Salatin style meat pen finished (PIC A Little Heavy)

[Buster52]

I am bookmarking this thread. I built a modified Salatin pen, but nothing like this. Not as close to a Salatin pen as yours is.

A friend just came back from his year's apprenticeship at Polyface and let me scope out his new pens while under construction (long after I had already built mine). Only place yours isn't dead on is the corner posts are all 2x2 and he uses a lot one 1x2s. Other than that it looks dead on accurate.

So FRESH is being released to theaters? We screened it twice last year. Excellent film. Much better than Food Inc.

 

[Sundown_Farmer]

I have a pen like this and I'm very pleased with it. I made mine with treated 5/4 lumber. I made the dolly too. The dolly makes all the difference in the world at moving time. It's 4' wide and offers a lot of stability.

Quote:
I think he said if fewer, the birds run around too much. If more, they put down too much nitrogen. 90 birds in that space put down 300# of nitrogen per acre. That's enough.

Also, his 10x12 holds 90 birds but I don't think that means that a 5x5 would hold 20 birds. There's probably some sort of efficiency loss on a curve. Maybe more like 10 birds in a 5x5. I keep 50 in an 8x10. I don't mind if they run a bit but I'm not squeezing 15,000 birds/year on 150 acres along with cows, pigs and turkeys. It's just my yard.

 

[Sundown_Farmer]

Quote:
Is that Grady? Does he welcome visitors? Man have I got questions. Will put up hay for answers.

 

[randyandmegs]

Its actually all 1x3 lumber. I was pretty worried until the last braces, roof and wire went on then it got pretty sturdy. I coated all the wood in boiled linseed oil (trying to use something more natural) as a preservitive. Good to know on the water because I work 24 hour shifts (Paramedic). I will have to either add an additional waterer on the ground or 2 bell waterers with 10 gallons total. My father-in-law is an expert welder so he is making the dolly for me.

 

[randyandmegs]

The website for Fresh put me on a waiting list for when the DVD gets released. I didnt mean to imply it was coming out at the movies. I am going to the screening in Rock Hill SC next month. Looks really great.

 

[Bossroo]

You can make that pen out of metal ( galvanized or aluminum ) electrical conduit or with heavy guage 3/4pvc pipe ( very light weight) to eliminate having to paint it as well as easier to move.

 

[Buster52]

Quote:
Is that Grady? Does he welcome visitors? Man have I got questions. Will put up hay for answers.

Yes, he is, and yes, he does, by appointment. He is currently my pork and beef farmer, as I haven't started on mine yet.

He is processing broilers on Saturday, and I have volunteered to assist if he will show me the Salatin method of poultry processing. I'm looking forward to learning from a pro.

And speaking of FRESH, Grady was kind enough to do a presentation on his Poliface experience following the screening. He did a great job. Very motivated and an excellent speaker. Good as the film was, he was the hit of the evening.

PM me if you want his contact information.

 

[kattwoman]

Quote:
Why wouldn't you want the birds to move around a lot? I currently have 13 cornish x in an 8x12 tractor and they have tons of room to stretch out. We try to let them out a little bit at night to get a little more exercise. I was under the impression that would make for a healthier bird.

 

[Buster52]

I disagree with Salatin's stocking ratios and reasoning behind it. He's been doing it a long time, but I just can't bring myself to crowd birds like that.

 

[Paul Ewing]

Yeah, the whole point of doing it myself is I don't want to replicate the super crowded broiler barn conditions. If all the difference is eating grass instead of pure feed, that doesn't make much difference in my view.