Management practices to improve livestock food production~meat, eggs, milk, etc.

Beekissed

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I try every year to improve egg and meat production, while still trying to maintaining a balance in a dual purpose flock, of both. I don't want to lean too far one way or the other or one loses the meaning and purpose of a dual purpose breed~that of acceptable production of both meat and eggs.

This involves various strategies, though I don't get so deep into it that I'm using trap nesting or penning of birds to determine exact egg counts or breeding.

I keep a relatively small flock nowadays, from a winter time stocking rate of 12-16 and spring/summer/fall numbers of up to and above 40, depending on how many offspring were hatched out in the spring. I don't want nor need anymore birds than that at this present time, as I'm only feeding Mom and I on the meat and sharing excess eggs with various family members with the eggs.

One of the most dependable and useful strategies I use is the judicious cull. Knowing when and which birds to cull is something one learns over time and can fluctuate with your flock dynamics and your current needs. I like keeping feed costs as far down as possible, as going to great expense to raise my own meat and eggs becomes foolhardy and loses all practical purposes.

Other strategies are breed and genetics selection, healthy environment/habitat, natural diet as much as is possible and in season, low stress social situations, low interference/handling, comfortable housing with huge ventilation, and encouraging natural breeding cycles.

Do you have any production strategies for improving your livestock food production you'd like to share?
Canned chicken.....

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Schmaltz, or rendered chicken fat, for seasoning various dishes and general cooking.

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Chicken and stock....

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Eggs....

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Summer time flock of adults and various juveniles growing out for fall butcher or replacement of retired layers....

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farmerjan

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I don't often come on this site, mostly due to time and our being more of a "commercial type farm operation" than a homesteading type, although I am at heart a "homestead" type of person. But a few thoughts on the whole "free range" concept and what all the "idealistic but not actually practicing" know it all people say and do.

Technically, free range is something that runs free without any boundaries. So "technically" birds that are in any way contained are not free range. o_O That said, if any of these know it alls have ever watched predators carry off animals, they might be a little more accepting of some "protection" for the animals. In this case, addressing poultry.

If you have chickens in a poultry netting enclosure, they have access to the outside, and can eat, scratch, forage for bugs, grass, weeds, seeds, worms and whatever. :) They also have protection from predators on the ground from the security of the electric netting. They do not have protection from predators from the air. One of the biggest problems in some areas.

If you utilize a "chicken tractor " of some sort, they get the benefits of pasture raised with protection from most all predators. And moving it regularly keeps the ground "clean" and they get the best of alot of things.;) Yes, some predators can dig under but moving the "tractor" daily does alot to discourage many from getting comfortable and then trying to find a way in underneath.

I ran 150+ layers free range for several years. Ran out on a 25 acre pasture with the cows. They didn't travel more than several hundred feet from the trailer coops that they went into at night. Provided eggs to the local co-op. I dealt with the occasional fox during the day, and the miserable "oh my dog would never do that" predations of local dogs that would get out there and run the birds, and the cows in the pasture. :rant:somad If I were late getting them locked in at night I had possums and coons to deal with. But you expect a few to get lost to varmints.:idunno

My biggest problem was the miserable D@#neD EAGLES. :barnie:barnie Yes, they moved in and there was one that took to carrying off a bird nearly every day. :epA few neighbors not too far away liked to watch them and because some had been "chipped" before they were released, there was no question of possibly SSS.... I lost 122 to eagles one year,:hit with another neighbor showing me at least a half dozen that the eagle had dropped in their yard because they were too heavy (?) or whatever. :th:th I listened to these idiots say that the price of the free range eggs were getting too high, that the chickens were eating less feed so it cost less to feed them so the eggs ought to be cheaper.:smack Then when I tried to explain about the eagle getting them, they had the audacity to first tell me that I should do a better job of protecting them from the eagle, and really the eagle had to eat too:hu:somad :rant:somad... So after telling them that the pullets cost $10 a piece to replace, that that was the reason why their "free range eggs" were not less than but more than any eggs from a normal operation where the birds had some confinement and protection.:barnie:he:duc:duc:duc

That was it for me. I just got tired of dealing with those that know it all, and really have no clue. :th:th

So the next time someone starts in on the "free range" thing, explain that you will not subject your chickens to that form of lack of care and concern for their well being.

In operations where you can let them free range, and have a guardian dog of some sort....then you mostly always have that dog in a fence, so they are not TECHNICALLY free range.:hide Call people to task when they start to espouse some "ideal" that the animal has to be free range or all natural or something. In REAL NATURE, it isn't all "Bambi and Thumper and Flower" ..Because nature is the survival of the fittest and they would not like the blood and guts that goes along with REAL NATURE.
We are stewards of the earth and the animals that we are responsible for. I don't like confinement housing, and I like to have animals in the most natural setting that I can, and that is PRACTICAL and SAFE for them. But I am tired of all these know more than me, but no practical experience idiots; that have all the answers and think that it is all a utopia state in the real world of nature.
 

baymule

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My land is totally enclosed in 2x4" non climb horse wire, all the pastures too. Definition of free range? I could care less. Paris is my chicken guard and will leap in the air at a hawk. But she is 10 years old and is slowing way down. :( Whatever system that works for you is the best one, wether totally cooped or never cooped or anything inbetween.
 

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My current breeder male, a standard bred Plymouth White Rock. A very gentle, intelligent and vigorous breeder that I like very much.

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The WR meat is double muscled, dense and very fine textured, with fat marbled throughout the fibers due to their thick, fine feathering. They are a cold hardy breed with a very slow metabolism, so they grow slowly but they grow on very little feed and they maintain that heavy build on the same feed regimen.

They are a calm, gentle breed with excellent foraging and survival skills and excellent layers, mothers and flock birds. Naturally hardy, they are not prone to reproductive issues but can develop them in their old age as with any retired layer.
 

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Excellent topic. Why have I never seen this topic before?

I don't have much to add regarding animal management: But, IMO, it's imperative to provide good soil conditions to grow good crops, including fodder, and garden crops... which in turn feed the animals and benefit their health. Running animals over stocked on poor soil, especially poorly drained soil has a negative impact on animal health, and soil health. Parasites, excess nutrients, ground water contamination result. There needs to be a balance.

I have 2 usable acres, surrounded by woods: mixed hard and soft wood, lots of dying soft wood, rocks, heavy clay, high water table. Soil management practices include: deep composting litter in coop and run, sheet composting, planting green manure over sheet compost area this year. BTE in orchard and garden, flower/garden beds, HK mound built between elevated usable land and lower untillable area which is too rocky/wet to reclaim without bringing in a lot of fill. The HK was expanded to it's final size this year, and is performing above and beyond my expectations.

Flock goals: My perfect flock bird has a small comb, non feathered feet, and contributes to a colorful egg basket. And, she, or one of her sisters brood a replacement clutch for me every year. I do not cull like I should. But, I remove older birds, cockerels, and any that present with health issues. Back bone of the flock is a Buck Eye roo, with Buck Eye, PBR, Dom, and EE hens. The PBR and Doms produce a wonderful black sex linked bird. And, the Pea x rose combs = walnut. All wonderful choices for my climate. Moving forward: there are few birds in my flock who I can distinguish their eggs from those of a flock mate. So, when setting eggs, I choose the best of the best, and select eggs which conform to my "egg shape for gender selection protocol". This has improved my pullet:cockerel ratio by 20%.

Predator load prevents me from free ranging. But, I consider free ranging to be one of the most beneficial land and flock management strategies.
 
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PatriciaPNW

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Egg shape for gender selection protocol - what shape are you looking for to have more pullets? I agree about free ranging being beneficial but I think it’s often a matter of time until there’s a mass casualties incident or hens are swiped one by one, unfortunately. Mine get leftovers - sometimes from work, produce store, or cooking for homeless (too ripe donations and stale bread). They also forage in pasture, garden, and huge run. But that’s not “free range” as people without chickens have let me know
 

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On the pasture topic, Greg Judy came to one of our cattle conferences and he has been very successful in the rotational grazing/forage/grass management part of farming. I have learned from some of his talks and read some of his books. We try to practice some of what he preaches..... because much of it is basic sound advise.

Anytime you can add organic matter of any type back into the soil you are adding value.
 

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My land is totally enclosed in 2x4" non climb horse wire, all the pastures too. Definition of free range? I could care less. Paris is my chicken guard and will leap in the air at a hawk. But she is 10 years old and is slowing way down. :( Whatever system that works for you is the best one, wether totally cooped or never cooped or anything inbetween.

You have managed to whittle this whole discussion of free range vs. other management styles down to the least common denominator in 3 sentences or less!
 

Beekissed

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Thank you!

I've done both but have decided to continue only doing boneless canning, as well as cutting the meat into bite size pieces prior to raw packing. It saves me jar space, shelf space and also seems to yield a more usable end product. It's more work on the front end but well worth it in the end.
 

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