Brad Burbaugh Duval County Extension Service Pastured Poultry Systems Brad Burbaugh Duval County Extension Service

Overview Alternative Production Choosing Meat Breeds Equipment Alternative Poultry Systems Supplies Predator and Disease Control Processing The Business of Pastured Poultry

Alternative Poultry Production Pastured Poultry Moveable pens Several options Free range poultry Non-confinement system USDA definition = out-of-doors for 51% of their lives Organic poultry (very difficult) Begins with day old chicks Feed, pasture and processor must be certified 1000 birds per season is working best for most producers

Elements of Pastured Operation Production, processing, and marketing Chickens forage for food Fresh grass = portion of diet Fresh pasture offered daily or weekly Fresh air and exercise when foraging Manure is spread evenly onto the pasture 30% of market in France Foraging=plants and insects (omnivours)

Pastured Poultry Pros Can start small and grow Poultry build soil fertility Strong demand for pastured poultry exists Can be run by one person; kids can help Provides sustainably produced meat Low capital investment to get started Poultry can attract customers for other products Excellent supplementary income, particularly if these farms direct market other products

Pastured Poultry Cons Labor intensive – especially on-farm processing Mostly seasonal Limited support system of suppliers, contractors and suppliers Weather-related stress and predation Reliable processing facilities hard to find

Choosing Meat Breeds Cornish X Unlike with layers, there are limited options Cornish X Other hybrid varieties (Barred Silvers.etc) Dual purpose varieties (Buffs, Barred Rocks)

Cornish X Advantages Disadvantages Grows out in about 8 weeks. Lower feed costs than some other breeds. Larger breast meat. Disadvantages More leg & heart problems. Less foraging desire. Less flavor.

Barred Silvers, Rainbows, etc. Advantages Better foragers Fewer health problems More texture to meat Better flavor Disadvantages Grow out in about 12 weeks Higher feed costs Smaller breasts See list of hatcheries in resource section of notebook. Can buy straight run

Equipment for Alternative Production Brooders Home until sufficiently feathered Most critical stage of growth First weeks determine long term survival & development Be prepared to check your chicks at least twice per day. Pay attention to details! Made of many different materials Basic brooder holds as many as 250 chicks can cost as little as $100 to construct Secure boxes where newly hatched chicks can live until sufficiently feathered to live outside.

Brooder Requirements Space Heat Sources Litter 1 square foot per bird 2 light bulbs 95o F for week 1 – then decrease 5o F per week. (need thermostat) Litter 3 inches of clean dry litter ( No sawdust or cedar ) Avoid slippery surfaces like newspaper Keep litter around water and feed dry and clean Wood shavings 2 lamps – in case one burns out. Space= fully grown (6 weeks) Decrease by decreasing light bulb size Pine bark, newspaper dry and clean= no caking of crap

Brooder Requirements Water Feeders Delivery Day 1 quart for every 25 birds (clean and fill daily) For large number automatic watering systems work best Feeders Place near heat, but not directly underneath source Fresh food in front of chicks at all times Delivery Day Brooder should be up and running 24 hr before chicks arrive Have them sent overnight Show each bird water source Regulate by moving away or close to heat source Largest loses due to slow shipment…can survive 72 hrs on old, but sooner the better

Pasture Housing Protect from rain and cold when first on pasture. After about four weeks, chickens can tolerate cold or rain, but not at same time. Need to provide shade. Broilers can not take extreme heat. 3 weeks in brooder 7 weeks in pasture Beyond a brooder and field pen, producers only need feed

Pastured Poultry Systems The Salatin System 80-100 birds per pen Lightweight, bottomless 12’ x 10’ x 2’ (LWH) pen moved one pen length onto fresh grass everyday. 1/3 to ½ of the pen has a flat sheet metal roof Most common water system is gravity fed bell waterer Cost = $130 (Lowe’s) Step-by-step how to build in resource section of notebook Notice feeder on top Cost to build

The Salatin System Advantages Disadvantages Low cost unit Prevents build up of manure Grass cover is not destroyed Poultry protected from flying predators Disadvantages Pens need to be moved everyday Nighttime predators Hard to reach in pen to get birds May not be enough shade during hot periods Better weight gains

Day Range Systems Poultry house on skids ( 8’ x 18’ ) moved to field at beginning of growing period Bird on pasture during day and shut in house at night. Moved on weekly basis Pasture activity controlled by electrified netting. 400 birds per acre Cost is variable 160’ electronet poultry fence = $160 Electrical source = variable Poultry house = ~ $400 Netting moved to several locations around the house during growing period.

Day Range Systems Advantages Disadvantages Better protection from nighttime predators Provides non-wet grounds and protection from rain Easy to catch birds Disadvantages More expensive Exposed to flying predators House needs to be cleaned in between batches Care of birds is required in AM and PM Grass can be damaged if fence not moved often

Chicken Tractors Bottomless, portable shelter-pen that fits over garden beds Many designs Mostly commonly used with fruit and vegetable production Popular among sustainable production enthusiasts

Chicken Tractor Advantages Disadvantages Can be moved very easily Insect control Source of fertilizer Used in urban areas Disadvantages Ground can become barren Semi-labor intensive Not made for a large amount of poultry if overstocked or not moved

Feeders Hanging System Raise and lower to bird height Outer lip level with birds back Prevents spillage and spoilage Trough Feeder Systems Chickens more susceptible to disease Taken out of pen before moving More chickens can feed at once Some producers hang feeders so they don't have to take them out to move the pens.

Watering Systems Five-gallon bucket atop the pen will gravity feed a bell waterer Mesh screen across top Attach to pen Hoses can be used on nipple waterers Daily water consumption at 90o F Chickens…8.4 gallons Turkeys…..120 gallons Water intake varies greatly white buckets, which stay cooler and attract fewer hose-clogging insects than colored buckets, and tie a plastic mesh screen across the top if necessary to keep out bugs and leaves. Fasten buckets to the pen to keep them from blowing off as they empty. A pen of 7- or 8-week-old broilers can drink 10 gallons (44 liters) or more between morning and evening chores. Roughages increases need for water for breakdown Most essential nutrient Pastured poultry need more water

Predator Control Type of control depends on system Salatin and tractor = nocturnal predators Place pens well inside pastures instead of along wooded fence lines. Predators reluctant to travel across open territory. Dogs, traps, motion lights, bungee cords Free Range = flying predators Have as little tree cover as possible. Poultry have a sixth sense in open air. 747 at 10,000 feet

Disease Control Disease rarely reported in pastured poultry systems 10% mortality is normal Most common loss due to getting wet in rainstorms Parasites not a problem because of grass rotation Poultry disease flow charts in production section

Processing Equipment Kill Cones Scalder Plucker Stainless steel table Running water Plastic tubs Sharp knives Ice Bags

The Business of Pastured Poultry Labor 80 hours to build one pen, raise, process and market 100 birds Average 20 hours a week Costs Feed is 2/3 of production costs Income Typically, producer nets 50% of sale price Chickens $1.75 per pound @ 3.5 pounds Turkeys $3.00 per pound @18 pounds Feed is variable cost- Average payments for conventional growers raising chickens is 22 cents per 3.5 pound bird

Questions References Free Range Poultry Production and Marketing: A Guide to Raising, Processing, and Marketing Premium Quality Chicken and Turkey and Eggs, by Herman Beck Chenoweth Success with Baby Chicks, by Robert Plamadon The Chicken Health Handbook, by Gail Demerow Grit!, bimonthly newsletter published by American Pastured Poultry Producers Association (APPPA) The Dollar Hen: The Classic Guide to American Free-Range Egg Farming, by M. Hastings and Robert Plamondon Profitable Poultry: Raising Birds on Pasture by Sustainable Agriculture Network Pastured Poultry Research by Truman State University