Big H Farm: Pastured Poultry

Okay so I decided to take the plunge and I order a few birds to try this pastured poultry thing... One of our barns was set up for dog breeding and has five small rooms where the puppies would be kept. The rooms are about 6x7 and are ideal for our chick brooder. I can't actually take credit for it...It was Sweet Thangs idea. Our day old chicks will spend the first 3 weeks of their lives in here until we move them to the pasture.

The brooder must be at least 25 sqft for 100 chicks. Yeah, I'm experimenting with 100 chicks. I hope they all make it to slaughter day. It is important that the brooder is protected from all predators to include rats and have an absorbent bedding. I had originally put cedar shavings down until I read that the cedar oils and smells could be harmful to the young chicks. After further research I found that pine shavings were the better choice. You want to use shavings and not saw dust or chips. Dust is too fine causing the chicks to have digestive problems. Chips are too large and won't absorb the waste.

Sweet Thang... looking beautiful as ever (loving the yellow boots...Those are working for me!) Okay, focus... the bedding here is 6" deep and Sweet Thang has put some newspaper down and sprinkled some grit and (non medicated) chick starter. The paper allows the day old chicks to get quick access to food and grinding stones.

She's so hot literally... We turned the heat on the whole way back from the post office to insure our chicks stayed at 90 degrees. I'm thinking that we may need a more farm like dog...

Part of the tribe looking over our new arrivals. (oldest far left is Cowgirl, youngest boy in Cowgirl's arm is Tumbleweed, our 3rd oldest girl in the middle is Pony Tail, and on the far right is Boots.) Our middle girl Dixie Girl is not present in this photo because she is busy taking pictures right next to me at the moment.