raising backyard poultry

RAISING BACKYARD POULTRYHow to Feed, House and Care for Your Small Flock

Types of Backyard Poultry

•Gamebirds: Pheasant, Partridge, Quail•Guinea•Waterfowl: Duck, Geese, Swan•Turkey•Chicken•Peafowl, Junglefowl, Doves, Pigeon, Ostrich, Emu

Gamebirds: Pheasant, Partridge, Quail

Pros

Hunting

Hobbyist

Eggs and meat

More quiet

Cons

Regulated by state wildlife management

Special housing required

Guinea

Pros

Pest and insect control

Eggs & gamey dark meat

Males get along

Low maintenance

Cons

Noisy reaction to light

Regulations

Train to graze

Less hardy

Will roost in trees, roof, etc

Waterfowl: Ducks, Geese, Swan

Pros

Pest and insect control

Eggs & meat

Protection

Few health issues

Long lives

Cons

Access to water, maintenance

Winter Housing

Messy

TurkeyPros

Eggs and meat

Males get along

Domestics do not roost

Cons

Wild are regulated by state wildlife management

Don’t forage, eat a lot

ChickenPros

Eggs and meat breeds

Adapt to housing

Climate hardy

Composters

Cons

Multiple roosters may fight

Messy

Peafowl

Red Junglefowl Sri Lanka Junglefowl

Grey JunglefowlGreen Junglefowl

Doves, Pigeon, Ostrich, Emu…

Junglefowl

Purchasing PoultrySources

• Catalog• Local Farm• Farm Store• Trade/ Swap Meet

How many hens for my home flock?

Do I need a rooster?

•90-95 % accuracy of sexed chicks

•Up to 25% death rate of chicks

Choose a Chick for EggsChicken breeds classification is based on their place of origin:

American Asiatic

English Mediterranean

ContinentalOther (including Oriental)

* Bantam

Chickens can be further classified by comb style:

And even FURTHER by egg color…

White earlobes = White shellsRed earlobes = Brown shells

University extension material suggests specific varieties:

• Leghorns for white eggs

• New Hampshire or Rhode Island Reds for brown eggs

Bantams great for small areas, but

they fly high!

At Dickie Bird Farm we raise American and

English breeds because they are dual

purpose, hardy and handsome!

Selecting Birds for Meat

 1. Turkey, 2. Goose, 3. Barbary duck, 4. Guinea fowl, 5. Mallard, 6. Poussin,

7. Quail, 8. Partridge, 9. Pigeon squab, 10. Pheasant, 11. Chicken, 12. Aylesbury duck

We raise Cornish Rocks

We raise broad breast type

turkeys at DB Farm

Ducks, Geese and gamebirds make Gooooood Eatin’!

Too many to Choose?

Head to the Fair!

Poultry Housing

Goals for Good Housing:• A Place with Protection

Coyote, Coons, Hawk, Fox and Dogs• A Place with Space

Air, Light, Exercise• A Place with Food and Drink

Nutritious Food and Clean Water • A Place to Relax

Nest, Roost, Run

The CoopType Bird Min. SQ ft inside Min. SQ ft outside

Bantam 1 4 (6 ft flight height)Laying Hen 1.5 8 (3 ft flight height)Large Chicken 2 10Quail 1 4Pheasant 5 25Ducks 3 15Geese 6 18

is the entire structure: Hen House, Run, Nests, Roost

Other Options:Free rangeMobile unitReady made coopCovered vs. uncovered run

The Coop Continued…

• Hinged roost for easy access

• Good ventilation

•1 Nesting box per 4-6 Hens• Pine or straw bedding

3 Functions of Light

• Facilitate sight

• Increase egg production

• Provide supplemental heat• Egg layers need at least 14 hours of light per day

The Brooder BoxThe First 8-10 Weeks of Life is Lived in

Special Equipment

• Heat lamps with 250 watt bulbs

• Chick Feed

• Grit for digestion

• Low profile feeder, water

• Electrolytes in water first week

Other Options:Order young birds OR

Buy healthy layers or finished birds from a reputable farm.

Chicks and Poults Require Extra Effort

and Special Care!

Chicken Life Cycle

Egg

ChickUp to 8 weeks

Pullet or “Started Chicken”

8 to 20 weeks

LayerAt 20-25

weeks begin to lay eggs

Yearling1+ year old

Feeding Poultry• Chick (up to 8 weeks)

• Medicated or un-medicated feed choices

• Electrolytes in water first week

• Pullet (8-20 weeks)

• Grower feed

• Chick grit required

• Layer (20+ weeks)

• Layer feed has calcium for shells

• Layer grit required

At DB Farm, our birds go free range at 10 weeks. They get their “grit” from nature. They also enjoy

bugs and our food scraps…

Feeding Poultry

Feed is THE Greatest Expense Raising Backyard Poultry!

•FeedMashCrumblesPelletsFree Range, Grain Supplement, Organic, Medicated

•FeedersTroughLow profileHangingWall

•WaterGalvanized vs. PlasticMinimum 1 (5gal) per 50 grown

2 (1gal) per 50 chicks

Weather ConcernsAt DB Farm we

provide supplemental heat when temps

drop below freezing and fans during the

summer.• Heat lamps125-250 watt,

Also provide extra light in winter.

• Heated water bases

• Good coop insulation

• Fans for cooling

Even hardy birds may suffer frostbite, Watch for sore feet and combs.

Poultry Health Biosecurity“Prevention is Better than Cure”

• Buy healthy flock, restrict access• Be careful introducing new birds to existing flock• Keep a clean coop• Control pests & rodents

• Salmonellosis• Encephalitis• Gapeworm• Cecal Worm• Histomoniasis

• Limit interaction with wild birds & wildlife• Bird Flu• Fowl Cholera

• Healthy landscape & waterpools• Botulism• Tuberculosis

• Compost manure• Safely dispose of dead birds

Poultry Health Sanitation

Daily

Fill feed and water

Collect eggs

Check nesting boxes

Remove manure, soiled litter

Quarterly

Clean and disinfect coop

Clean and disinfect troughs

Remove nest litter, refill fresh

Butchering equipment should be stainless steel.Surfaces may be covered with sturdy, sterile plastic before processing.

All equipment & surfaces must be disinfected and sterilized before & after use.

Poultry Health Warning Signs

• Sudden death• Diarrhea• Soft or misshapen eggshells• No egg production• Sneezing, coughing• Nasal discharge• Not eating• Swelling around eyes and in neck• Discoloration of wattles, combs and legs• Muscle tremors• Drooping head, wings

Poultry Health Treatment

• RespiratoryVaccinations available. Isolate sick birds. Keep warm & dry. Return to flock when healthy.

• Parasites (external)Pesticides available. Dustbaths.

• Worms (internal parasites)Vaccinations available.

Feed garlic and onions.• Colds, flu

Vaccinations available. Identify illness and isolate sick birds.Keep warm & dry.Fluids with electrolytes. Return to flock when healthy. Treat diarrhea by mixing buttermilk in feed.

• Cannibalism, feather pickingRed bulbs prevent.Remove injured chicks. Paint wounds with stop pick. Return to flock when healthy.

• FrostbiteClean area. Apply antibiotic ointment.

• MoltingNo treatment necessary.

Poultry Health Vaccinations

Chicks and pullets can be vaccinated as they develop antibodies against common poultry diseases…

Available Vaccinations:Marek’s

CoccidiosisNewcastle

Infectious BronchitisLaryngotracheitisEncephalomyelitis

Fowl PoxFowl Cholera

Routine vaccinations do not change organic status of meat & eggs. However, antibiotics and conventional treatments may…

Egg Safe Handling and Storage• Collect eggs daily• Wash immediately in warm water & detergent• Allow to dry 5 minutes on clean towels• Store at 45 degrees F or cooler

Meat Safe Handling and Storage• Disinfect and sterilize all processing equipment and surfaces• Rinse carcasses thoroughly with cold water• Pre chill carcasses at 40 degrees or cooler before packing• Drain well• Pack with food saver or first in foil/locker paper then large Ziploc• Cook within 4 days if stored in refrigerator otherwise freeze meat• Disinfect and sterilize all equipment and surfaces again before

storage

Questions? Comments?

Concerns?

PowerPoint is available at www.dickiebirdfarm.com