Pastured poultry refers to a poultry production system that is characterized by chickens, turkeys or ducks being raised primarily on pasture. The birds supplement their grain feed by foraging for up to 20 percent of their intake and are moved regularly to fresh pasture.
Thousands of small farms in the United States and worldwide produce what is called "pastured poultry. As long as they get all the grass they want, poultry can qualify to be called grass fed. This is accomplished by keeping the birds in low, wide, bottomless cages called "chicken tractors" that are moved to a new spot of fresh pasture once or more often each day. Grass-fed poultry is a larger group, of which the pastured birds are a subset. Among producers, grass-fed poultry means birds that are allowed to forage on as much living grasses as they desire, whether in chicken tractors, small coops surrounded by pasture or the exclusive French "Label Rouge," or "Red Label," birds.
The Label Rouge System For people seeking ways to increase the profit potential of free range poultry systems as a full-time enterprise, the Label Rouge approach may hold promise.
Popular in France since the mids, the red label system produces free range poultry on a larger scale and takes advantage of direct marketing opportunities. In France, Label Rouge chickens have captured 33 percent of the poultry market.
Label Rouge enterprises offer independence, use lower densities of birds per housing unit, allow flock access to pasture, discourage routine medication and feature longer life spans, 12 weeks, for broilers and other meat birds to reach market weight. The longer life of the birds has become a chief marketing point, along with a flavor Label Rouge proponents claim is superior.
Because the Label Rouge bird is not a typical American Cornish Cross breed, because it lives longer and because, after processing, it is cooled through air chilling, people consistently notice a taste difference.
Air chilling discourages cross-contamination because carcasses are hung and chilled separately rather than lying in contact in a water bath, and flavor is not compromised by chlorine, typically added to chill water in poultry processing plants to kill bacteria and other microbes.
While a farmer may not be able to produce as many of these flocks per season, charging considerably more for each bird boosts profits. For more information on Label Rouge, go to Label Rogue. Pastured poultry generally commands higher prices; therefore, the potential for profit is higher than with conventional, confinement poultry.
Under this system, poultry is usually sold locally, with only minimal processing. Prices vary among producers. The price difference often depends on whether the birds are sold from the chill tank, or are bagged, weighed, labeled and ready for the freezer. Many producers do not add their labor into production costs. By identifying your goals and assets right from the start, you establish a solid foundation upon which to build your operation and guide all your business decisions.
Most producers will tell you that direct marketing is the most effective, profitable, and rewarding way to sell your products.
You can also increase your profits by processing your products to add value to them. Offer ready-made egg salad alongside your eggs, or marinated boneless skinless chicken breast next to your whole chickens. Also consider certifying your farm for organic production, because organic price premiums can double your profits. Whether you sell retail or wholesale, organic or not, strive to sell all your birds up front, before you invest the time and money to produce them.
Also, when setting your retail or wholesale price, be certain to calculate a price that covers all your production expenses, including labor. Many producers forget to pay themselves for labor and, thus, are unable to make a profit, support their families, and grow their businesses.
Make a list of all the items you will need for every aspect of your operation, including: chicks or pullets, brooder equipment, feed, housing, pasture, fencing, feeders and waterers, processing equipment, product transportation, farm stand fees or rent on a retail space, and labor.
Assign a dollar value to each item; the total dollar value of that list will determine the cash you need to start your operation. This budget will help you define the initial size and scope of your operation, in line with your goals and resources.
The budget will also help you determine how much profit you will need to make to sustain your family and your operation. As you develop your budget, find creative ways to barter or trade for items, find them used or for free, or fashion them from fixtures that already exist on your farm. Each creative solution will reduce your start-up costs and increase your profit.
After you determine the products you will sell and the initial size of your operation, you must choose the appropriate layer or broiler breed s to meet your needs. Many pastured poultry producers favor the Cornish Cross as a meat bird because they gain weight quickly and have a flavor that is familiar to customers.
Hybrid cross birds tend to produce more meat and eggs than purebred breeds. Every breed has its own unique characteristics, and your choice of breed will depend on your farm site and marketing plan.
Below are some suggested breeds, based on use. These suggestions are focused toward purebreds that were originally raised as dual purpose birds:. Broilers : Cornish Cross currently being bred to regain foraging characteristics is the preferred meat bird, but other suitable purebred meat birds include the Delaware and Java though they will not reach market weight as quickly.
When choosing a site consider:. Direction : Orient the house toward the south in winter Soil drainage : Choose high, well drained ground with a south or southeast slope if possible Space requirements : Provide 2.
Once you choose a site, you can begin to design an appropriate pasture and housing system for your birds. The system you choose or design should fit well with your farm site and operational goals.
Advantages: inexpensive to build and houses large number of birds 80 — 90 birds. Disadvantages: time and labor intensive, intended primarily for raising broilers. The housing is rotated frequently through pasture areas. Advantages: good weather and predator protection; houses a very large number of birds; sturdy. Disadvantages: requires more advanced pasture management skills.
Cost, advantages, and disadvantages similar to Net Range. Yarding for example, Label Rouge Production in France : Stationary housing with access to outdoor yards or pasture during the day. Building costs vary depending on the complexity of the structure, or the reuse of existing structures.
Advantages: little labor. Disadvantages: if you do not subdivide and rotate through paddocks, the birds will eventually deplete the forage and create a high concentration of manure that increases the possibly of nutrient and pathogen build-up.
Disadvantages: time and labor intensive, poor weather and predator protection. Skid housing is built on runners. Building costs vary by design complexity and size. Advantages: more space for birds, less labor required, flexibility to produce more or fewer birds as demand requires. Disadvantages: unless fencing is used, these systems offer no predator protection. You want to ensure the chickens are eating a nutritionally balanced ration, which in turn contributes to the health of the poultry and helps ensure a pleasant eating experience.
You will likely be disappointed with the quality of the meat, and the bird was not raised in a humane way. It is difficult for even a very small flock of a few dozen birds to adequately forage for all its food. If a farmer claims not to use any prepared feed ingredients corn, soy, wheat, oats, etc , you need to find out what else the farm is using for feed.
Understand: Common feed ingredients include corn, soybean, fishmeal, alfalfa, wheat; An overwhelming majority of pastured poultry farmers feed a certified organic ration or a non-gmo not certified organic ration.
You can also find farmers who avoid common ingredients, such as soy or corn, if needed. Understand that if you seek chickens with specialty diets, those birds have a higher cost to produce than the typical corn and soy feed rations. Expect: You want to see birds on pasture in movable houses with vegetated pastures. If viewing pictures of the pasture rotation, expect to see evidence of grazing impact; however, the pasture should still be covered in vegetation.
Beware: Dirt, while sometimes present, is not synonymous with pastured poultry. Avoid dirt lot poultry. Dirt lot poultry is unhealthy for the birds and the pasture.
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