raising backyard poultry
TRANSCRIPT
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