Enhancing Meatbird Production Through Pasture Housing Solutions

1. 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)

2. Meatbird Housing • Balance between: • Cost, Functionality, Portability • Must fit management style • Pens • Day-Ranging • Fixed housing • Brooders • Protect chicks until ready for pasture

3. 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

4. Pasture Housing Designs Mobile Pens Day Ranging

5. 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

6. 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)

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. Homemade PVC Feeder

14. 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.

15. 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