Free-range poultry history
From the 1930's to the 1960's the free-range system was the popular way to raise poultry in the United states. It produced meaty, tender birds at a reasonable cost, using a reasonable amount of labor and providing valuable fertility to the land. Many farmers raised 10,000-20,000 birds per year on short-grass pasture ("range"), both chickens and turkeys. With the rise of industrial agriculture and the development of the confinement broiler barn, this sustainable and profitable system was discontinued by means of withdrawing growers contracts. Left with no market or processing facilities the practice was abandoned within two or three years. However, even though the system was phased out here in the U.S., it has continued continuing popularity in Europe, even to the point of having legislated standards. In France, in 2000, over 20% of all poultry (90 million birds!) was raised using the free-range system. Now, Herman Beck-Chenoweth has updated and modernized the techniques and named his system "The Modern American Free-Range System". This site contains the complete list of resource materials available from Herman.
Free-range poultry system in a nutshell
Free-Range Poultry Essentials
- Maintain at least 150' between skid houses and field perimeter fencing to minimize predation problems.
- Maintain at least 100' between each skid house to maintain flock separation.
- Move skids ahead 50' to fresh pasture as necessary, generally every three to four weeks or as needed to keep birds out of mud. Usually any time the birds have trashed an area around the skid that is larger 5 feet it is time for a move.
- Expect the birds to range about 40' out from each skid.
- Remember: While feed savings will be realized from pasture usage the goal is not so much feed savings as to provide vitamins, minerals, and exercise for enhanced animal welfare and improved meat quality.
©2008 Herman Beck-Chenoweth
Free-Range, Pastured Poultry, Chicken Tractor--What's The Difference?
Back to top of pageBy Herman Beck-Chenoweth
To confine or not to confine, that is the question. Today, there are three leading systems for producing poultry outdoors on pasture. There are significant differences between the systems but sometimes the systems are confused with each other. Here is a short course in range (short-grass pasture) poultry nomenclature.
Free-Range is a non-confinement system that uses a perimeter fence to deter predators. As defined, this means at least 150' between the skid house and the closest fence. A variation of this system, known as DayRange, uses an Electronet portable fence to keep the birds safe from dogs and coyotes during daylight hours. Up to 300 birds are housed on an 8'x 18' wooden skid shelter that is towed to new pasture once every week or so as needed. Birds return to this shelter on their own each evening and are confined for predator protection. During the day the birds are let out and the skid provides shelter from sun and rain when needed. The large-scale access to pasture combined with the low stocking rate (400 chickens or 100 turkeys per acre) allows the birds plenty of area to exercise and deposit manure. As a result, free-range birds develop excellent muscle tone. Since the muscle is what we eat, this development is very important. Combined with proper aging after slaughter meat quality is firm but smooth--second to none.
The free-range system uses bulk feeders and float-valve waterers connected to plastic pasture waterlines. This cuts chore time dramatically as water is never hand carried to the flock and feeders are usually sized to need refilling once per week. Daily chores involve opening the skid houses in the morning, checking to see that the systems are operating properly and the birds are healthy, and closing them up a dusk.
One of the first questions to come from prospective producers is about predation. Because most predation occurs at night, when the birds are totally enclosed on the skid, which has a sturdy wood floor and 1" poultry mesh sides, there is normally no problem. Hawks occasionally steal an inattentive bird, but this is rare. Most birds are extremely wary of sky activity. I have seen birds run to the skid when a 737 passed over at 10,000 feet.
Dogs and coyotes are another matter. A good perimeter fence solves most of the problems, but if there are severe dog or coyote problems in your area you may wish to investigate electric polywire fence (four wires on step-in posts keep most predators at bay) or Premier’s electric Poultry Netting.
A real plus for the diversified farmer using the free-range system is the ability to "save" manure nutrients and make compost right on the skid itself. At Resilience Research Farm we use our composted chicken manure to raise premium quality vegetables for sale to our restaurant clients. We feel that in a typical year we save over $5000.00 on fertilizer using this method. Producers using the Salatin system, described next, have good fertility in the pasture, but are not able to save and transport the nutrients to other fields. The free-range system is a large “farm-scale” system suitable for practitioners raising 500 - 20,000 chickens per year. The book Free-Range Poultry Production and Marketing also has a variation of this system designed for turkey production.
Pastured Poultry, as researched and taught by Virginia farmer, Joel Salatin, is a confinement system with a grass floor. Using portable pens approximately 8 x 10 feet in size, this popular system is a big improvement over the broiler houses used by companies such as Tyson and Perdue, but it is a confinement system just the same. The pens, each containing about 80 chickens, are moved by hand but the lightweight construction means they can occasionally be blown over by the wind. In hot climates, birds can suffer heat stroke on calm days. The birds have a limited space for exercise and manure that space heavily. Therefore, the pens must be moved twice daily, a chore not always pleasant, especially after a heavy rain. The birds benefit from sunlight, bugs and grubs, and get minerals from the soil, but muscle tone is very different from birds allowed to free-range. The Pastured Poultry System does protect against hawks, but is actually less protective at night against skunks, foxes, opossums and raccoons since it has no floor. The Salatin system is very labor intensive involving daily movement of pens and delivery of feed and water, but is well suited for those with limited space, those desiring to raise less than 1000 birds per year or persons who must work away from the farm during the day.
A third system, the Chicken Tractor was developed by Andy Lee and is a useful system for raising 50 or so birds for home use. By placing these pens in the garden, soil is tilled and manure can be placed exactly where desired. This is not a commercial sized system, and is also a confinement system. A recent refinement of the Chicken Tractor is the addition of a pop-hole door to allow the birds to range at least part of the day.
Producers using both the "pastured poultry" and "chicken tractor" systems have reported leg problems with chickens. While part of this problem can be eliminated by using the heavier strains of Cornish Cross chickens designed to be raised to roaster size, most leg problems are caused by the pens being pulled over the legs of the chickens when the birds are being moved to new pasture. Neither of these two systems are suitable for turkey production.
Some farmers using the latter two systems advertise their chickens as “free-range”, but under European rules they would not qualify as the birds are too tightly confined. Since, at the present time, there is no national standard for what "free-range" is in the U.S., I recommend that farmers follow the European standard that mandates stocking rates of 400 chickens or 100 turkeys per acre and that the birds truly are "free to range". Whichever of these systems you choose, to make a living wage you will need to ask at least $2.00 per pound dressed weight.
Right now consumers are way ahead of farmers in demanding “grass-fed” poultry. I get calls and e-mails every week from individuals and restaurants (even international companies) looking for range poultry suppliers. If you are looking for a consistent income producing livestock enterprise for your farm, one that easily integrates with cattle, sheep or vegetable production, consider adding poultry to your operation.
Note: Books detailing these systems are available from Back Forty Books (There is more detailed information about the Modern American Free-Range System on the web at the Free-Range Poultry section of Back 40 Forum. To visit the Back 40 Books Poultry Department click here: http://www.back40books.com/get_list_1037.htm): Free-Range Poultry Production and Marketing; Herman Beck-Chenoweth, Book $39.50, Video (this book is also available for PDF download for $34.50), $27.50, combo $60.00; Pastured Poultry Profits, Joel Salatin, $25.00; Chicken Tractor, Andy Lee, $22.50. All prices are post paid. Credit card orders: 573.858.3244; Mail orders to Back40Books, Nature's Pace Sanctuary, Hartshorn, MO 65479; Back 40 Books.com © 2008 Herman Beck-Chenoweth
FREE-RANGE CHICKEN ENTERPRISE BUDGET
Back to top of pageHow Much Profit Can You Make?
When you are considering starting a new venture or expanding an existing one it helps to know how you are doing in relation to other practioners. When we were gearing up to speak at the Pembroke Free-Range/Pasture Poultry Field Day, Merrill Marxman asked us to come up with some operating figures for a handout. As a research farm we had some records to refer to and so were able to come up with some accurate figures for our operations. Based on our price of $2.99 per pound, this is what we discovered.
Based on 250 Bird Flock at Resilience Research Farm
| Expenses | $ 2.99 LB | $ 2.49 LB | $ 3.49 LB |
| Baby Chicks: 250 x 96¢ each | $ 240.00 | $ 240.00 | $ 240.00 |
| Brooding expense | $15.00 | $15.00 | $15.00 |
Brooding labor: 10 minutes/day, 21 days @ $8.00/hr |
$28.00 | $28.00 | $28.00 |
Transfer chickens to skid: 2 folks, 1 hour @ $8.00 |
$16.00 | %16.00 | $16.00 |
Transfer from skid to on-farm slaughter: 2 folks, 1 hour @ $8.00 |
$16.00 | $16.00 | $16.00 |
Feed: 4320# @ 13¢ per pound + 100# Game Bird Starter |
$600.00 | $600.00 | $600.00 |
Field Chores: 35 days, ½ hour/day |
$140.00 | $140.00 | $140.00 |
(based on four skids operating) Slaughter: $1.50 per bird x 240 (includes cost of bags) |
$360.00 | $360.00 | $360.00 |
| TOTAL EXPENSE | $1415.00 | $1415.00 | $1415.00 |
TOTAL INCOME: 240 Birds @ 4.5# dressed weight, $2.99 # |
$3229.20 | $2689.00 | $3769.00 |
PROFIT: Over and above labor |
$1814.20 | $1274.00 | $2354.00 |
Total return on investment, labor &profit |
$2374.20 | $1758.00 | $2838.96 |
These figures are production figures only. No amount is included for marketing or delivery time. Marketing and distribution are not productions costs, but consideration must be given to the time and expense involved.
Skid construction cost of $400.00 could be amortized over 20 flocks ($20.00 per run). Our skids have averaged five years (20 flock) life with tarp replacement three times over the life of the skid.
If you or your family provide the labor and you charge $2.99 a pound for your birds you would be in the position of having made a return of $1435.96 profit on your original out of pocket expenses (chicks, feed, electric) of $855.00. Compare that to keeping your money in the bank! This "total return on investment" is a primary accounting figure to consider. Where else on or off your farm could you achieve this kind of return. If you calculate all of your net income against the hours of labor, you are making the equivalent of "industrial wages", which is rare in farm work. Plus, you are treating your birds right, improving your land, and producing very healthful meat for your customers!
©2008 Herman Beck-Chenoweth
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Free-Range Poultry on an Amish Farm - By Herman Beck-Chenoweth
Melvin Fisher started raising pastured poultry on his Organic Grass Farm in 1997. In 1998, after seeing an article on the free-range system in a magazine Melvin ordered the book Free-Range Poultry Production and Marketing by Herman Beck-Chenoweth. Later he attended a workshop on range poultry production. In 1999 Melvin built six poultry skids using the plans in the book and stocked each with 400 Cornish Cross broilers. He retired the pastured poultry pens and never looked back. In 2002 he produced more than 6,000 chickens and 150 turkeys and dressed them out in America’s only U.S.D.A. Inspected non-electric poultry processing facility. This year he expects to raise, sell and process twice as many birds for sale to restaurants in Indiana and for the many customers who pick up at his scenic Park County farm.
Melvin's operation is unique in many ways. First, he broods his birds in a plastic sheathed building that he also uses to raise rabbits and vegetable transplants. In the winter he can bring hens in off of the skids and they get plenty of light to keep laying well.
Not only is his processing plant diesel powered, he uses horsepower to move the skids to fresh range (short-grass pasture) twice a week. A 16-year-old apprentice uses a two-horse Belgian-Percheron hitch to pull the skids. He loads the float-valve waterers and feed trays on board and pulls the skid ahead about 100 feet.
Moving the eight skids housing more than 3700 birds (Melvin also keeps 500 laying hens in skid houses and starts pullets on range) takes about three hours per week. Melvin states that this type of operation is much more time effective than hand moving pasture poultry pens. In fact, an operation this size would require 46 pens containing 80 birds apiece.
The pasture field itself is surrounded by a secure perimeter woven wire field fence but the broilers are protected by a single strand of solar powered electric fencing and two guard animals, a Great Pyrenees dog and a llama wether (neutered male). These animals are used to deter predators as the skid houses are not closed at night. Since the introduction of the guard . animals predator problems have been minuscule. The single wire of electric fence keeps the horses and cattle that reside in the same field out of the skids and chicken feed. Layers and pullets range further than broiler chickens so their compound is surrounded by electric poultry netting to keep them closer to home.
White and red clover, orchard grass, Kentucky blue grass, perennial rye grass, and alfalfa provide a nice mix of legumes and grasses for pasture forage. Even though university research shows that chickens get only 10-15% of dry matter for their diet from the pasture itself, and turkeys up to 30%, the forage plays an important role. In addition, the pasture soil, as well as the bugs and grubs it supports, contains virtually ALL of the vitamins, minerals and trace elements required for a healthy bird. This eliminates any need for added vitamin supplements, all of which contain preservatives. Many people who believe that they are allergic to meat are actually allergic to the preservatives contained therein. Therefore, Melvin purchases organic grain from other farmers in the community and has it ground and mixed to his specifications without preservatives.
Range Poultry is Healthier to Eat
Back to top of pageRecent findings support the view that animals raised on pasture have much higher levels of omega 3 fatty acids, conjugated lineolic acid (CLA), and beta carotene. These animals also have lower levels of fat and fewer calories. Authors and researchers such as Jo Robinson( Why Grassfed is Best) and Sally Fallon (Nourishing Traditions) are creating a new type of consumer better educated about the health benefits of grass fed meats.
Field Operations
Back to top of pageEach skid has a floor area of eight by sixteen feet. All of the skids have wood floors and poultry wire walls. The initial skids had tarp roofs, but Melvin has switched to metal. Since he raises birds far into the season, he has also modified the skid plan from Free-Range Poultry Production and Marketing by installing fold-down combination shade and storm panels. In the book, skids are depicted as having a man door on each end, but Melvin has , converted one end door to a walk-up ramp that runs the full width of the skid. This allows younger birds easier access to the skid and reduces wear and tear on the pasture. This modification has been recommended by the author and plans have been published.
The skids have rot-resistant wood floors covered with hardwood sawdust litter. Litter is purchased by the semi-load for the price of hauling. The manure deposited on the skids at night produces a high quality compost that is an excellent fertilizer. At The Organic Grass Farm this manure has historically been used on Melvin's family garden and since production is increasing future expansion into berry and fruit production is planned.
Layer Operations
Back to top of pageThe skids for the laying hens have been modified to contain roosts and nest boxes. These skids contain 250 hens each. Melvin uses hybrid brown egg-layers such as Golden Comets. ) Each year he buys a different type of bird so that he can tell the flocks apart by age and color. In addition, he is keeping comprehensive egg-laying records so that when his children take over the operation they will know which strains performed best. He broods the layers in a hoop-house structure that he also uses for rabbit production and for overwintering the hens.
The layer-hen compound is surrounded by electric poultry netting and contains a Great Pyrenees' guard dog. In hot weather eggs are gathered twice per day and cooled in the farm's diesel powered walk-in coolers. The eggs are placed in new fiber or Styrofoam cartons and are graded by size. Melvin charges his wholesale clients from $1.75 -$1.95 per dozen. In Indianapolis his eggs retail for $2.59- $3.00 per dozen depending upon size.
On Farm Processing Plant
Back to top of pageDuring 2000 Melvin and his family constructed a new on-farm processing plant. Planning for this facility began in 1999 and required six months of meetings with the Indiana Department of Agriculture, who provided input into the design. Construction was progressing during the last three months of the planning period. The building was completed in time to be put in service midway through the 2000 production year and features bird-by-bird inspection. Melvin considers the inspectors to be his partners in producing a quality product and says that when it comes to working with inspectors that "attitude is everything and respect for authority is a must." The processing plant includes a 20' x 30' processing area, 12' x 16' walk in coolers and freezers and an 8' x 24' office and restroom area. Suntubes provide light over the work areas on sunny days. The walls are Glasboard (a type of water impervious paneling mandated for use in many food processing facilities and dairy milk houses) and painted steel. A poured concrete floor is equipped with floor drains. Processing water is provided by a deep well tested for purity. The plant cost about $50,000.00 to complete including used equipment manufactured by Pickwick and Ashley. The Organic Grass Farm processes all ages of chickens in a 3 -5 pound range. They also process turkeys in the 14- 30 pound range.
Plant Operations
Back to top of pagePresently the plant operates one day per week and processes about 250 birds in a four-hour processing run. Of course, additional time for bagging, cut up, weighing and plant clean up is required. The crew of five typically consists of Melvin, his wife and three teenage assistants. Harvesting the birds is a snap due to the walk-in nature of the skid shelters. The doors are closed confining the birds to the skid. They are then loaded into plastic crates for the horse-drawn trip to the processing plant. As stated earlier, plans are to double production this year, a task that the facility can easily handle. Presently most birds are delivered to the Indianapolis area by hired van but Melvin also utilizes delivery by overnight express services like Fedex and UPS to service orders. Due to the fact that his product is U.S.D.A. inspected he can ship anywhere in the United States. The future of The Organic Grass Farm looked bright. (Note: I am sad to report that Gregg Gunthorp notified me that Melvin, his wife and all but 2 children lost their lives last year in a tragic van accident. Fortunately I was able to record his methods by spending a considerable amount of time with him and making hundreds of photographs so his work has helped many, many other farmers on their way to success. HB-C July 5, 2008) Melvin's attention to detail and his commitment to sustainable farming and animal welfare insured a continued market for his top-quality products. His success should be uplifting to all of us aspiring to become leaders in supplying the needs of our local foodsheds. Too bad that he will no longer be amongst us--he was a real innovative guy.
Herman Beck-Chenoweth is the author of Free-Range Poultry Production and Marketing, and the Free-Range Poultry Video, both of which are available on the web from www.Back40Books.com; by calling 573.858.3244; or by mail: Back40Books, Order Department, Nature’s Pace Sanctuary, Hartshorn MO 65479.. The book is $39.50 (this book is also available for PDF download for $34.50), the video is $27.50 or the combo package is $60.00. All prices are postpaid.
There is more detailed information about the Modern American Free-Range System on the web at the Free-Range Poultry section of Back 40 Forum. To visit the Back 40 Books Poultry Department click here: http://www.back40books.com/get_list_1037.htm.