Fast 15: Michaela Day

Michaela Day relocated from central Illinois to southwest Arkansas at the age of 8, where she spent her formative years on a bustling 70-acre hobby farm surrounded by diverse livestock.

Joining 4H at a young age and later FFA in high school, her passion for agriculture and animals blossomed.

Day pursued that interest by enrolling at the University of Arkansas. She was a member of the Razorback Marching Band Color Guard and eventually graduated with a bachelor’s degree in poultry science in 2019.

“[Poultry science] is a very niche piece of knowledge, and I’m passionate about being unique and different,” she said. “When [people] go to the store to buy eggs and chicken breasts, they don’t think about all the work that goes into that process [of getting it to the shelf]. And I love educating people about that and doing the work.”

Day spent two years after graduation working for Rose Acre Farms in Indiana. She joined Happy Egg in 2021 and initially focused on farm compliance, ensuring local farms met company standards.

With previous experience in egg layers and live animal production, Day quickly advanced in the company, and her work has positioned her as a company leader and contributes significantly to Happy Egg’s success as the largest free-range egg brand in the United States.

In early 2023, to complement her work managing the company’s acclaimed and fast-growing Heritage hen breed of Hölzl Blue and Hölzl Brown hens, Day embarked on a six-month journey to Europe to learn specialized poultry science methodologies under a world-accredited poultry scientist.

Returning to Northwest Arkansas, she developed comprehensive hen breed guides for Happy Egg farmers to improve care standards.

“I’ve been very blessed to be able to build a guide from the ground up,” Day said.

Day said she will continue to get feedback from Happy Egg farmers to develop the Heritage breed to its full potential.

“I want to improve the breed and their production without compromising the integrity,” she said. “They lay thick shells, so they’re not cracking in the carton.”

When asked her advice to new college graduates, Day said: “Do the scary thing. You’ll learn so much about yourself, and growth comes from putting yourself in uncomfortable situations and navigating them in a calm, professional way.”