- Jan 21, 2007
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I'm new to this chicken business. Our family farm already raises grass fed beef, lamb, and pastured pork, but I thought I'd strike out and do something on my own (I also keep bees and have started working with mushrooms).
After reading Joel Salatin & anything else I can get my hands on, I've decided to try my hand at the pastured poultry similar to Joel's operation. What seemed like a pretty simple idea has upturned soooo many questions. Seemingly-very-dumb ones with obvious answers that I can't find! So, here goes, and many thanks in advance!
1. Do I buy male or female broilers?
2. Where do you recommend buying starter & finisher from? Can I feed broilers 18% or do I need to stick to 22-28%? How much feed does each bird consume in its first 3 weeks in brooder & remaining 5 weeks on pasture?
3. Any good recommendations on how to put together a brooder? I plan to start with 200 chicks, and have a great pole barn next to our house that I'd like to use (with a hover??)
That's enough to start with. I've got chicken on my brain 24/7 it feels like.
Thanks! Amy
After reading Joel Salatin & anything else I can get my hands on, I've decided to try my hand at the pastured poultry similar to Joel's operation. What seemed like a pretty simple idea has upturned soooo many questions. Seemingly-very-dumb ones with obvious answers that I can't find! So, here goes, and many thanks in advance!
1. Do I buy male or female broilers?
2. Where do you recommend buying starter & finisher from? Can I feed broilers 18% or do I need to stick to 22-28%? How much feed does each bird consume in its first 3 weeks in brooder & remaining 5 weeks on pasture?
3. Any good recommendations on how to put together a brooder? I plan to start with 200 chicks, and have a great pole barn next to our house that I'd like to use (with a hover??)
That's enough to start with. I've got chicken on my brain 24/7 it feels like.
Thanks! Amy