Here is a look at our chicken tractor that we are using to raise a batch of 50 New Hampshire Red straigt run chicks for pastured poultry. The New Hampshire Reds are heritage breed selected more for meat production than egg production. They are medium heavy in weight, dress a nice, plump carcass as either a broiler or a roaster. They are also known for early maturity, early feathering and rapid growth. The standard weights are as follows: Cock-8-1/2 pounds; hen-6-1/2 pounds; cockerel-7-1/2 pounds; pullet-5-1/2 pounds.
John built this a couple of months ago and the chicks started living in it at about 4 weeks of age. They are staying in the front pasture following the pigs in rotation. This design helps keep the pastures clean and helps reduce feed costs as well. Hopefully we will have many of the broilers in the freezer come mid-January. Yum!
No comments:
Post a Comment