chicken farming

jap gt

hi lads

myself and my neighbour are thinking of starting a 'grass reared chicken farm', all birds will be out on grass everyday, totally organic feed, will produce table birds and eggs, planning on keeping table birds until 10 to 12 weeks to fatten slower and more natural.. it will be a part time job like but do ye think it will be a goer... have check loads of shops and butchers and no one has grass reared meat only free range

Tora Bora

Chickens wouldn't survive on grass alone never mind be table ready in 22 weeks. You have to give them a shot of grain based feeding.

jap gt

Tora Bora wrote: »

Chickens wouldn't survive on grass alone never mind be table ready in 22 weeks. You have to give them a shot of grain based feeding.

ah i know that, grass reared is a therm used for birds that pick on grass all day instead of being in a shed, they will be fed organic grain

reilig

I think there's a market for organic free range chicken if you market it right. In our house we don't eat supermarket chicken as we have a neighbour who battery feeds them and has them on the shelf 6 weeks to the day from hatching. You would never eat a chicken from a farm like his if you spent a day or 2 around his place. The odd chicken that we do buy comes from a butcher in a town not too far away. He operates a small system the same as you are planning (don't know if he feeds them organic grain though, but it wouldn't bother me) and he just sells everything that he rears in his own butcher shop. They sell like hotcakes and cost a small bit more than a supermarket chicken (6.50 eur he charges, I think) but its worth it for the different taste alone.

jap gt

reilig wrote: »

I think there's a market for organic free range chicken if you market it right. In our house we don't eat supermarket chicken as we have a neighbour who battery feeds them and has them on the shelf 6 weeks to the day from hatching. You would never eat a chicken from a farm like his if you spent a day or 2 around his place. The odd chicken that we do buy comes from a butcher in a town not too far away. He operates a small system the same as you are planning (don't know if he feeds them organic grain though, but it wouldn't bother me) and he just sells everything that he rears in his own butcher shop. They sell like hotcakes and cost a small bit more than a supermarket chicken (6.50 eur he charges, I think) but its worth it for the different taste alone.

i tried 100 and sold them no bother, the taste is unreal compaired to supermarket rubbish, i have seen chickens at 6 weeks killed, sickening is what it is, more medicine than meat

Sam Kade

reilig wrote: »

I think there's a market for organic free range chicken if you market it right. In our house we don't eat supermarket chicken as we have a neighbour who battery feeds them and has them on the shelf 6 weeks to the day from hatching. You would never eat a chicken from a farm like his if you spent a day or 2 around his place. The odd chicken that we do buy comes from a butcher in a town not too far away. He operates a small system the same as you are planning (don't know if he feeds them organic grain though, but it wouldn't bother me) and he just sells everything that he rears in his own butcher shop. They sell like hotcakes and cost a small bit more than a supermarket chicken (6.50 eur he charges, I think) but its worth it for the different taste alone.

I have a few broilers and I can tell you he hasn't much profit out of €6.50. Broilers eat all round them

jap gt

Sam Kade wrote: »

I have a few broilers and I can tell you he hasn't much profit out of €6.50. Broilers eat all round them

yea i sold mine from 10-12 euro depending on weight

CJhaughey

What kind of plucker have you got? Or are ye doing it manually?
I rear broilers just for ourselves on organic feed, and the only part of dressing them that I hate is the plucking.
I am making a whiz-bang plucker but haven't found the right motor yet.
I have all the rest though, three birds plucked in a minute, Bald as an egg.

jap gt

CJhaughey wrote: »

What kind of plucker have you got? Or are ye doing it manually?
I rear broilers just for ourselves on organic feed, and the only part of dressing them that I hate is the plucking.
I am making a whiz-bang plucker but haven't found the right motor yet.
I have all the rest though, three birds plucked in a minute, Bald as an egg.

i dip them in water, takes 2 minutes to pluck a bird, jesus thats fast, how do you do it that fast

CJhaughey

jap gt wrote: »

i dip them in water, takes 2 minutes to pluck a bird, jesus thats fast, how do you do it that fast

I don't yet. Thats why I am building this machine.
I pluckin hate plucking birds, just a quick dip in hot water and then throw them into the machine and a minute later its all good.
If you are doing any quantity of birds I think you would save a lot of time with a whizbang plucker.

Birdnuts

A marketing tool for this project might be to highlight how this chicken meat will have the added benefit of being a good source of Omega-3 compared to more intensive systems. This is going to become a big issue in the years ahead as the latest research shows that intensive reared meat lacks this vital element for healthy brain development and IQ in kids and young adults:)

Tipp Man

know nothing about chickens but it really is great to see people willing to take a chance and do something a little different and enterprising. This country needs a whole lot more of it

So very best of luck with it and I hope it is a success for you

LostCovey

Tipp Man wrote: »

know nothing about chickens but it really is great to see people willing to take a chance and do something a little different and enterprising. This country needs a whole lot more of it

So very best of luck with it and I hope it is a success for you

I agree with the sentiment and the whole positive vibe here. However the OP seems to think chickens eat grass, so maybe a lil' reality check is in order, eh?

LC

jap gt

LostCovey wrote: »

I agree with the sentiment and the whole positive vibe here. However the OP seems to think chickens eat grass, so maybe a lil' reality check is in order, eh?

LC

where did i say that i cleared that up in my second post, i have been keeping chickens and turkeys for years so dont come on here acting like a smart arse, at least read the thread, grass reared means out on grass everyday not in a shed like so many producers keep them

LostCovey

jap gt wrote: »

where did i say that i cleared that up in my second post, i have been keeping chickens and turkeys for years so dont come on here acting like a smart arse, at least read the thread, grass reared means out on grass everyday not in a shed like so many producers keep them

The buyer is being fooled by buzzword terminology like that. Grass-reared sounds like its different to corn-fed, and that's all that matters. Optics. Marketing.

It'll work fine till someone comes up with a better buzzword, like well-aired or sky-ridden.

It makes no difference. People will still buy the cheapest chicken.

LostCovey

jap gt

LostCovey wrote: »

The buyer is being fooled by buzzword terminology like that. Grass-reared sounds like its different to corn-fed, and that's all that matters. Optics. Marketing.

It'll work fine till someone comes up with a better buzzword, like well-aired or sky-ridden.

It makes no difference. People will still buy the cheapest chicken.

LostCovey

not every one wants a medicine filled bird to eat, and as pointed out in an earlier post its proven that a bird reared out doors is much better for the person eating it

LostCovey

jap gt wrote: »

not every one wants a medicine filled bird to eat, and as pointed out in an earlier post its proven that a bird reared out doors is much better for the person eating it

Where is it proven?

LostCovey

jap gt

Birdnuts wrote: »

A marketing tool for this project might be to highlight how this chicken meat will have the added benefit of being a good source of Omega-3 compared to more intensive systems. This is going to become a big issue in the years ahead as the latest research shows that intensive reared meat lacks this vital element for healthy brain development and IQ in kids and young adults:)

LostCovey wrote: »

Where is it proven?

LostCovey

ask birdnuts, have you any other problems with my idea, other than the fact you think im fattening birds on grass

LostCovey

jap gt wrote: »

ask birdnuts, have you any other problems with my idea, other than the fact you think im fattening birds on grass

You are marketing your birds. Fair play.

A blind taste test would not be able to differentiate your birds from any other mass-market shed-reared chicken on a polystyrene tray, because you are using the same fast-growing grain-guzzling taste-free broiler strains as every other producer.

You are just claiming some mystery benefit from the outdoors walking-around-on-green-grass bit.

Best of luck pal.

LostCovey

LostCovey

jap gt wrote: »

not every one wants a medicine filled bird to eat, and as pointed out in an earlier post its proven that a bird reared out doors is much better for the person eating it

Where is it proven?

LostCovey

jap gt

LostCovey wrote: »

You are marketing your birds. Fair play.

A blind taste test would not be able to differentiate your birds from any other mass-market shed-reared chicken on a polystyrene tray, because you are using the same fast-growing grain-guzzling taste-free broiler strains as every other producer.

You are just claiming some mystery benefit from the outdoors bit.

Best of luck pal.

LostCovey

have you ever eaten a bird that hasnt been fed broilers growers pellets, i bet you would no the difference straight away... none of my birds i used the last time where from fast growing strain, they are all cross breeds and dont gain much weight until 8 to 10 weeks

LostCovey

jap gt wrote: »

have you ever eaten a bird that hasnt been fed broilers growers pellets, i bet you would no the difference straight away... none of my birds i used the last time where from fast growing strain, they are all cross breeds and dont gain much weight until 8 to 10 weeks

If you are killing outdoor birds at 8-10 weeks you are using a fast-growing broiler strain. Just making it work for a living. It will taste the same. Don't fool yourself.

And if you are not using a modern broiler strain you won't have meat for 5 or 6 months. It's not complicated. I truly wish there was a market for traditional slow-growing poultry breeds reared outdoors with minimal grain input. We would all be at it. Downside is it would be dearer than fillet steak.

LostCovey

LostCovey

jap gt wrote: »

not every one wants a medicine filled bird to eat, and as pointed out in an earlier post its proven that a bird reared out doors is much better for the person eating it

Where is it proven?

LostCovey

jap gt

LostCovey wrote: »

If you are killing outdoor birds at 8-10 weeks you are using a fast-growing broiler strain. Just making it work for a living. It will taste the same. Don't fool yourself.

And if you are not using a modern broiler strain you won't have meat for 5 or 6 months. It's not complicated. I truly wish there was a market for traditional slow-growing poultry breeds reared outdoors with minimal grain input. We would all be at it. Downside is it would be dearer than fillet steak.

LostCovey

never said i killed at 8-10 i said the start getting fat, kill at 12-13 all 3-6pound weight, i cross australorp cock with indian game hens, it gives you a good size back chicken, not sure if it will be a winner of an idea but even if i made a small turn over would keep me happy, and anyone that says chickens from a shed will taste the same is off their head there is no comparison, why have you posted 3 times asking me to prove it, like i said ask birdnuts, but this link has a bit about it http://foodloversfoodscoop.blogspot.com/2008/07/healhy-chicken-healthy-supper.html

LostCovey

jap gt wrote: »

never said i killed at 8-10 i said the start getting fat, kill at 12-13 all 3-6pound weight, i cross australorp cock with indian game hens, it gives you a good size back chicken, not sure if it will be a winner of an idea but even if i made a small turn over would keep me happy, and anyone that says chickens from a shed will taste the same is off their head there is no comparison

OK, I give up jap gt, if you can produce a 6 pound cross off an Indian game X in 3 months you may just be the next Bernard Mathews. Oh wait.....

LC

jap gt

LostCovey wrote: »

OK, I give up jap gt, if you can produce a 6 pound cross off an Indian game X in 3 months you may just be the next Bernard Mathews. Oh wait.....

LC

maybe your right maybe its doomed to fail but theres no harm in trying, but there is a market for good quality birds, its only a spare time thing anyway

CJhaughey

LostCovey wrote: »

I agree with the sentiment and the whole positive vibe here. However the OP seems to think chickens eat grass, so maybe a lil' reality check is in order, eh?

LC

My broilers do a pretty good job of keeping the grass short where they are.
I often see them eating grass, and the layers as well.
You would think the area where the broilers are kept has been mowed it's that short.

Dusty87

LC will ya give it a rest.

Dusty87

Best of luck jap, always wanted to try it myself but havn got the time or money. Hope it goes well for ya, enjoy it:)

reilig

I think the op means outdoor reared rather than grass reared. From talking to some people in the last week since this thread first opened up, it appears that there are a lot of local butchers (in my area) selling outdoor reared chickens and people are willing to pay a premium for them. People don't mind paying a premium for chickens that are not force fed in a heat controlled environment.

LostCovey wrote: »

The buyer is being fooled by buzzword terminology like that. Grass-reared sounds like its different to corn-fed, and that's all that matters. Optics. Marketing.

It'll work fine till someone comes up with a better buzzword, like well-aired or sky-ridden.

It makes no difference. People will still buy the cheapest chicken.

LostCovey