Steven Muntz
Appalachia Program Manager
Heifer Project International

In 1996 Heifer Project International (HPI) received a grant from the Southern Region SARE (Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education) program to test the Salatin model of pastured poultry production with limited resource farmers in five southern states. Over the next three years over thirty farmers were trained in this model of poultry production, processing and marketing. The farmers were then given the opportunity to try the model on their own farms. All the farmers started on a very small scale (100 chickens or less) in order to learn the system. As with any new enterprise, the learning curve is steep during the first year or two. Many of the farmers liked the system very much and have gone on to raise more pastured poultry on their own. The information provided in this paper is largely taken from the experiences of these farmers and the author with this poultry production model.

Heifer Project International is a non-profit organization that works in partnership with others to alleviate hunger, poverty and environmental degradation by providing animals, training and community development assistance. HPI projects improve family nutrition, generate income, build self-reliant grassroots organizations, and help beneficiaries share resources and skills with neighbors through the "passing on the gift" principle.

The Salatin Model

The Salatin pastured poultry model is a comprehensive system of broiler production utilizing pasture, on-farm processing, and relationship marketing. This system involves raising chickens in portable floorless, pens which are moved to fresh forage every day. The chickens have feed and water in front of them at all times. They are protected from the weather and predators by being kept inside the pens. Often, much of the profit in agriculture today comes from the processing and marketing side. This enterprise includes both of these operations, and enables a farmer to earn a reasonable return for his/her effort.

Production - Chicks and Brooding

The production model starts with ordering chicks from one of several hatcheries across the United States. If possible, order from a reliable hatchery close to home. The chicks are sent through the regular mail service and will come a day or two after shipment. They are well supplied with nourishment from the egg to withstand the time lag until they reach your farm. Cornish cross chicks are the breed that is most commonly used since they grow very rapidly. There is increasing interest in providing chicks from breeding stock that was raised on pasture. The thinking behind this is that the chicks may be hardier and perform better on pasture than commercially reared birds. These "pastured peepers", as they are being called, are already available from one hatchery in Virginia.

Have your brooding area well prepared before the chicks ever arrive. The area should be at least six by six feet for 100 chicks. Put down 6-12 inches of bedding material such as wood chips or wood shavings (avoid sawdust because the chicks may eat it). Use heat lamps or another suitable heating device to keep the temperature at about 90 degrees during the first few days. Then you can gradually reduce the temperature to harden the chicks off for the weather outside. If the chicks are all huddled under the lamp, the temperature is too cold. If they are all spread out against the walls, it is too hot. Chicks should stay in the brooder for two to three weeks depending on the outside temperatures. Pick a nice day to put the chicks out into the pasture pens.

Production - Pens

The basic pen design used by Joel Salatin for this model is ten feet by twelve feet by two feet high. A pen of this size is suitable for 75-90 birds. The frame of the pens is built out of treated 1" x 6" lumber that has been ripped in half or thirds. This makes the pen light enough to move every day and yet heavy enough that the wind doesn’t blow it away. One of the biggest mistakes people make with this model is making the pens too heavy. In a desire to make the pen more sturdy, using heavier lumber, the pens are made useless because they cannot be moved by hand. The frame of the pen is covered partially by 1" chicken wire and partially by sheet aluminum or sheet iron. Sheet aluminum is preferred since it is lighter weight. As more and more farmers get involved with this model, many new pen designs are being considered. Some are built out of UV resistant PVC. Others are being built out of rebar.

The pens are moved with a specially made dolly that slips under one end of the pen and lifts it slightly off the ground. The person moving the pen then goes to the other side, lifts up on pen’s handle and pulls the pen one pen length to fresh pasture. The chickens simply walk along the ground as the pen moves. This process should be done pretty slowly when the chickens are first put in the pens since the experience is new to them and they don’t know what is going on. After a couple of days, they figure it out and will walk along more easily with the pen. If an individual family simply wants to raise chickens for their own use and will only need one pen, other pen moving options, such as wheels on the pen, may be a cheaper way to go than the dolly. The dolly comes in very handy when there are several pens to move.

The pens provide protection for the chickens from most predators, but predation can still be a problem. Keep the pens away from forested areas as much as possible, and block any openings that may occur in uneven trees with block of wood.

Production - Pasture

Cornish cross chickens are definitely not the best foraging chickens. They won’t work at grazing very hard, as they would rather just sit around and eat their feed. You can encourage grazing more by putting some tender green grass and clover in the brooder with them when they are younger. Pastured peepers (mentioned earlier) may turn out to be better grazers since their parents were raised on pasture. The preferred pasture for grazing is a mix of various species, including clovers, if possible. The types of forages available are really less important than the height and maturity of the forage. The chickens will graze young and tender forage much more readily than they will tall, mature forage. Pasture height should not be over about six inches when grazing the chickens. Another great aspect about chickens on the pasture is that they fertilize as they go, preparing the ground for cattle or other species that will benefit from the chickens having come before them.

Production - Feed

The feed provided for the chickens is non-medicated and has no growth stimulants. Baby chicks are often fed a higher protein starter feed (20-22% protein) and once on pasture they are given a lower protein feed (17-18%). Actual rations are not in the scope of this paper, but are available from Heifer Project International or in Joel Salatin’s book, Pastured Poultry Profits.

Production - Processing

The birds are generally processed when they are eight weeks old. They can be moved from the pens to the processing area in crates or even in the bed of a pickup truck. They are quite large at this point and they won’t fly out of the truck. Some producers are able to find a local processor who will process the chickens for them. Most producers do the processing themselves. Killing the birds is done in killing cones. A knife is used to cut the jugular vein and the birds are bled out completely. This is the required process for most religious slaughter processes, though other requirements must also be met. The birds are then scalded in hot water (145-150 degrees F). A proper scald is the key to quickly cleaning a chicken. Scalding water that is too cold will result in a poor pick, while scalding water that is too hot will cause the skin to be ripped off the bird during the picking process. After scalding, the birds are plucked by a simple machine with rubber fingers that pulls all the feathers off the chicken in about 20 seconds. At this point, heads and feet are removed and the bird is moved to the evisceration table. During evisceration, the heart, liver, gizzard and neck are generally saved in chilled water and the rest of the offal is put aside for composting. The final stage for the chicken is the quality control area where the bird is given a thorough inspection and cleaned up nicely before it is put in a chill tank to rapidly reduce the temperature of the bird. After all the birds are processed, the offal is composted with wood chips. A heavy layer of wood chips between each layer of offal as well as a 6" buffer of chips around all sides will reduce any disturbance by animals. If properly composted, this method will result in very little, if any, odor. Regulations regarding on-farm processing vary somewhat from state to state and should be investigated prior to processing chickens for sale to consumers. Processing is the weakest link in this model and has to be considered carefully. Heifer Project International has a summary of the legal issues regarding on-farm processing of poultry for thirteen southern states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. This summary was prepared by the National Center for Agricultural Law Research and Information and is available upon request.

Other Production Models

There are several other models of range chicken production that are currently being espoused. Herman Beck-Chenoweth has introduced a range model where the birds are given more room to roam and are confined to portable houses at night. The houses are on skids and are moved by tractor to another location periodically. The semi-intensive model is generally run from a stationary barn that has many different paddocks accessible to it. The chickens are rotated around to the different paddocks. Each system has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. More information about these systems is available from the National Center for Appropriate Technology’s ATTRA (Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas) program.

Relationship Marketing

The Salatin model of pastured poultry production relies exclusively on relationship marketing. All chickens raised are sold directly from the farm to customers who have learned about the production model, who are seeking chickens raised in this alternative manner and/or who are interested in supporting the farmer raising the chickens. This is a system of food production where the farmer and the consumer actually meet and get to know each other. A relationship is developed that is beneficial to both the farmer and the customer. The farmer must be dedicated to producing an exceptionally high quality product required by his customer. The customer, in turn, knows how his/her food is produced, gets to know the farmer and is willing to pay a little more for the value of the product received.

Knowing Your Product

When you think of a quality product, what are some names that come to mind? Mercedes, Cadillac, Sony, Microsoft….? What do you expect about these products? Usually you expect a higher value product or something out of the ordinary. If you wanted something cheap you wouldn’t be looking to a high quality brand. In the same manner, your customers need to have this idea in mind when they think of your chicken. You are raising a specialty food product that is not available at the local grocery. Your chickens are raised in a humane way. They receive no antibiotics or growth stimulants in their feed. They get fresh pasture, sunshine and fresh air everyday. They fertilize your land naturally and support soil conservation. They support the local economy and family farms. Perhaps most importantly they taste wonderful! You need to know your product inside and out. Make sure that you eat plenty of your own chicken. You have to be a believer in your product if you want others to believe in it.

Finding Your Customers

How do you find customers for this wonderful product you are raising? This part doesn’t just happen, but it is not as difficult as may first be thought. Do you work with other people in your local community? Does your spouse work with other people in the community? Are you affiliated with a religious or civic organization in the community? Are you a member of an agricultural organization of one type or another? Do you have any friends? This is where you start with relationship marketing. Make a list of people you think might be interested in the product you have to offer. This is the beginning of your customer list. Talk to these people or send them a letter explaining what you are doing. Include an order form with the letter. One way to jump start a program is to give away some birds. People will gladly try one of your chickens for free. When they do, make sure they have information about how you are raising them along with an order form for your next batch.

Talk it up! Not everyone is good at promoting themselves or the products they have for sale, but often someone in the family or the organization is. Figure out who that is in your family and make sure that person is using his or her gift appropriately. It is remarkable how many people are looking for the chickens you are raising. They’ll never know about it though unless somebody tells them. Once you have established your first customers, they will be your best advertisers. They will tell their friends about you and before long you will be getting calls about the chickens you are raising.

Finding a Special Niche

Some people just happen to live in the right place to find a special niche market for their birds. One farmer in South Carolina lives in a Cambodian community. The members of that community desire chickens that taste more like what they used to eat back home. The farmer is fitting the chicken’s diet and lifestyle to meet the needs of the people in his community and has a steady source of customers. Another farmers lives in a very affluent region and has found a great demand for his chickens. Amazingly, even in remote regions there is a demand for these chickens. Some people just want a chicken that tastes more like the country birds they had when they were growing up.

Maintaining the Business

Once you have developed a customer base, you can’t just smile and think that you’ve made it. You need to maintain those customers and attract others. Send out an annual order letter, extolling the virtues of your product and asking people to make their order for the year. Offer other products. People like novelty and get tired of the same old thing every year. If you can have eggs available or fresh vegetables you will sell more products and help retain customers at the same time. Ask customers for their opinions. How can you do a better job for them?

Setting Your Price

This is a difficult decision for many producers and most often they err on the side of setting prices too low. There is a lot of effort involved in raising these chickens and even more effort expended in processing them. You have to think beyond just feed and chick costs too. Consider costs of processing equipment and supplies, pens, electricity, fuel, and most importantly your time. You must pay yourself. At the time of this presentation, most producers were charging from $6.00-10.00 per bird. On the low end of this scale the producer is not making much profit. Do your cost figures ahead of time and see what you need to charge for the enterprise to be worth your time.

Conclusion

Pastured poultry is a viable model for small farmers to consider in the United States. The production model is sound and has been effective for numerous producers in many different states. APPPA (The American Pastured Poultry Producers Association) currently has over 500 members. The biggest challenges for most farmers interested in this system involve processing and marketing. Production problems will occur, but they are generally fairly easy to overcome. The processing issue should be addressed early in the investigation stage so the farmer knows that he/she can legally sell processed poultry. Once that is established, the farmer can begin to establish a customer list. It is wise with this enterprise to start small and build the business as you learn. If you really like the enterprise it can be expanded and become a significant part of your farm income. Additional information about pastured systems is constantly coming out as more and more research is being conducted on pastured/range models of poultry production.

References

Salatin, Joel. (1993). Pastured Poultry Profits. Swoope, VA: Polyface, Inc.

Ayers, Anne Christine. (1994) Sustainable Chicken Production. Fayetteville, AR. NCAT/ATTRA Information Package.

Hipp, Janie Simms. (1999) Legal Issues for Small Farm Pastured Poultry Producers. Fayetteville, AR. National Center for Agricultural Law Research and Information.

Mailing address for the author: 110 North Maysville Street, Suite 100, Mt. Sterling, KY 40353

Back to Table of Contents