SMALL ACREAGE WORKSHOP

Small Farm Poultry Production

David Frame, DVM Associate Professor Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences Department Extension Poultry Specialist

U.S. Poultry History

1935:
200,000 poultry farms; several thousand with poultry products as practically all the income Average number of layers in a general neighborhood farm flock = 70; poultry farm flock = 350

Source: Morley A. Jull, Poultry Husbandry, 2nd ed., McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., 1938

U.S. Poultry History: Layers

2006:
255 egg producing companies with flocks of 75,000 hens or more (64 egg producing companies with 1 million hens or more; 11 with 5 million hens or more). These 255 companies represent about 95% of all the layers in the U.S.

Source: American Egg Board

U.S. Poultry History: Broiler Production

Year 1925 1935 1985 2005

Wt. (lbs.) 2.2 2.4 4.2 5.1

Feed Conv. 4.7 4.4 2.0 1.8

Days to Market 112 98 49 45

Dual-Purpose Breeds

New Hampshire Red

Barred Plymouth Rock

Poultry Housing

R.E. Jones, 1935: The Connecticut Poultry House. Conn. Agr. Ext. Bull.

From: Lewis, Henry R., Productive Poultry Husbandry, p. 129. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia. 1914.

Lighting
Hens in lay must never be exposed to decreasing day-length Use artificial lights to maintain a 14- to 16-hour day-length Orange and red lights (i.e. incandescent) are most effective Pullets hatched in spring will mature normally through fall and winter production of normal-sized eggs during first lay cycle

Poultry Housing

Movable shelter for feed and water

California style commercial housing

Poultry Housing

Covered outdoor run

Double-sided, multiple pens, central aisle

Feeding

Feed Typesa
Starter. . . . . . . . . . . . 20-25% protein Grower. . . . . . . . . . . 18-20% protein Maintenance. . . . . . . 15% protein Layer. . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-18% protein; high Ca Finisher. . . . . . . . . . . 15% protein; high energy
aProtein

% will vary depending on metabolizable energy content of the particular feed.

Feeders

Bucket-style feeder

Trough feeder for chicks

AA

Fountain-style Waterers

Biosecurity
Dont visit other peoples flocks. Wear clean coveralls in, out. Boots clean and disinfected.

Wash hands: use alcohol-based sanitizer after rinsing. Use only veterinary-approved bird health programs: dont vaccinate indiscriminately.

Marketing Considerations
Access to replacement stock (e.g. commercial hatcheries, breed/strain availability) Feed availability (nearby commercial mills, access to feedstuffs) Labor cost (no such thing as free labor!!) Disposal of manure and used litter, mortality, and spent hens Laws governing commercial sales of poultry and eggs (http://ag.utah.gov/services.html) Understand and APPLY effective biosecurity practices!!

Marketing

Advertising Niche markets Organic, Range-Reared, All-Natural (check regulations and certification requirements) Target exclusive or premium products