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?

 

[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!

 

[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

 

[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.

 

[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.

 

[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.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

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!

I brought on rabbits for the same reason. I gave my rabbits considerably more space, following guidance from the UK Livestock Conservancy, each of my (on the ground) rabbit pens measures about 5.3' x 10' x 3.5' tall. Considerably more expensive build. Annoying to try and catch rabbits in all that space. Also, I had to put down a tremendous amount of CMUs around the border to keep them from digging out, and had to wire the top to keep them from jumping out. Recommend following Trehugger's guidance on cages instead. I will eventually rebuild, with different materials.

 

[Tre3hugger]

I brought on rabbits for the same reason. I gave my rabbits considerably more space, following guidance from the UK Livestock Conservancy, each of my (on the ground) rabbit pens measures about 5.3' x 10' x 3.5' tall. Considerably more expensive build. Annoying to try and catch rabbits in all that space. Also, I had to put down a tremendous amount of CMUs around the border to keep them from digging out, and had to wire the top to keep them from jumping out. Recommend following Trehugger's guidance on cages instead. I will eventually rebuild, with different materials.

I was initially drawn to ground pens because, well, I love animals and want them to be happy. But extensive reading changed my mind. I prefer to control my breeding schedule is the main reasoning against a colony situation. Also, parasite load on the ground can be a problem. I am sure some people do it successfully, but I love my cages from KW cages. Now that I moved them outside the chicken coop (they used to be suspended inside from the rafters) I think I will make a playpen area near the rabbitry so they can run around a bit when I am putzing around out there. I'm sure my breeders would appreciate that.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I do have separate pens to control breeding, dame, buck, dame - but still recommend against keeping them on the ground.

and yes, this is WAY cobbled together. I didn't even remove the tags from the ends of the PT lumber. A rush job I continue to regret.

 

[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.