Poultry Management
Learning Objectives
The learner will...
- Understand the role livestock (specifically poultry) in farm system
- Learn how to care for chicks
- Learn how to raise chickens for eggs, meat, and other
- Learn about pasture-based production models
Why Raise Chickens
- Entertainment
- Eggs
- Meat
- Fertilizer
- Bug and Weed Control
- Breeding Stock
Chicken Terminology
- Hen — mature female chicken > 1 year
- Pullet — immature female chicken < 1 year
- Cockerel — male chicken < 1 year
- Rooster male — chicken > 1 year
- Straight / hatchery run — unsexed
- Molt — natural process of shedding feathers
- Brood — to care for batch of chicks
- Broody — hen that sets
- Crop — pouch where chicken digests food
- Vent — opening through which hens lay eggs
Brooding
- Equipment
- Feeders
- Waterers
- Temperature
- Litter
- Nutrition
- Grit critical - use stream sand - usually higher mineral content
- Add hay chaff - seeds of perennials generally higher in nutrition than annuals (grains)
- Fresh green vegetable matter - garden waste, grass clippings (not too much, especially meat birds - bred for hot feeds)
Chicken Breeds
Egg Production
- Production layers: 250-280 eggs / year
- Average brown egg layer: 150-200 eggs / year
- Hens begin laying at about 5-6 months of age
- Production falls off as hens age - replace every 2-3 years to maintain profit
- Egg color:
- White (Leghorns)
- Brown (Barred Rock, Rhode Island Reds, Buff Ophington, Black Australorp, New Hampshire Reds)
- Colored (Auracana/Americana) 1 egg every 3 days
- Yolk Color - affected by plant pigments beta carotene and xanthophylls (green plant material or yellow corn will turn yolks orange)
Winter Production
- Egg production will decline in the fall and may cease during Nov - Jan
- Can sustain with lighting:
- 40-60 watt bulb, 16 hours / day on timer
- 15 watt bulb 24 hours / day
Egg Processing
- Storage:
- 1 month or more in the fridge
- 2-3 months < 55 degrees at 75% humidity
- Egg quality diminishes in storage
Chicken Coop Design
- Stationary vs. Mobile
- Should provide protection from weather, drafts
- Need adequate ventilation
- Feeders - 5-6 inches per bird
- Waterers - 1-2 inches per bird
- Roosts - 8 - 12 inches roost space per adult, 15 inches between roosts (sloping)
- Nest boxes - 12" x 12" spacing, 4" lip across front, 2 feet above floor, 1 box per 5 birds
Disease Prevention
- Sanitation
- Adequate space
- Fresh air / ventilation
- Proper nutrition
- Cull as needed
- Protect from predators
Pastured Poultry Production
- Feed requirements drop 30 - 50%
- Housing:
- Eggmobile (henabago)
- Hoop houses
- Variations on the chicken tractor
- Grass height important (too tall, will be trampled)
- Rotation with other livestock
Marketing
- Eggs: Direct vs. Retail
- Designations: certified organic, free-range, free-nested, cage free
Assessment/Review
- What role can chickens play in an agricultural ecosystem?
- What are the benefits of pastured poultry production models?
- List important considerations for care of chicks.
- What are the basic feed requirements of chicks? Chickens?
References
ATTRA (Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas)
Website: http://attra.ncat..org/.
Damerow, G. 1994.
The Chicken Health Handbook. Storey Books, North Adams, MA.344 pp.
Salatin, J. 1993.
Pastured Poultry Profits. Polyface, Inc, Swoope, VA.371 pp.
Sources for Chicks
- Phinney Hatchery, 1331 Dell Ave., Walla Walla, WA
- Murray McMurray, Webster City, IA
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