through natural mating, careful incubation, and 12 full weeks (~84 days) of pasture-centered grow-out on our North Carolina farms, the result is a bird rich in flavor and rooted in tradition. Scroll the infographic to learn more about the journey of this special bird.
We begin with fertile eggs from traditional French Cou Nu breeder flocks—known for their featherless neck trait and rustic genetics. These eggs arrive at our hatchery in Winston-Salem, NC under strict care and handling to protect viability and future flavor.
Those hatchlings become breeder hens and roosters. For about 21 weeks, they grow slowly on a clean, all-vegetable diet, building strength for natural reproduction.
On our breeder farm, roosters and hens mate naturally—no artificial insemination. Strong, healthy genetics and low-stress care produce fertile eggs for the next generation of Poulet Rouge® chickens.
The hatching eggs spend 21 days in temperature- and humidity-controlled incubators. Our team carefully monitors the environment until each chick is ready to break shell.
Newly hatched broiler chicks are raised in spacious barns with access to fresh pasture and plenty of natural light. Over 12 full weeks (about 84 days)—double the life of conventional birds—they slowly develop the marbling and muscle structure that gives Poulet Rouge® its signature flavor.
Our birds are processed using a same-day air-chilling method, preserving flavor and texture without water absorption. The result: crisp skin, juicy meat, and a clean, chef-preferred finish.
This isn’t fast food. It’s slow-grown, chef-tested poultry with deep roots and even deeper flavor. From golden skin to tender meat, our Poulet Rouge® is proof that when you take your time, it tastes better.
Joyce Farms is introducing Signature Angus Heritage Beef, a pasture-raised, single-farm Red Angus program designed to carry our heritage beef story forward and serve more customers over time. Heritage Aberdeen Angus Beef will remain available in limited quantities until early 2026 as existing inventory is sold.
