Pastured Meatbird Production Housing & Equipment

Funding for this presentation was provided by USDA's Outreach and Assistance to Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers (OASDFR) program (Project number 2009-00705), part of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, and Risk Management Agency (Award # 11-IE-53102-037)

Meatbird Housing

• Balance between:– Cost, Functionality, Portability

• Must fit management style– Pens– Day-Ranging– Fixed housing

• Brooders– Protect chicks until ready for pasture

Pre-pasture – In the Brooder

• Chicks shipped from hatchery• Supplemental heat required– Electric or Gas

• Bedding – litter• Prevent Coccidiosis– Sanitary conditions– Feeders & waterers full

• Chicks out at 2-4 wks– Weather dependent

Pasture Housing Designs

Day Ranging Mobile Pens

Mobile Pens—Salatin design

• Portable, Inexpensive• Moved once or 2x/day • 10 ft x 12 ft x 2 ft • Water via Bell waters• 75 birds/pen • Dolly used to move pen

and protect birds• Heat can be an issue• Nearly predator proof• Most common pen design

Day-Ranging Pen Design

Falling Sky Farm Pens• 10 ft x 12 ft x ~6 ½ ft• 60 birds/pen• Penning broilers• Day ranging turkeys &

ducks• Easy to work in (taller)

Day Ranging Pen Design

• Birds allowed outside pen

• More foraging– Insects & plants– Less trampling

• Manure spread more• Still move daily– More freedom

• Electric Poultry Netting– Has to be moved too Cattle Panel Pen

Dolly for Moving Pens

• Made of conduit• Slides under back of

pen, tilt back pen rides on dolly

• Prevents: – bird injuries (esp. leg)– Pen damage

• Rocks • Uneven ground• Grass tuffs

Electric Poultry Netting

• Netting with built-in stakes designed to be electrified

• Very effective in excluding predators

• Typically 164 ft long

• Can drain charger in wet weather

Poultry Waterers

• Chickens drink x2 more water by weight than feed they eat

• Good Water intake = more feed consumption

= growth = $$$

• Keep waterers level with chicken’s backs

• Bell waterers are most common on pasture

Poultry Waterers

Poultry die quickly in heat without adequate water • Keep water in shade during heat. • Consider additional water sources• Watering thirsty birds is chaotic• Consumption goes up 1-2% /˚F• Need clean water source– Hurts feed conversion & $$$– Dirty water clogs up waterers– Pond water won’t work

Poultry Feeders

• Can be expensive or homemade• Don’t have to restrict feed on pasture– Birds don’t eat in dark of night

• Running out of feed = Stress = lost $$$

• 4 inches linear/bird – less for round feeders

Homemade PVC Feeder

Resources• Organizations

– ATTRA – the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service – http://www.attra.org

– American Pastured Poultry Producers Association (APPPA) http://www.apppa.org/

• ATTRA Publications

• Magazines– GRIT! – APPPA Magazine

• Books– APPPA. 2006. Raising Poultry on Pasture – Ten Years of Success. 246 p.– Salatin, Joel. 1996. Pastured Poultry Profit$. 371 p.

Resources

• Suppliers– Cornerstone Farm Ventures -

http://www.cornerstone-farm.com/

– Kuhl Poultry Supply - http://www.kuhlcorp.com

– Kencove Fencing- http://www.kencove.com/fence/

– Premier Fencing- http://www.premier1supplies.com