Chronicles of Raising Meat Birds - Modern Broilers, Heritage and Hybrids

[iwltfum]

They must be caged. Does this offend you? Caged means higher density and a poop management system.

Thanks so much for the detailed response. It was my understanding that they need to be caged or else they would fly the coop. I raise my meat birds in pasture pens so I'm used to confined birds.

I let the chickens under the quail cages and they clean up the spilled feed and stir the quail poop into the shredded wood chips to keep the flies down. I scoop all this into a compost pile a couple of times a year.

That genius. My free range laying hens do the same thing in my pasture behind my pasture pens. They run out there every morning when I go out to move the pens to get at the newest ground scores and tear up any matted poop.

Since I'm not sure what management style you'd prefer, I'd say start reading and see.
Big questions, cages inside the garage, barn or outbuilding or outside with weather protection? What type of weather protection?
Youtube channel Simply Redneck has the style of cages that I'm using from recycled lumber.
MyShire farms supplies eggs and information on the different color patterns.
Other youtubers show you their set ups.
I prefer the 2 foot deep cages so I can reach all parts. Simply Redneck uses 4 foot and has to stick his head and torso inside to reach the far side. Your choice.

Will do. I had done some initial reading a couple weeks ago, but you get alot better info from talking to someone who's done it before than googling sometimes.

Best wishes with what you decide. Since you are producing chickens, you may ask your FDA processor if they will process and inspect quail. Not sure how you'd market them in your state for sale to the general public.

Thanks! I would do the processing myself. We built a state inspected poultry slaughter house on our farm a couple years ago so I'm looking at new ways to utilize it. We're also looking into ducks since we have a pond, but the area around the pond is a couple years away from being cleared and, from what I understand, ducks are more difficult to manage than chickens. Thanks again for your advice.

 

[RUNuts]

Will do. I had done some initial reading a couple weeks ago, but you get alot better info from talking to someone who's done it before than googling sometimes.

You are most welcome. Please ask detailed questions and I will try to answer. the general questions have so many ifs, ands and buts attached to them and what I like may not be suitable for you. I don't want to steer you wrong. Do buy eggs from MyShire.

I thought farming was a lot more work and more profitable. I'm finding I'm wrong on both accounts. This confuses me to no end. The production food mills have drastically changed things. I'm happy to do my thing in the off time while being a wage slave. Good eating for me and my family. I'm backing off my egg business (if you want to call it that, more like welfare assistance ) and will reduce to less than a dozen chickens and quail for eggs. Interesting what I have learned and more than willing to offer opinions. But they are worth what you pay for them.

 

[Parront]

I thought farming was a lot more work and more profitable

The profits do not go to the farmers, they go to guys like Sonny Perdue. Us food eaters would love for farmers to make more. Instead we are learning to raise our own safe & healthy food.

 

[RUNuts]

The profits do not go to the farmers, they go to guys like Sonny Perdue. Us food eaters would love for farmers to make more. Instead we are learning to raise our own safe & healthy food.

And this is why we are hanging out on a meat bird forum. Healthy and happy taste better.

 

[Parront]

And this is why we are hanging out on a meat bird forum. Healthy and happy taste better.

Absolutely!

 

[FortCluck]

14 butchered. 12 in the freezer and 2 heading for supper.


Easier? Maybe? Different, yes. Figure 6-8 ounce carcass weights. Do you want to mess with such tiny things? 8 weeks to maturity and butcher. If you like hatching, you can hatch a lot. Keep a net handy. Useful for the escapes that rocket past your head.

They must be caged. Does this offend you? Caged means higher density and a poop management system. Because of this, I'm leaning towards meat chickens and a few quail for eggs. My choice. The chickens in the yard are less time consuming to poop manage, feed and water. They are neat little things and tasty. Family prefers chickens for dinner.

I let the chickens under the quail cages and they clean up the spilled feed and stir the quail poop into the shredded wood chips to keep the flies down. I scoop all this into a compost pile a couple of times a year. I have boxes of wood chips for them to lay and escape from the wire. They spend their time on both. I do clean out the boxes of wood chips as needed. Few birds, once a month. Max density, a week. Poop happens.

Since I'm not sure what management style you'd prefer, I'd say start reading and see.
Big questions, cages inside the garage, barn or outbuilding or outside with weather protection? What type of weather protection?
Youtube channel Simply Redneck has the style of cages that I'm using from recycled lumber.
MyShire farms supplies eggs and information on the different color patterns.
Other youtubers show you their set ups.
I prefer the 2 foot deep cages so I can reach all parts. Simply Redneck uses 4 foot and has to stick his head and torso inside to reach the far side. Your choice.

Best wishes with what you decide. Since you are producing chickens, you may ask your FDA processor if they will process and inspect quail. Not sure how you'd market them in your state for sale to the general public.


It sounds like you spend a lot of time interacting with your birds. I feed mine and watch them watching me. I put some in a chicken tractor and had to net them to get them out again. Several flew past me as I opened the lid. The dog helped retrieve those. A walk in, close the door behind you sounds like it would work better in my yard. Maybe one day I'll make a dog proof, cattle panel aviary and tractor.

Yes, butchering is easy. Since you skin chickens, these are easier. Snip the head, wings and feet off. Pull them out of the skin and eviscerate. I save the hearts for me. The gizzards were too small to mess with after the first time. Tasty, but time consuming. Dogs get the livers, gizzards, testes and feet.

Thanks for explaining that. I spend a lot of time with mine and handle them a lot

 

[FortCluck]

Thanks so much for the detailed response. It was my understanding that they need to be caged or else they would fly the coop. I raise my meat birds in pasture pens so I'm used to confined birds.


That genius. My free range laying hens do the same thing in my pasture behind my pasture pens. They run out there every morning when I go out to move the pens to get at the newest ground scores and tear up any matted poop.


Will do. I had done some initial reading a couple weeks ago, but you get alot better info from talking to someone who's done it before than googling sometimes.


Thanks! I would do the processing myself. We built a state inspected poultry slaughter house on our farm a couple years ago so I'm looking at new ways to utilize it. We're also looking into ducks since we have a pond, but the area around the pond is a couple years away from being cleared and, from what I understand, ducks are more difficult to manage than chickens. Thanks again for your advice.

I’m doing free range quail but they were raised by a bantam chicken. They act like chicken not quail

 

[iwltfum]

I thought farming was a lot more work and more profitable. I'm finding I'm wrong on both accounts.

The way I think of it, bigger scale translates to bigger profits, which is why the big guys do so well while still charging basically nothing for their meat (besides the fact that lots of tax dollars goes to subsidizing the cost, which is infuriating since I don't eat that stuff). And it's a major reason why my business keeps growing. I started raising chickens as a hobby and for the cost efficiency of good quality eggs. Then started selling eggs and meat to friends, then at farmers markets. I'm at a point now where I quit my day job (at a pastured poultry farm) to focus on my own farm. We have spent years corralling a loyal market base that understands the efforts and costs associated with raising local, small scale, healthy, humane, etc birds and are willing to pay what they are worth. I expect we will spend decades educating and re-educating to sustain and grow our farm's customer base. The only way we have found to make a profit is by spending time educating current and potential customers or else they scoff at the true price of a whole chicken or, worse yet, a package of chicken breast. Not everywhere has such a good grip on local food as Maine does though. I am lucky in that way.

 

[Parront]

The way I think of it, bigger scale translates to bigger profits, which is why the big guys do so well while still charging basically nothing for their meat (besides the fact that lots of tax dollars goes to subsidizing the cost, which is infuriating since I don't eat that stuff). And it's a major reason why my business keeps growing. I started raising chickens as a hobby and for the cost efficiency of good quality eggs. Then started selling eggs and meat to friends, then at farmers markets. I'm at a point now where I quit my day job (at a pastured poultry farm) to focus on my own farm. We have spent years corralling a loyal market base that understands the efforts and costs associated with raising local, small scale, healthy, humane, etc birds and are willing to pay what they are worth. I expect we will spend decades educating and re-educating to sustain and grow our farm's customer base. The only way we have found to make a profit is by spending time educating current and potential customers or else they scoff at the true price of a whole chicken or, worse yet, a package of chicken breast. Not everywhere has such a good grip on local food as Maine does though. I am lucky in that way.

We have a couple of guys here that sell grass-fed beef at the farmer's market. We pay what it costs gladly. No chicken.

 

[FortCluck]

And this is why we are hanging out on a meat bird forum. Healthy and happy taste better.

Yes so true!!!