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As you walk into the rural lanes of Zhuo Dong Town, Hsinchu County, Luh Feng Village, a large sign reading "You Zhu牧場" (You Zhu Farm) is written on the exterior wall of the house. Upon entering the farm, your eyes are immediately drawn to a series of tall silos storing soybean feed. As you approach, you'll notice that five chicken coops are scattered about, some for raising chicks and others for laying hens. Additionally, numerous chickens roam freely in the empty spaces beside the coops, each one cherished by Luo Youzhu, the second-generation owner of the farm. Luo Youzhu, not yet 30 years old, is a Hakka native of Hsinchu County. He grew up watching his father, Luo Shilong, raise chickens and has always had a deep affection for them. After his military service, Luo Youzhu briefly worked in sales for a year, but the high pressure of the job made him decide to return to his hometown to help his father with the chicken farm. Friendship and Kindness in Raising Chickens The Luo family originally raised native chickens. One day, an egg vendor visited and mentioned that the market for eggs was good. With some idle chicken coops available, this sparked Luo Youzhu's interest in raising laying hens. "Those who raise chickens want to try raising all kinds," Luo Youzhu joked. So, father and son began to venture into raising egg-laying chickens. From being unfamiliar with it to gradually gaining experience, the You Zhu Farm now exclusively raises egg-laying chickens and has become the family's "Happy Farm." The You Zhu Farm is special because it uses a free-range method to raise its laying hens. Generally, only broiler chickens receive such treatment. Luo Youzhu believes that treating chickens with kindness results in better eggs. Despite this approach seemingly not being economically efficient, Luo Youzhu insists on treating chickens humanely. The farm's egg boxes use an automatic egg collection design, where eggs are not touched by hands and are not washed with water to reduce pollution. However, to get the chickens accustomed to laying eggs in designated boxes, the hens are carried to the egg-laying boxes when they are about to start producing eggs. This training process can take one to two months, with daily repetition from morning till night. Homemade Non-Toxic Feed Not only do the chickens get to play freely, but they also eat non-toxic and healthy feed. In the feed warehouse of the You Zhu Farm, various raw materials are stacked. Employees weigh and mix the ingredients before distributing them to the chicken coops. Luo Shilong, Luo Youzhu's father, began researching feed formulations. Luo Youzhu continued to adjust the recipes after taking over, having changed over 30 versions. The farm's feed primarily consists of five grains, with added microelements, seaweed, and probiotics. Luo Youzhu believes that just like humans eating a balanced diet, the chickens' feed must be well-proportioned. Challenging Yet Rewarding Despite the kind treatment, marketing remained a challenge. When Luo Youzhu initially switched from raising native chickens to laying hens, he lost his original customers. Young Luo Youzhu's visits to egg wholesalers were often met with skepticism. However, through an introduction by the "Taiwan Animal Society Research Association," which emphasizes friendly animal husbandry, many organic stores came to recognize You Zhu Farm's toxin-free eggs. Luo Youzhu also attends many small farmer's markets to communicate directly with consumers. Luo Youzhu's hard work paid off. The farm's eggs are now available at various locations, including Hsinchu County's youth farmer's direct sales station and organic stores. When reflecting on the difficulties, Luo Youzhu recalls the initial joy of collecting the first egg, which motivates him to continue sharing this simple happiness with others.