Pasture Raised Chicken

K loving on a chick

The Brooder

So we are disciples of Jesus first and foremost, but after that I would consider myself a disciple of Joel Salatin of Polyface Farm in VA, farmer and author; then Elliot Coleman of Maine, farmer and author. Both of these men have shaped my farming worldview and planning through their writing and speaking, as we embark on our family farming journey. We want to fill our bodies with wholesome, homegrown, un-processed foods as much as possible; and these guys know how to do it.

Back in the 80’s Joel started raising poultry on pasture in a way that both protected the “chickeness of the chicken” as Joel says, and his investment in the birds, by using a moveable, floorless, pen. Joel raises beef also, which we do not have. So in his model, the chickens follow after the cows, pecking and scratching up the cow manure allowing it to be incorporated faster into the pasture and eating the bugs too. He uses a 10’x12’x2’ pen for 75-100 chickens.

We ordered 50 2-day-old chicks from Freedom Ranger Hatchery in PA and couldn't be happier! Sometimes chicks will die during shipping so FRH sends 1-2% extra to compensate. We had no losses, so the 52 chicks we received are still with us. I made 1 chicken tractor, 8’x12’x2’, to house our 52 chickens for the remainder of their pasture lives. The lids that go on top are in the background (chicken fence covered) and foreground (metal roofing covered). My dad asked if we were concerned about predators getting in the lids since they are not fastened to the pen, just laid on top. Raccoons are about the only chicken predator smart enough to figure out that all they would have to do is lift the lid. But they are not an issue after the chickens are older (2-3 weeks from now), if a raccoon comes by in the next 2-3 weeks, the young chickens will all rush under the metal end you see on the right side. This will cause the raccoon or other predator to try and dig under the metal end. Because we move the pen every day to fresh grass, the predators never get a chance to dig long enough to make it under. The real issue is when the birds sleep up against the wire chicken fencing. When they are young they sleep in clusters and the birds on the outside of the cluster often are right up against the fencing. This makes for "easy pickin's" for opossums, foxes and owls. They will reach in through the wire fence and wound the birds, sometimes ripping off a wing or a leg.

We have our tractor set up between the house and the raspberries and will be moved daily

The Chicken Tractor with lids off

(one tractor length at a time) along the side of the house toward the barn, and then back in a parallel, adjacent path... hence the name, chicken "tractor". The birds eat the grass and bugs and fertilize as they go and grow. We are and have been feeding them non-medicated feed (weeks 0-3: starter feed, 4-7: grower, 8-12: finisher). Each type of feed is balanced for each stage of the chickens life.

If all goes as planned we will have our first batch ready for processing at the end of July, before it gets really hot and humid here in Central Maine.
These 52 chickens are 21 days old and growing like gangbusters! We put them out two days ago. This morning they were happy and chirping, eating and drinking. Haven't lost one yet!

M loving life and K helping me put the chicks in the tractor

K was proud to be allowed in the tractor with me

K petting the chicks

He loves taking care of these chickens!!!