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lynxpilot
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Reged: 10/14/04
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Posts: 46
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Loc: Ava, MO
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PASTURED BROILERS
03/25/07 06:14 PM
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Anybody done this? Per the Joel Salatin method, having a coop large enough to fit your broiler chickens and dragging it around the pasture daily to give them a new patch of grass to munch on?
I'm building my pens for the chicks now, and at 2 weeks, will try the pastured broiler method. I'll be buying cornish cross chicks so I'll be done with it in 6-8 weeks.
Need to buy the plucker and scalding pots too. I'm really not looking forward to that part. I've been looking at the Featherman Pro for a plucker. I'll probably fabricate a scalder using a water heater element and a big pot or maybe just use my propane rig and adjust it for temperature.
So who's into the meat chicken business?
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Bird
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Reged: 09/12/02
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Loc: Corinth, TX, USA
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Re: PASTURED BROILERS
[re: lynxpilot]
03/25/07 07:27 PM
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If you do a google search, you'll find lots of information about chicken tractors; i.e., the kind of coop you are talking about. I got lots of experience with pulling the heads off chickens, scalding, plucking, and gutting them when I was a kid, but haven't had to do any of that for many years now. 
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Pat
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Re: PASTURED BROILERS
[re: Bird]
03/25/07 09:22 PM
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Bird, I've seen a lot of those chicken tractors but usually larger than in the URL you posted. I like the basic design/shape in that one. O don't think the shape was modeled after an A frame ski chalet but the shape is SMART. Since any part of the coup is wider than any part above it the walls should stay a lot cleaner as few dropping should hit the walls. That plus the constant moving to new territory keeps chicken STUFF from getting too heavy and presenting a cleaning problem. Yes, I'm getting lazy.
Pat 
"I'm not from your planet, monkey boy!"
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Bird
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Loc: Corinth, TX, USA
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Re: PASTURED BROILERS
[re: Pat]
03/26/07 06:01 AM
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Actually Pat, I just posted a link to the first site I found for chicken tractors. I had seen portable coops with no bottom for both chickens and rabbits years ago (you have to keep a close eye on the rabbits, though, or they'll dig under one side and escape), but when I was a kid, our chickens were free range chickens. But I'd never even heard the terms "chicken tractor" and "free range" until Countrybynet and Tractorbynet on the Internet.
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Pat
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Re: PASTURED BROILERS
[re: Bird]
03/26/07 07:50 AM
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Bird, Most of my childhood memories and most others till fairly recent years were not at all like the "tractor" but were ill designed things that were very messy and were a bugger to try to clean.
The A frame looking tractor looks to be a good start in the right direction.
Pat
"I'm not from your planet, monkey boy!"
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Highsmith
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Reged: 03/14/07
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Loc: TX
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Re: PASTURED BROILERS
[re: lynxpilot]
03/26/07 06:05 PM
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What is the process for selling dead chickens to the public? I assume some kind of government stamp of approval? Is that a state or federal issue?
Best Regards,
Highsmith
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lynxpilot
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Re: PASTURED BROILERS
[re: Highsmith]
03/27/07 09:06 PM
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Mind you this is third hand info, but as I understand it, I can sell processed chickens to individuals for their sole use up to a certain number or dollar amount, which is a lot bigger than I intend to get. If I sell to a reseller, e.g. a restaurant, grocer, or whatever, then the product has to be USDA inspected processing. The latter would entail inspections of the processing facility (like stainless steel rooms that get bleach cleaned daily etc. etc.) PLUS the USDA inspector has to be on site during all processing, obviously all beyond my means. My intent is just to sell to individuals and get a word-of-mouth customer base. I have a full-time job, so it's not paying the rent. Just trying to provide a local source of food and start edging out the big W.
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