Pastured poultry and free run layers first timer

[muircheartaigh]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to BYC but have spent hours reading posts on all topics in the last few months in preparation for a small farm business venture this coming spring. My father, brother, and I have a multi-generational family farm in Northern New Brunswick, Canada (shout out to anyone in the area who is a member on this site) where we raise pastured beef. We've decided to follow Joel Salatin's chicken tractor method in the spring and would love to hear from anyone who has started a successful meat bird operation in shorter growing seasonal climates, raised laying hens in winterized chicken coops, or has birds for sale in our area of the Atlantic provinces. We plan on establishing a mixed heritage breed backyard flock by the end of march to provide farm fresh non-GMO grain fed chicken eggs at our local farmer's market. Looking forward to learning a great deal from current members and hearing from anyone who has advice to impart on raising chickens (We're cattlemen so a cornucopia of how-to and caveats would be great).
It is such a gift to provide care and stewardship to God's beautiful creatures during their time with us.
Thanks,
JM

 

[willowbranchfarm]

Welcome to BYC!!! Glad you joined.

 

[Melabella]

Welcome to BYC! Your intentions sound lovely, and I am sure all the people at the farmers market will be all the healthier for those incredible eggs!

Here is a link to a fellow members website, I think may be near you. Feel free to reach out to her, and ask away. They are incredibly helpful and have wonderful chickens. They have eggs, are experienced with the weather, and I know if they don't have the chicks you need, can set you in the right direction. Check out her photographs, they are amazing!

http://lesfarms.weebly.com/ member aoxa.

Good Luck, keep us posted how it goes.

MB

 

[redsoxs]

Greetings from Kansas, JM, and

! Happy you joined us!! Good luck to you and flock!

 

[sumi]

Hello and welcome to BYC

Glad you joined us!

 

[kidcody]

from washington state glad you joined us!

 

[sourland]

JM, good luck in your new venture, and welcome to BYC.

 

[chickenpooplady]

from Highland County Ohio and God Bless!!!

 

[muircheartaigh]

Thanks. It appears as though Lesfarms burned to the ground according to their homepage. You are correct in stating that they have (had) beautiful birds. I hope they are able to rebound quickly. We had a dairy operation in our area burn to the ground in the last couple years and the livestock losses were numerous. I only hope those poor birds weren't victims to the blaze. Hoping they get back on their feet.

 

[thasista]

Hi from Kentucky!