Pasture raised or not?

[davidericson]

Hey guys, got a question. I planned to run some CX’s on a daily rotational schedule, chicken tractor on my land. I have 8 acres. Pasture grows tall in the cooler months. As soon as we start heating up, 80deg, for a couple days, it’s starts to turn color (golden, then eventually dead). I’m Northern California located. I’m getting the pasture mowed in about 6 days, probably 4-5 inch tall. I don’t know what kind of pasture crop it grows, but it’s a mix of foxtails and I guess just regular weed/grass. It’s not your typical “grass” front lawn stuff. Will the chickens eat the actual dead weed/grass, or is pasture raised more of a “pecking though the open area/dirt” type thing? I can’t imagine they’d get much nutrient from the dead weed/grass.

Should I be watering the areas I plan to have my chicken tractors? Should I be seeding? I know once the chickens roll through a certain spot, they self-fertilize the land, but I’m not sure if I need to be doing something else to better raise pastured meat chickens.

Also, in the dead of summer, it gets very hot and dry, should I be prepping and watering land for future chicken tractor movements?

 

[cavemanrich]

I never raised CX broilers, so lets see what those that do suggest. But still have some ideas to toss around.
CX's are basic eating machines. They are usually ready to process in about 8 weeks. They need PLENTY of water, and feed. My thought on the Pasture grass; If you will mow it, my thinking says,, shred it as fine pieces as possible. This way, if chickens do graze on that,, it wont be long strands/blades of dry vegetation. Is there natural grit on the ground where they will be on?? Shredded grass does need grit. Processed chicken feed,, not so much.
These are my thoughts for you to take into consideration.


WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and

 

[davidericson]

I never raised CX broilers, so lets see what those that do suggest. But still have some ideas to toss around.
CX's are basic eating machines. They are usually ready to process in about 8 weeks. They need PLENTY of water, and feed. My thought on the Pasture grass; If you will mow it, my thinking says,, shred it as fine pieces as possible. This way, if chickens do graze on that,, it wont be long strands/blades of dry vegetation. Is there natural grit on the ground where they will be on?? Shredded grass does need grit. Processed chicken feed,, not so much.
These are my thoughts for you to take into consideration.


WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and

Much appreciated! Most people that mow out here, cut it and let it lay. I know cx’s are not good foragers but I need some answers before I order and raise something like 30-50 more. I mean if pastured raised just means in a tractor on pasture with “dead/wilted” pasture, then so be it.

 

[Perris]

if pastured raised just means in a tractor on pasture with “dead/wilted” pasture

there is probably an official definition for trading standards purposes where you live. Check with local government; they should be able to advise if not supply the information you need legally to label it and sell it as such.

 

[Mrs. K]

I do not know what your predators will be, but those type of chickens are predator magnets.

They do eat a lot, and will need high protein feed, to be honest, I don't think they will touch your grass, they generally don't get far from the feeder.

I assume you are asking to be able to sell these at a premium because they are pasture raised. I agree with the above - check with where you are going to sell them, your county or state.

Mrs K

 

[ChaosMom]

It might also be worth posting on the Meat Birds Etc subforum, if you haven’t already.

 

[townchicks]

I don't think chicken tractors qualify as pasture raised regardless of what the tractor is on. Maybe it's different for meat birds, but for laying hens, pasture raised eggs require 108 SF per chicken in order to be labeled as such.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Like most of the other posters I have never raised CX, on pasture or otherwise. And I certainly am not that familiar with your climate, especially when concerning raising CX. CX are different from dual purpose.

Thanks for letting us know you are in the US. That helps. My first suggestion is to call your local Extension Office and chat with them. They may not know a lot of detail themselves but they should be able to put you in contact with someone that can answer most of your questions. That person should know local conditions.

There are different ways to do tractors. Some are basically totally enclosed coop/runs that can be moved, maybe by hand or may require a tractor. Joel Salatin has an example. Look him up.

Some people use a movable coop and surround it with electric wire to try to make it predator proof. They are a bit harder to move but you don't have to move them as often. There are always different ways to do anything.

There are some people on this forum that pasture CX. You might start a thread in the "Meat Bird" section of this forum. Put something like "Pastured CX" in the title to attract their attention. Or do a search of the meat bird section to try to find some of their posts.

Dual purpose can feed themselves if allowed to free range and if they have enough territory. That can be season dependent. They are not going to be as productive as some people on this forum would want. They are not going to grow as big as some people on this forum think they should but they can survive, lay eggs, and raise chicks. As long as you can protect them from predators it can be a good life for a chicken.

CX are not dual purpose. From the posts I've read from people that pasture CX you will need to supplement their food. They will need plenty of water. Your summer temperatures may be really hard on CX. You might ask about that if you get in contact with a local expert. Some people on this forum that raise CX only raise them in the cooler months.

I don't know your purposes in raising them, food for you or are you going to sell the meat commercially? If commercially, find out what your local requirements are. Others mentioned the legal requirements to call them "pasture raised". That can vary from county to county. But there can also be restrictions on how they are butchered or packaged, things like sanitation and refrigeration. Sometimes if your operation is small you may fall under the limits where some of these restrictions come in. I'd want to know those limits. If you are going to sell at a Farmer's Market, check with them for what their requirements are.

Good luck! It could be a great adventure but do your homework.