Pastoral Poultry, Traditional Farming For A Modern Era

This thread is for the exchange of ideas related to pastoral farming, the raising of heritage and heirloom poultry for food and enjoyment. Discussion topics include relevant breeds, pastoral methods, modern insights, farm-to-table food regulations, procedures for healthy flock maintenance, promotion of small farms, slow-food and other topics related to this artisanal adventure.

Is anyone raising poultry these days for production? If so, what breeds for what purposes? Is it just for your own use, or have you found a way to connect with others through a farmer's market, co-op, or by direct farm sales? We'd love to hear your experiences.

I also am interested in learning more on this topic. I am currently trying to acquire some chickens so I am not at the same level most here are at but I am trying. I want to start out right and only set everything up once and I have learned a ton of info from this site and I am always reading and tryin to learn more everyday. Thanks in advance for any further info on this topic. Mike

Mike...thanks for coming over. We just started this thread yesterday, but hoping it will build over time. What chickens are you starting with and what are your goals?

I have Buckeyes which we raise for both meat and eggs. We do our own processing. We bought a plucker because it made the processing go a lot faster.

Recently we also started breeding La Fleche (they are in their experimental stage & we don't know whether or not they will become permanent). I do not see the la Fleche replacing the Buckeye, that is for sure. We recently ate our first La Fleche but they are not the good size like my Buckeyes. The Buckeyes I have make a good table fowl. I breed for the best Buckeye for the table (good type and good rate of growth) & for a bird that can forage decently. Color & those other traits are all secondary to me. This has worked well for my purposes.

Chris,
Thanks...just sent you an email but now that I've read your post it answered a lot of my questions. What plucker do you use? We have done it all by hand in the past and it was 90% of the time and work in processing. Looking to get a good plucker soon, would love your suggestions.
-Brice

Brice,
I hope this thread takes off. We grow chemical free naturally grown produce that my wife sells at the local Certified Farmers Market.
We will also be selling eggs there in the future.
We use our flock for both meat and eggs. Our main breeds are Rhode Island Reds, Columbian Plymouth Rocks, and Barred Plymouth Rocks. All of which are non Hatchery "Heritage" strains.

I won't say this too loud, but I also experiment crossing these strains onto other breeds to produce meat birds.
One of my best crosses to date has been HRIR to BC Marans, which produced fine table birds.
This cross also makes a Very Nice laying hen.

Look foward to learning from this thread.

Also on the Plucker, We purchased a Plucker from Power Plucker, it works surprisingly well.
http://www.powerplucker.com/

Ron Fogle

FOGELLY said:

Brice,
I hope this thread takes off. We grow chemical free naturally grown produce that my wife sells at the local Certified Farmers Market.
We will also be selling eggs there in the future.
We use our flock for both meat and eggs. Our main breeds are Rhode Island Reds, Columbian Plymouth Rocks, and Barred Plymouth Rocks. All of which are non Hatchery "Heritage" strains.

I won't say this too loud, but I also experiment crossing these strains onto other breeds to produce meat birds.
One of my best crosses to date has been HRIR to BC Marans, which produced fine table birds.
This cross also makes a Very Nice laying hen.

Look foward to learning from this thread.

Also on the Plucker, We purchased a Plucker from Power Plucker, it works surprisingly well.
http://www.powerplucker.com/

Ron Fogle

Click to expand...

Ha ha... I hear you about the "I won't say this too loud.." That's really what this thread is about, talking about the practicalities of things and sharing what we do. It's not to say that we aren't preserving these heritage breeds, but we are also looking for ways to increase their value in creative ways. Two questions about the Power Plucker: 1) is that super messy? Silly I know, but just curious, and 2) do you have any issues with tearing the skin? (and 3), does it hurt like crazy if those things smack your fingers.... ?)

Quote:
(1) no, not messy. You have water running and all the feathers come out of the chute -- have a bucket there to catch it all; (2) no, I have no issues with any tearing of the skin on the carcass (a plucker takes off the feathers off in about 10-15 seconds tops, about three birds at the same time, no tears or rips and (3) you keep your fingers out of there when it is running, shutting it off to take the birds out.

cgmccary said:

(1) no, not messy. You have water running and all the feathers come out of the chute -- have a bucket there to catch it all; (2) no, I have no issues with any tearing of the skin on the carcass (a plucker takes off the feathers off in about 10-15 seconds tops, about three birds at the same time, no tears or rips and (3) you keep your fingers out of there when it is running, shutting it off to take the birds out.

Click to expand...

Chris,
What Plucker do you use? I was asking Ron about the "mess, tearing, fingers" because he uses the Power Plucker, which is the attachment for a power drill. We are considering the Whizbang, but open to other ideas. Anything is better than the hand plucking.