What started as an idea, 450 hens on the family farm in, Dundonnell, has grown into Caravan Eggs, a business now home to 11,000 hens, run by mother daughter duo, Jill and Kate.
For Jill Warner, the idea behind Caravan Eggs was to produce true free-range eggs in a way that worked with the land and allowed the family to supply customers directly.
Alongside her husband, Robert, Jill established the business on the Warner family farm in The family has generations of farming experience behind them, with their broader farming enterprise, Jaskro Park, spanning livestock, cropping and now, egg production. Caravan Eggs was a new direction, bringing a different approach to raising hens and managing the land.
Where does the name Cravan Eggs come from? Rather than housing the hens in a fixed shed, the family developed a purpose-built mobile chicken caravan that moves around the paddocks. The hens have unrestricted access between their caravans and the outdoors, with a maximum stocking density of 90 hens per hectare. Moving the caravans onto fresh pasture is an important part of the family’s regenerative farming approach. As the hens move around the paddocks, their manure helps return nutrients to the soil. The caravans also collect rainwater and use solar power, making them more self-sufficient. The family’s Maremma dogs play an important role in protecting the hens from foxes and predators.
Today, Jill and Kate are still hands on in the running of Caravan Eggs, working alongside their team to care for the hens and manage the day to day operation. From the caravan, the business has grown considerably while remaining family run. And it is not just Jill and Kate who enjoy spending time with the chooks. The grandchildren love going out with ‘Grandma Jill’ to see the hens and help collect eggs.
At Caravan Eggs, family has been part of the story from the beginning. Jill and Robert, alongside Kate, Oliver, Alex and Sarah, helped build the business into what it is today. From working together on the farm to having the grandchildren growing up around the chooks, the family continues to build a business that cares for the land and leaves it in good shape for generations to come.
Find out more at caravaneggs.com.au