GLYNDON, Minn. — Charles Ochsner isn’t one to count his chickens before they hatch.

Although Ochsner and his dad, Larry, are 70% done on the facility they’re renovating to house and process free-range chickens and turkeys near here, he’s not sharing how many birds they plan to start with — yet.

“It kind of just depends on our capacity,” Ochsner says, over coffee at Sandy's Doughnuts in Fargo. ”One of the main things is figuring out what my demand is, so I know how many chickens to order. It's one of those unknowns."

Current trends suggest it might be. With supply chain issues still persisting and meat-packing plants across the US struggling to remain staffed, consumers are relying more on locally raised meat and other foods. Especially when they know the animal is humanely treated, free of antibiotics or growth hormones and fed organic grains, which is how Ochsner plans to raise the chickens and turkeys under his Spring Prairie Farm label.

“That’s something that has gotten me into this too, is you go to a grocery store and you’re buying something — you don’t know where it came from or what country it came from, for one,” he says. “If I can provide a better resource to people, I would be happy with that.”

Although Ochsner and his family are old hands at caring for laying hens, it’s their first foray into raising chickens and turkeys to sell directly to consumers. Their rural Glyndon property already had a pole barn, to which they’ve added a 36- by 72-foot addition to house commercial-grade, stainless steel processing equipment.

Once waterlines and restrooms have been installed and the concrete floor coated with a protective epoxy, they’ll be able to concentrate on the birds, which Charles will source from the Woodbury Hatchery near Wyndmere, N.D.

The 29-year-old aspiring entrepreneur, who spent years working for various towing companies, says he's always wanted to find a way to make a living off his family's land.

The 124-acre spread, located a few miles northeast of Buffalo River Speedway, has mainly been dedicated to hunting, gardening and raising chickens and a few pigs, he says.

Ochsner says he decided to raise poultry because doing so doesn't require quite as much licensing and regulation. For instance, as long as he sells directly to consumers, keeps less than 1,000 chickens and does his own processing, he does not need to get the same inspections and licensing that a larger facility would receive.

"I'm not in it to get rich. I just want to make a good living," he says.

He has helped fund the initial investment with savings and retirement through his family's former business, Gopher Excavating in Moorhead.

The plan is to raise Cornish crosses, the most commonly raised "broiler" chicken in the country. The Cornish cross is a hybrid of a commercial Cornish chicken and White Plymouth Rock chicken, which has been genetically selected for rapid growth and feed efficiency over the years.

Today, the white-feathered, single-combed chicken — which can have exposed skin towards its rear, belly and underneath its wings — won't win any beauty contests, but it still flies high among producers due to its meaty physique and phenomenal rate of growth, according to University of Maine Extension educational materials.

In fact, the breed's barrel-chested build and rapid growth can be its downfall. Some Cornish crosses can bulk up so quickly that their chunky bodies can become too heavy for its legs to support, Ochsner says.

This is especially the case in large operations in which the birds are fed growth hormones, which accelerates their growth so quickly that a broiler can tip the scale at 7 ½ pounds in just eight weeks.

In comparison, the Ochsners raised a flock of 150 broilers recently and lost just three chickens before they were harvested, he says.

Ochsner will not use growth hormones or antibiotics, so their chickens will take up to 10 weeks until they're ready to harvest. This slower growth rate should produce a healthier chicken with a more robust skeletal system.

Under USDA standards, some producers are able to classify their chickens as free range, simply because there’s a pop hole in the building that allows them to see outside. Even then, there’s no way for the animal to walk outdoors and minimum space requirements aren’t enforced.

But Ochsner says his chickens truly will be able to roam and will have plenty of fresh air, sunshine, insects and grass — along with shade in warmer seasons.

The Ochsners plan to use a “chicken tractor,” a large, rectangular, semi-enclosed, portable enclosure that can be moved to new grass once the chickens have scratched the ground bare. The chicken tractor shades the chickens from the sun, keeps them dry in the rain, provides a windbreak and protects them from predators while also giving ample room to roam.

The family already grinds its own feed for its laying hens, so will continue that practice. Ochsner says they'll feed the broilers blue corn, wheat, oats and barley — all organic and sourced from Doubting Thomas Farms in Moorhead.

He also plans to raise turkeys to process and sell in time for Thanksgiving.

He says he'll likely get the first batch of turkeys in early- to mid-July, which is about the right amount of time for them to be the desired 14 to 17 pounds for Thanksgiving dinner.

At this point, Ochsner is hoping direct-to-consumer sales will be enough to turn a profit, although he's willing to consider options such as farmer's markets if he needs to expand his customer base.

"If we can get enough demand, we might be able to create jobs too," he says.

Learn more about Spring Prairie Farm by calling (701) 715-2314 or emailing Ochsner at springprairiefarm@gmail.com.