Pasture/Pen Rotation for CornishX

[houseofhagemans]

We're planning out how best to maximize our backyard space for homesteading and what with the laying flock we have already purchased and the size of garden we want, that leaves us with very little space for raising our own meat source which is also important to us. We have either enough space for a larger stationary paddock for 30 birds, OR two smaller pastures that are rotated back and forth - but I never see sources stating how often to rotate between only two pastures. Which would be more beneficial? We would have about 4 months in between new flocks of meat birds during which I imagine the vegetation would recover, right? So I'm inclined to think a stationary pen is acceptable? It's just that every resource I'm finding lately has insisted on pasture rotation. And while I see how it's beneficial I just don't know if we have the space. Do we just scrap the meat sourcing idea, given our limited space? Or content ourselves with a less-than-ideal-but-still-better-than-Purdue-and-Tyson sort of setting?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

We're planning out how best to maximize our backyard space for homesteading and what with the laying flock we have already purchased and the size of garden we want, that leaves us with very little space for raising our own meat source which is also important to us. We have either enough space for a larger stationary paddock for 30 birds, OR two smaller pastures that are rotated back and forth - but I never see sources stating how often to rotate between only two pastures. Which would be more beneficial? We would have about 4 months in between new flocks of meat birds during which I imagine the vegetation would recover, right? So I'm inclined to think a stationary pen is acceptable? It's just that every resource I'm finding lately has insisted on pasture rotation. And while I see how it's beneficial I just don't know if we have the space. Do we just scrap the meat sourcing idea, given our limited space? Or content ourselves with a less-than-ideal-but-still-better-than-Purdue-and-Tyson sort of setting?

How quickly your pastures replenish depends on time of year, how badly they've been damaged, climate, and a host of factors - there is no one size fits all.

Cx are not particularly known as "explorers" - they will happily plop their (hopefully) fat [butts] down between the feed and the water and gorge to their little heart's content. For that reason, they are usually either tractored, or raised in stationary enclosures, slaughtered in bulk, and the carcasses frozen for future use. Often, they are raised twice yearly - saves freezer space - spring and fall.

Its impractical to hatch and raise your own Cx - you will need to purchase them each time, which increases costs significantly. For that reason, many homesteaders go with a less feed efficient bird they can raise in more sustainable fashion. While I'm not, technically, a homesteader, we've been hatching about a dozen a month, averaging 8-10 live births, and taking about 2 birds a week for our own use - generally a young male and an older hen - which keeps the flock size stable and provides for replacement of birds before their production drops significantly.

Out of curiosity, was rotational grazing recommended for parasite control, or for pasture replenishment? I often see a four pasture method recommended for parasite control, while a two pasture is of course all that's needed for replenishment, that and proper flock sizing.

 

[Mrs. K]

Another idea, instead of 30 at once, do considerably less. Consider your family, and how much chicken you eat in 8 weeks.

Then raise up that amount, in one space, leaving the other space to recover. Every 4-6 weeks start a new batch. With much smaller groups, you could probably divide your space into 4 parts, with one part on, 3 parts resting, each part eventually would have close to 24 weeks of rest before birds were on it again.

This would drastically decrease the wear and tear on your space, give empty space more time to recover, take less space in the freezer, and still feed. your family.

Mrs K

 

[iwltfum]

We would have about 4 months in between new flocks of meat birds during which I imagine the vegetation would recover, right?

Really depends on how big the pastures are and the health of the soil. Generally when people say "smaller pasture" I find it means that it's too small. So I'm inclined to say that the answer to your question that I quoted here is no. If you exhaust a pasture's soil with chickens, it's best to wait at least a year to grow chickens on that area for another round. Better for the health of the soil, and better for the health of the chickens.

 

[houseofhagemans]

Another idea, instead of 30 at once, do considerably less. Consider your family, and how much chicken you eat in 8 weeks.

Then raise up that amount, in one space, leaving the other space to recover. Every 4-6 weeks start a new batch. With much smaller groups, you could probably divide your space into 4 parts, with one part on, 3 parts resting, each part eventually would have close to 24 weeks of rest before birds were on it again.

This would drastically decrease the wear and tear on your space, give empty space more time to recover, take less space in the freezer, and still feed. your family.

Mrs K

Thanks for this! Definitely will consider.

 

[Mrs. K]

When I first started, I thought I had to do a huge amount, and do them all at once, as in 1 mess. As I went down this path, I found it much easier to just do a small group. I often harvest 2-3 at a time, which works well for me...in my work, in my fridge, and in my freezer.

 

[houseofhagemans]

How often do you get new chicks, and at what ages do you harvest them when doing this method?

 

[Geena]

Or do more per batch depending on the size of your paddock and how you intend to harvest them, that would give you more recovery time in between.
Everyone works differently, personally I prefer to get all the butchering done in as short a time frame as possible, as we use a lot of stuff that needs to be hauled out, cleaned and set up and then cleaned up again, taken down and put back away. We rest them in coolers so no worry about fridge space and I've got three freezers so that's not a problem.
Do you actually need the vegetation to recover? Is that because you want the birds to have some available, or is it for aesthetic reasons? Pretty much no matter how you slice it growing a bunch meat birds in a small area is going to put a hurting on the soil and vegetation.

 

[Mrs. K]

Well I will get a dozen of straight run. Then harvest the bigger ones, wait a week or so harvest some more, and then the last batch. It is mostly just my DH and me, and each bird is multiple meals. So I only do so once a year. I usually start harvesting by week 7 - and harvest till week 9-10, depending on size.

With the big ones out of there, the smaller get more to eat, and gain up.

When I started - I got way too many, and did them all on one day, and it was exhausting. Last couple of years, I had someone tell that she never did more than 3 -4 at a time. Much more relaxed, and easier for me. I do them by myself.

So I thought if you can get them 2-3 times a year. It might work better than 30 all at once.

Mrs K

 

[Tre3hugger]

Might I chime in and suggest rabbits as a meat source instead? Here is why...

1. No brooding needed, Mama will take care of all that, every time.
2. Rabbit poop can be direct sown into your garden, OR used to make INCREDIBLE compost. It is the true black gold, and has increased my plant yield by about 30 percent when coupled with composted (1 yr) chicken litter.
3. THE SPACE REQUIREMENT! This may be the most important for you. I currently raise between 75-100 lbs of rabbit meat a year, using only 2 does. My rabbit cages (4Lx2.5Wx1.5H) are a little over twice the size recommended by the USDA. I suspended them from the outside wall of my chicken coop, so really no extra space needed. The chickens love scratching aound under the cages, and keep the bugs down. 4 cages is enough, 1 buck, 2 does, 1 grow out cage.
4. Quick Turn around-just like cx, my rabbits are ready for processing at 9 or 10 weeks old.
5. Ease of processing. No scalding, no plucking, I can fully process a rabbit in under 3 minutes.

Just a suggestion. If you have any specific questions about raising rabbits for meat, please don't hesitate!