Developing the grass in your yard for increasing free ranging nutrition

[Beekissed]

You are talking like a preacher.

Thank you!

I'm honored!

 

[SunnySkies]

I can see that. I'd think that electric netting paddocks would be the way to go on sheep in that kind of pasture...just a slight investment in a couple of paddocks worth could be easily moved and rotated all over your area that needs mowed. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy! They have built in push in stakes, two people can move the fencing easily and the grounding is in the bottom wire on the fencing, so no need for ground rods and such. Work well on simple, small solar chargers. A hundred foot of the Premier is $142 and free shipping and the fencing last up to 10 years with good care.

I HATE sheep. Sorry. Too many bad experiences with them growing up on a farm. I much prefer horses and goats. My uncle raised Barbados. We had various other breeds. Did not like them. A hundred feet wouldn't be enough. I looked into it before. And you can only put 3 together on one charger. I'd also be concerned about one of my horses trapping her feet in it and being repeatedly shocked. She has an uncanny ability to get herself into trouble in the most unexpected ways.

 

[centrarchid]

Thank you!

I'm honored!

Back it up with detailed observations. Not everyone will come to same conclusions you have but it helps make intelligent decisions and provides ideas on how to explore importance of the forages in a manner that everyone can digest. Doing so with many people actually quantifying what they see is another way to develop a real understanding of how the pasture impacts the birds. The fat coloration you have shown is an excellent example. How was the bird when dressed and what was it fed in addition to the free-range forage. Then compare to birds fed the standard fare in confinement but otherwise treated the same.

Next year I will try to do same with early hatch American Dominiques. Some will be free-ranged and others will be restricted to a run. Come late summer the cockerels will be dressed to see if their is a difference. It is important to my market that prefers old cock birds that are free-ranged based on religious reasons. They pay more just knowing they run loose but also seem able to distinguish rearing system based on appearance of carcass alone. And I say again they like the post-broiler birds, not the tender ones and snub their noses at Cornish X.

 

[Beekissed]

I'm sorry but I don't have any plans to confine birds and do experiments of that nature just to prove a point to some strangers on a chicken forum. I don't have any interest in proving anything to anyone and am well content with the results I'm seeing. I'm just not that committed to being correct in all things, I'm afraid. I do things here to improve the chicken's life and to cut costs at the same time, but I don't set out to intentionally do things so that I can prove to others that my methods work. Guess folks will just have to take it on faith or try it for themselves and see what happens.

Do you ever do something spontaneously to just see what happens, or do you always have to have a safe, studied path that has been well trod by others before you venture out?

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

Agreed. But we can wish in one hand and pour peas in the other while we wait for that to happen... or we can start a discussion here on this forum that gets others to explore the possibilities in their own backyards so they can experiment in their own place and time. The fact is, unless free range pasture based poultry becomes efficacious on a commercial level, no agricultural studies are likely to happen on the benefits and gains made by chickens on managed pasture.

Until then, those that have tried it can share with those who would like to and they can choose to take the information as is, or leave it behind...their choice. No one is forcing anyone to plant this or that in their yard. I'm simply showing what is happening in my free range flock when the typical yard grass is augmented by the introduction of intentional planting of legumes and tall fescue. I have no proof that those grasses are providing more and better nutrition for my flock other than my results and, to me, that's all that matters. Those needing more proof will have to look elsewhere to find it.

What you say there is so true. The more I read about poultry science, the more I realize I'm actually reading economics. I wish there were more studies on the actual nutrition of chickens instead of the economics of chicken rearing. I'm wishing for some "hard science" on what makes supremely healthy poultry, and also what makes a supremely nutritious poultry product. But of course the bulk of the research on poultry is done to best economize the poultry operation, with specific nutrients put into the ration to address specific performance issues. And because of the way research science is funded I don't expect any official entity will be doing the research any time soon. So we won't have specifics about optimal pasture plantings, etc.

There is a bit of an exception with regard to "Omega3 Eggs" which are being marketed as a premium product, so there is a financial incentive ... economic reason ... to figure out how to produce an "Omega3" egg. Here is a research study looking into various pastures and Omega3s in the eggs ... http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=7219036 ... and here is a more human writeup of that study: http://news.psu.edu/story/166143/20...eggs-pastured-chickens-may-be-more-nutritious

And of course there is the Mother Earth News article reporting on the nutritional analysis of pastured eggs ... http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/tests-reveal-healthier-eggs.aspx#axzz2mL0pr2CM ... This study looked into some of the other research which has been done, but also sent samples of pastured eggs to a lab for nutritional analysis.

But that's just part of the story. Getting a nutritious egg is one thing, having healthy poultry is another.

So far keeping my chicken pasture in "good shape" has been a bit of a challenge because in the end the birds had to be confined to less space than we had originally intended, so they are stressing their area. This means there are large areas of bare dirt in the chicken pastures. This is not great for the land and I don't think it is great for the birds, either. If it rains, their feet get dirty and this means so do their eggs. Bare ground is great for dust baths, but it isn't great for attracting insects. And the eggs don't have the full nutritional, flavor, or aesthetic enhancements of eggs from hens that eat as much "tender green" pasture as they want to.

What I'm hoping for is four full seasons of "tender green" pasture for my chickens. I'm also hoping I can rotate them between 3 or 4 large pasture areas so each area can "rest" for a decent amount of time. I believe rest periods are good for reducing the parasite load in the pasture. But it is more important, IMO, to give the birds plenty of room to roam so they don't destroy their area. This means not putting too many birds in too small a space for too long.

The photos you (Beekissed) show here are lovely. The birds look great out on the pasture and they look great headed to the pot. Chickens I've visited who have better pasture than mine look better than mine. That's incentive enough for me right there. But I also want super nutritious eggs, and I there is enough science available to suggest those come from good pasture. I never knew about micro clovers before ... that's great info ... it is low to the ground, it is easier to "nip" off for chickens ... it stays tender ... it has good nutrition. The only drawback I can think of for the micro clover is that it isn't as self-seeding as other options.

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

They are...and they leave the lawn looking like an England estate. Clipped to perfection all over, even the trim around the fences and buildings. I've watched them...they bite off everything but only the good parts get eaten. The rest is sorted by the tongue and shoved out the side of the mouth if not found to be to their liking. It's like having mowers that also fertilize. Plus, they are just beautiful and moochy, like big woolly dogs that love to follow you around and nuzzle your ear while you are working on fencing and such. And even more amusement than watching chickens at times...the funny things they do and get up to are priceless!

I never knew they had so much heart and intelligence until I got these hair sheep...I could write for days on what I discovered about these animals and I finally learned why they are referenced so much in the Bible. Definitely worthy of my time and money.

Now here is an exactly accurate statement. If you go walking in England ... which you WILL do if you visit England ... you will walk through pedestrian gates and across pastures full of sheep. Even in cities, towns or villages. The protected "Green Space" of England is well tended by sheep. Then when you cross borders, you will be asked if you had any contact with any livestock. I never know how to answer this because they want you to say, "Heavens no! I'm not transporting any Mad Cow disease!" or any hoof & mouth or whatever. But of course that's a lie. You walked in England, you stepped in sheep poo. Sheep are everywhere.

 

[Beekissed]

That's another bonus of sheep...the poo is a cool manure and it easily dispersed into the grass by the rains and the chickens. It's like having big rabbits out there.

 

[pegm]

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

Here is a link to a free online version of what is reportedly a very useful book on poultry nutrition; http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924003011545;view=1up;seq=11

The book is called Feeding Poultry by Gustave F. Heuser.

This book was reprinted and is available in hard copy via Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Feeding-Poult...090826&sr=1-1&keywords=Feeding+poultry+Heuser

Here is the promotional paragraph about this book:
FEEDING POULTRY is required reading for anyone interested in giving their flocks a better diet. First published in 1955, this book is modern enough that no important point is overlooked, yet old enough that free range, green feed, home-grown grains, and small flocks are given due attention. Written by pioneering poultry scientist G. F. Heuser of Cornell University, the book is aimed at practical poultrymen in addition to poultry scientists, and this makes it more accessible than more recent works. This book is part of the Norton Creek Classics series; books from our past with an important role to play in our future.


Has anyone here read this book? It has been on my list for a while, but I'm reluctant to bring more books into my house unless it is absolutely necessary. I'm happy I found the online version, even though it isn't in the most readable format.

 

[centrarchid]

Here is a link to a free online version of what is reportedly a very useful book on poultry nutrition; http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924003011545;view=1up;seq=11

The book is called Feeding Poultry by Gustave F. Heuser.

This book was reprinted and is available in hard copy via Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Feeding-Poult...090826&sr=1-1&keywords=Feeding+poultry+Heuser

Here is the promotional paragraph about this book:
FEEDING POULTRY is required reading for anyone interested in giving their flocks a better diet. First published in 1955, this book is modern enough that no important point is overlooked, yet old enough that free range, green feed, home-grown grains, and small flocks are given due attention. Written by pioneering poultry scientist G. F. Heuser of Cornell University, the book is aimed at practical poultrymen in addition to poultry scientists, and this makes it more accessible than more recent works. This book is part of the Norton Creek Classics series; books from our past with an important role to play in our future.


Has anyone here read this book? It has been on my list for a while, but I'm reluctant to bring more books into my house unless it is absolutely necessary. I'm happy I found the online version, even though it isn't in the most readable format.

I have a copy left behind by a poultry predecessor. It does not have what I am looking for in respect to level importance have to diet of free-range birds, rather information is qualitative.