DODGEVILLE — Bird flu is low on the list of concerns on Rockwell Ridge Farm.
Cliff Gonyer gathers eggs from boxes inside one of his chicken coops, part of a daily process at his Rockwell Ridge Farm northeast of Dodgeville where his chickens have free reign over the 50-acre property. Gonyer sells his eggs for $6 per dozen at the Dane County Winter Farmers' Market at Garver Feed Mill and is trying to keep up with demand in the midst of bird flu that has decimated large commercial farms.
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Cory Murphy, who has 120 chickens at his Gays Mill farm, waits on a customer at a recent Saturday during the Dane County Winter Farmers' Market at Garver Feed Mill. Most vendors at the market sell their eggs for $6 per dozen.
Molly Miles, of Madison, picks up a dozen eggs at the stand of Mary Celley, who has laying hens at her farm near Brooklyn. Celley sells her eggs for $6 per dozen at the Dane County Winter Farmers' Market.
Photos: Chickens thrive in open pastures
Cliff Gonyer collects still-warm eggs from a corner of his barn on March 11, at Cliff Gonyer’s farm outside Dodgeville.
Cliff Gonyer walks the land of his rural Iowa County farm in search of eggs laid by his free ranging chickens.
A chicken jumps off of a wooden ramp leading out of its coop at Rock Ridge farm northeast of Dodgeville. Two of the coops are equipped with automatic doors that help protect chickens from predators at night.
Chickens stand and occupy buckets made for them to rest and lay eggs in on March 11 at Cliff Gonyer’s farm outside of Dodgeville.
A chicken watches over freshly laid eggs at Cliff Gonyer’s farm.
Freshly laid eggs sit in the corner of Cliff Gonyer’s barn.
Cliff Gonyer opens the door to one of his chicken coops.
A chicken pokes its head out of a box as Cliff Gonyer approaches to collect eggs.
A chicken walks past a window inside a chicken coop at Cliff Gonyer’s farm.
Cliff Gonyer checks for eggs in the dark corners of his barn on Tuesday, March 11, 2025 at Cliff Gonyer’s farm outside Dodgeville, Wi.
Cliff Gonyer pets Zeus, a mix of Spanish Mastiff, Italian Maremma and Polish Tatra breeds. The large sheepdog helps protect Gonyer's flock of free ranging chickens from predators like hawks and fox.
Cliff Gonyer gathers eggs from boxes inside one of his chicken coops, part of a daily process at his Rockwell Ridge Farm northeast of Dodgeville where his chickens have free reign over the 50-acre property. Gonyer sells his eggs for $6 per dozen at the Dane County Winter Farmers' Market at Garver Feed Mill and is trying to keep up with demand in the midst of bird flu that has decimated large commercial farms.
A chicken walks out of a small door from a chicken coop at Cliff Gonyer’s farm.
A chicken stands inside of a pig pen at Cliff Gonyer’s farm outside Dodgeville.
The search for eggs from free ranging chickens can be arduous for Cliff Gonyer. Part of the daily routine at his farm is scouring the inside of a storage barn where eggs can be laid behind buckets, under tarps and in corners.
