Organic Poultry Production Guide

1Union Street
Berwick, Ontario K0C 1G0

The decision to raise your flocks organically is a positive step toward healthy birds and produce.  Add experience, knowledge and perseverance to your decision and you will gain great satisfaction by your farming practices. There is much to learn about these beautiful and fascinating birds;  chickens, ducks, turkeys and geese. From a large commercial enterprise to a child's training ground for animal care and business, poultry flocks provide many delights and opportunities for the farm.

Expect organic feed for any animal to be high qua-lity and nutritious, because of the nature of organic farming practices. A healthy loose soil should be rich in nutrients and available to the plants because of the continual breakdown of the organic matter in the soil. However, this cannot be guaranteed, as the farming practices and length of time the farm has been organic will affect the quality of the feed. Your own farming practices; feed care, housing, range health, lighting and cleanliness, all contribute to the health and productivity of your flocks.

Organic feed should be 'certified organic' and so labelled by a recognized certification organization.  If it is, then you know the producing farmer has met expectations set out in those standards, and you know the farm operation has been regularly inspected. If you want to certify your farm, you can obtain information pamphlets from Homestead Organics, or in the U.S., contact Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas (ATTRA) at <http://www.attra.org>.

Many conventional birds are treated with antibio-tics to improve feed conversion, coccidiostats to prevent coccidiosis, and are possibly fed growth hormones. You can avoid drug residues in your eggs and meat by raising your own birds but it may increase the cost of production. The increasing demand for organic food shows that this choice is desirable. Homestead Organics sometimes has to go far afield to buy enough supplies to meet the increasing demand for organic grain for all purposes.

CHICKENS

In nature, Gallus gallus pecked, scratched and foraged through the Asian jungles for a wide variety of foods, but the domesticated chickens are dependent upon the farmer for their nutritional needs. A farmer will usually buy ready mixed rations because the storage, roasting, rolling, cracking, crushing and proper mixing of different feeds is a job in itself requiring knowledge and equipment. Nevertheless knowledge of feeds is needed because the farmer will make decisions related to feed amounts, supplements, changes in the ration, and range management.  Use the referenced publications to become a farmer who raises stress-free and healthy flocks. We have some books in stock in our store at the mill.

On average, one chicken eats under a kilogram (about 2 lb) of  feed per week. A layer eats under 2 kg per every dozen eggs she lays. Birds will eat more when bigger and more in winter than summer when their energy need to stay warm isn't so high and when free-range birds can forage. Chickens need high protein feed, such as soybeans, for growth. Soybeans must be roasted or the oil will cause fatty livers in the birds.  Other grains such as oats and wheat, supply protein as well at a lower rate and cost and add variety for nutritional purposes. However, neither barley nor wheat should be used in large amounts. Wheat can suppress egg production and barley is not easily digestible for birds.

Protein levels can be reduced once the major growth in the birds is completed. One way to do this is to add small grains (a mixture of at least two kinds of grain, usually including corn) to the day's menu. Toss a couple of handfuls onto their litter or on their range and they will love scratching for it. In the process they will do a nice job of turning over their bedding, keeping it dry and loose. The protein requirement, however, increases again during the annual molt when the birds are growing new feathers, even though egg production is lower. Feathers are 85% protein and a lack of protein in the diet can cause feather pecking problems.

Poultry also need starchy food for energy. Corn is a commonly used energy source. As the birds mature they need less protein and more starch as is reflected in the layer rations.  Make any change in ration slowly, to avoid stomach problems and diarrhea. Each bird will drink 2 or 3 cups of water a day and more in summer. Give them clean fresh water each day. No water for just a few hours can lead to dehydration, which can suppress egg production for weeks.

SUPPLEMENTS

Grit, in the form of pebbles and sand, can be picked up by the birds when on free range in the summer to break down forage, but in winter they will need supplemental grit to help digest grain. Offer granite grit as free choice. Eggshells are mainly made up of calcium carbonate, and a lack of calcium will result in thin eggshells. Older hens need more calcium than younger ones, but all laying hens should have ground limestone (not dolomitic limestone) and ground oyster shells always available. Phosphorus is needed to break down calcium, and defluorinated rock phosphate or phosphorus-16 should be available to free-range birds as well. Hard-shelled beetles provide some calcium and phosphorus but more may be needed. All chickens need salt in tiny amounts. If it is not in the feed, then have loose salt (not rock salt) available, but make sure there is always a good supply of water at the same time. Remove the salt if water is not always available.

Homestead Organics’ rations are mixed from a variety of grains and legumes. A choice of prepared blends of starter and grower feeds is available, or for at least 12 bags or more, custom mixes can be ordered. Homestead Organics has already included limestone, oyster shells, salt and phosphorus in the feed rations. Alfalfa is included in the layer and finisher rations.

EXTRA FEEDING TIPS

• A small amount of chopped alfalfa adds valuable greens, but too much green forage cannot be digested properly by the birds.
• Chickens don't like dusty or powdery mash. Moistening the mash can stop the valuable protein powder from filtering down and being left in the feeder. Homestead uses organic flax or soya oil for this purpose.
• Research has shown that feeding oats in summer helps the birds cope better with heat and allows them to maintain their egg production even in hot weather.
• Sprouted grains help with a richer egg colour in winter and are a good source of vitamins. They can be used to replace synthetic amino acids.
• Supplement the flocks' feed with kitchen scraps; bread, vegetable peelings, apples etc. Be careful not to overdo this however, as the resulting nutritional imbalance may affect the health and production of the birds. Feed them only what they clean up in 10 minutes.
• Don't feed raw potato peels.
• Don't feed anything spoiled or rotten.
• Moistening their food may stimulate their appetite.
• Hay chaff is a nutritious supplement.
• Minerals are available through kelp.
• Available excess milk or whey in modest amounts make good supplements as well.
• Foraging for plants, seeds, grubs and insects allow a flock to balance its own diet somewhat and can reduce feed costs by about 30% in summer.
• In the case of mashed grains, buy only what you will need for 2 or 3 weeks, as chickens don't like stale food any more than you do, and the nutritional value of their food reduces with time. Depending on your means of transportation, 2 to 3 months may be an acceptable limit.
• Be systematic about recording your observations. Your birds will teach you a lot about their needs.

OTHER BIRDS  require a higher protein ration than chickens, especially as chicks. They do well on a free-range pasture, choosing from a variety of plants and insects to balance their diet. Space is an important requirement for these birds. They should not be housed with chickens, nor should they follow chickens in a grazing rotation because of the occurrence of blackhead, fatal to turkeys.

Water birds need access to water in order to allow for their natural habits to develop. Geese do well on a grass diet, and are sometimes used to weed strawberries and vegetables such as potatoes and onions. Geese are more resistant to disease than are chickens or turkeys.

RAISING CHICKENS FOR MEAT

Chickens grown for meat can be expensive to raise because their protein requirements are high, especially when the chicks are young. As they mature they require less protein and more carbohydrate, which is less expensive, so take note of the recommended times for shifting to a lower protein feed.  A good guide for the amount of food you can expect to use is this: the age of the chicks in weeks roughly equals the minimum kilograms of feed that 100 chicks should eat each day. If consumption drops below this guideline, look for a reason why.

With non-medicated feed you will have to be careful to prevent coccidiosis. Keep litter clean and dry, and move free-range birds often to prevent build-up of droppings. Keep the water clean.

Many people like to eat corn-fed birds because of the plumpness and tastiness of the meat. These birds aren't ready until the 18th week. The bigger your bird, the more grain will be consumed. It is a trade-off of size for cost.

There is some evidence through research that classical music in the chicken pen stimulates growth in the birds.

MOBILE HOUSING

Poultry can be housed in mobile hen houses, which can be moved to follow pastured animals in their rotation, or they can be stationed in fields of harvested crops.  Here they forage by day on fresh ground free of parasites, hold back weeds, break up and spread animal manure, and reduce fly larvae and other ground pests. At the same time they are increasing their mineral and protein intake and are adding a rich manure to the ground. At an appropriate time the houses are moved on, either by a winch or a tractor. There are many styles and considerations for this type of housing.

FEEDING GUIDE * 

FEED TYPE	AGE	% PROTEIN (DRY)	AMOUNT/BIRD/PERIOD
Chick Starter	to 4 or 5 weeks	20%	2 kg
Grower	4 or 5 weeks to 9 to 13 weeks	18%	5-9 kg
Finisher	13 weeks to market	16%	3-4 kg
Layer	16-18 weeks and on	16.5%	1.50kg/bird/week
Turkey Starter	4-6 weeks	28%	2 1/2 kg
Grower	4-6 weeks to 12 weeks	22%	6 kg
Finisher	12 weeks to market	18%	4 kg

   

*  NOTES:

1. The transition between feeds will vary with growing conditions, amount of protein and farmer preference.
2. The age for marketing also varies according to weight desired, feed type etc.
3. Feeding amounts are a guideline but will vary according to breed and condition of birds.
4. Textures will change with feed.
5. Can have feed made to order (minimum 6 bags of 40 kg).

REFERENCES

Canada Department of Agriculture, 1977. Managing a Small Poultry Flock, Ottawa
Damerow, Gail, 1995. A Guide to Raising Chickens. Pownal. 341 pages.
Damerow, Gail. 1993. Your Chickens, A Kid's Guide to Raising and Showing, Pownal. 143  pages.
Macey, Anne. Editor, 2000. Organic Livestock Handbook. Ottawa. 179pages.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: This guide was prepared by Sally Gray, Metcalfe, Ontario.