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Subject: Market Farming
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- From: "Steven Moize" <Shady_Grove_Farm AT msn.com>
- To: "roxann" <roxann AT ancientearthwisdom.com>, "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
- Subject: Re: [Market-farming] pastured poultry
- Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 19:17:11 -0400
Roxann,
One, if you have no prior experience raising poultry, I would
suggest you start small, less than 100 birds per batch. A brooder for 500
birds would be quite large (25' x 25' square) at minimum, I like more room
personally...
Two, remember, before you put birds in the brooder or on the ground, you
should have all necessary equipment and infrastructure in place
beforehand. Do not make the mistake of thinking you can 'build as you
go'.
Three, as for processing the birds, what state are you in? I am
in NC and we own an independent poultry and rabbit abattoir (processing
facility). We are USDA inspected.
Four, on farm processing has its limit, restrictions, pitfalls,
etc... USDA inspection (or in some states a state inspected processing
facility) is required to sell to restaurants and in public venues (farmers
markets/off farm). If you process on farm you must sell on farm. 500
birds will require a freezer and proper packaging. I do not know of anyone
who can sell 500 birds before they could spoil (refrigerated). A typical
deep chest freezer will hold 200 birds max.
Four, think about feed and storage. 500 broiler birds will
eat about 250 pounds of feed per day even on pasture. You can not expect a
production broiler to survive, much less achieve a market weight in 6-10 weeks
on grass alone.
Production broilers do not forage as well as heritage breed birds. In
fact, they are quite lazy in that respect. They are bred for eating
and growing, not foraging.
I teach pastured poultry and sustainable livestock classes in our area,
please, feel free to contact me if you have questions before you start.
Our farm is organic, our livestock are pastured/free roaming, our feed is mostly
forage based.
There is way too much info to convey in an e-mail, contact me if you would
like more help,
Steven Moize
The Shady Grove Farm and JBF Processing
|
-
[Market-farming] pastured poultry,
roxann, 04/20/2007
- Re: [Market-farming] pastured poultry, Brigette Leach, 04/20/2007
- Re: [Market-farming] pastured poultry, Steven Moize, 04/20/2007
- Re: [Market-farming] pastured poultry, Beth Spaugh, 04/20/2007
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