♣ Recursos para Productores Latinos – Nuestro Programa de Agricultores Latinos apoye a productores para que sus negocios agrícolas tengan éxito. Enfocado en el Noroeste de Washington, ayudamos a productores a profundizar su conocimiento a través de talleres y cursos, escribir un plan de negocios y un plan total de granja, solicitar prestamos y subvenciones, conectarse con mercados y compradores y explorar nuevos productos de valor agregado y más.
The separation of animal agriculture from crop production has led to accumulation of excess manure on livestock farms. Crop farms can benefit from this manure as a source of nutrients and organic matter, if the manure is suitable for their needs and shipping does not make the cost prohibitive. We have assessed the nutrient values of different sources of manure and their suitability for crop production (see “♣ Predicting Nitrogen Availability for Organic Amendments“). Our publication “♣ Fertilizing with Manure and Other Organic Amendments” is a guide for crop farmers for evaluating manure sources, and testing and applying manure.
Horse Manure and Soil Nitrogen
Horse manure is an abundant, locally available source of organic matter for soils. A major concern about horse manure is that it can cause a nitrogen deficiency when added to soils, leading to stunted, yellowed crops. In a study of 36 farms and stables in King County we measured nitrogen levels in horse manure (see: “♣ Horse Manure and Soil Nitrogen“).
Managing Dairy Manure to Protect Water Quality
Water quality problems, changing herd management patterns, and increased regulation have made manure management a critical issue for dairy farmers. Our immediate goal is to help dairy farmers improve the use of manure to increase agronomic benefits and reduce the risk of over-application, runoff, and leaching. Our long-term goal is to help farmers identify chronic nutrient imbalances, and develop ways to reduce nutrient imports or increase exports. We have done research on 1) rate and timing of dairy slurry applications to forage grass, 2) pre-sidedress nitrate testing for corn, 3) whole-farm flows on dairies. Manure application rates have traditionally been based on nitrogen, but phosphorus has emerged as the nutrient of concern in many watersheds.
♣ Environmental Stewardship for Small-Scale Animal Producers. This is a series of fact sheets on topics including manure management, pastures, runoff, protecting water quality, animal mortalities, and environmental stewardship for horse owners. This link includes an opportunity to review these bulletins and share your comments with the authors.
Above-Pastured poultry cage with lids open for feeding and cleaning water dishes. Breeds in this photo are slower growing Red and Bronze Rangers. Cages are moved daily to provide fresh forage for the chickens, keep their area clean to avoid diseases, and to distribute manure that provides nutrients for pasture growth. A dolly with a wedge (see other photo) is placed under the rear, the front is picked up by a handle (seen above center front of cage – thick rope with short PVC length for a handle) and the cage moved forward a cage length each day. Normally only one person is needed to move the cage. Four corner handles are for moving cages with more people longer distances or in and out of the fields.
Above-Side view of Pasture Poultry Cages. The siding provides shade, the lid can be raised and the bottom slightly propped up during hotter weather for greater airflow.
Above-Good view showing grazed pasture from previous days. The grazed area quickly regrows with the addition of the chicken manure.
Above-4-gallon water buckets on top of the Pasture Poultry Cage provide a constant flow of water for waterers. A hole is cut in a regular bucket, a barrel bung and valve are inserted, then is plumbed to the waterers via garden dripline. Other sized buckets and types of plumbing can be used. A valve (optional) makes the bucket removable without losing all the water. We always used two totally independent watering units as backups in case of malfunction of one.
Above-We later used nipple waterers with the above 4 gallon buckets. These were superior to the hanging bell waterers as they didn’t clog like the bell waterers did nor did they have a dish that had to be cleaned out.
Above-The dolly slips under the back of the Pasture Poultry Cage and the wooden wedge is put in to hold the dolly tipped back so the rear bottom of the cage is a few inches off the ground. The cage is pulled forward by a rope on the front of the cage. A person does not have to hold the dolly when the cage is moved so it can be a one-person job. The person must carefully watch chickens at the back of the pen to make sure all chickens are clear of the back and dolly as they move, and stop if there is any risk of one going under. When birds first go out it’s best to have a “shoosher” person at the back. After a few days they learn to follow the cage.
Above-Feeders made out of roof gutters are suspended from the cage “rafters” so they don’t have to be moved in and of the cage each time it’s moved. Feeders are made of a 3ft length of guttering with 2 gutter end caps. A spinning PVC roll bar to prevent chickens from perching on the feeder is made by suspending a ca 1/4″ diameter metal rod a couple inches over the feeder and placing a slightly shorter length of PVC over the rod. Height of the feeders is adjustable with hooks on the chains so it can be raised as the chickens grow.
Above-Having chickens that have been raised with a lot of human attention from first arrival from the hatchery is important. Tamer chickens are very pleasant to work with and are less stressed when handling is necessary. We introduce chicks to greenery (finely chopped pasture clover and grass) in the brooder so they know what it is when they get in the field. We also associate a “chicken call” when greens are fed to chicks to teach them to come when called. This helps them to learn more quickly to move forward during cage moving time when they’re first put out in the Pasture Poultry Cage.
Above-Inside view of hanging bell waterers that automatically refill as water is drunk by the birds. Regular garden dripline is used to connect waterers to water source buckets (see below). Hanging waterers are time savers as they don’t have to be taken in and out of the cage when it’s being moved, and are quite easy to clean. In 2010 we changed to using nipple waterers (see below) as they were more reliable. Two totally independent watering systems are critical to provide backup in case one malfunctions, as a cage of approximately 35 larger birds can use 4 gallons on a hot day.
Raising pastured poultry is a simple way to integrate livestock onto small farms. They are suitable for farms that do not currently have livestock, or they can be raised in a system that includes other types of animals.
This page summarizes our experience with small-scale pastured poultry production on our organically certified land at WSU Puyallup from 2005-2012. We began raising pastured broilers with the goal of integrating them into a vegetable-pasture rotation in our organic farming systems experiment.
Methods:
We used small (5’x 10’), lightweight traveling cages for housing the birds on pasture (see design plans below). Each cage held up to 35 birds and contained two feed troughs and two independent watering units. Cages were rolled daily onto fresh pasture using a dolly system. We supplied feed and water to birds as needed once to twice daily. The pasture areas were enclosed with a portable electric fence to provide extra protection from predators.
Chicks were moved from the brooder to the field at 2 to 3 weeks of age, and were slaughtered at 8 weeks (Fast Cornish Cross) to 11 weeks of age (Slow Cornish Cross varieties). Our birds were slaughtered on farm using a mobile slaughtering unit.
Each bird was weighed when moved to the field, at intervals during their life cycle up to the time of slaughter, and after dressing. We also measured daily and total feed supplied to the flock to determine feed conversion. In 2007 and 2008 we participated in a project to study lactic acid as an organic alternative to chlorine bleach for carcass sanitation during processing (see Publications).
We raised Fast Cornish Cross, Kosher King, and Slow Cornish birds in 2005, Fast Cornish Cross in 2006, Freedom Rangers in 2007, and Slow Red Cornish Cross and Fast Cornish Cross in 2008-2009 2011, and Red Freedom Rangers and Fast Cornish Cross in 2012.
Bird survival and weight, feed use, and feed conversion are summarized in Tables 1 and 2 below. Fast Cornish Cross chickens had much better feed conversion than the other breeds, but otherwise did not function as well in the pastured poultry environment. This was especially true in 2006, when we lost many birds late in the season because of heart attacks or inability to walk. The Fast Cornish Cross also tended to have more difficulty moving with the cages, especially in the final weeks before slaughter. Feed conversion was lower in the spring of 2005 than in the later trials, likely as a result of not switching from chick grit to hen grit after they were moved to the field. Feed consumption and bird weights were down in 2009 due to a 10 day hot period when birds didn’t eat or gain as much. In 2012 the Fast Cornish Cross ate more feed than previous years, but didn’t grow as well as previous years.
Above-Movable pasture pens.Above-Cornish Cross, final size. Fast growing.Above-Freedom Ranger, final size, hen named “Rufus.” Slow growing.
Table 1. Pastured poultry data summary 2005-2012, fast growing White Cornish Crosses.
NOTES:
2005 (spring) only chick grit was used which affected feed conversion. For following groups we used chick grit in the brooder then hen grit in the field.
2009: very hot period (10 days) when birds didn’t eat/grow much.
2012: Birds ate a lot but Fast CornishX didn’t grow like previous years.
2005 (spring) only chick grit was used which affected feed conversion. For following groups we used chick grit in the brooder then hen grit in the field.
2009: very hot period (10 days) when birds didn’t eat/grow much.
