David Frame, DVM Associate Professor Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences Department Extension Poultry Specialist Small Farm Poultry Production SMALL ACREAGE WORKSHOP
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David Frame, DVM Associate Professor
Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences Department
Extension Poultry Specialist
Small Farm Poultry Production
SMALL ACREAGE
WORKSHOP
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U.S. Poultry History
1935:200,000 poultry farms; several thousand
with poultry products as practically all theincome
Average number of layers in a general
neighborhood farm flock = 70; poultryfarm flock = 350
Source: Morley A. Jull, Poultry Husbandry, 2nd ed., McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., 1938
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U.S. Poultry History:
Layers
2006:
255 egg producing companies with flocks of 75,000 hens or
more (64 egg producing companies with 1 million hens ormore; 11 with 5 million hens or more).
These 255 companies represent about 95% of all the layers inthe U.S.
Source: American Egg Board
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U.S. Poultry History:
Broiler Production
Year Wt.(lbs.)
FeedConv.
Days toMarket
1925 2.2 4.7 112
1935 2.4 4.4 98
1985 4.2 2.0 49
2005 5.1 1.8 45
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Dual-Purpose Breeds
Barred Plymouth Rock
New Hampshire Red
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Poultry Housing
R.E. Jones, 1935: The Connecticut Poultry House. Conn. Agr. Ext. Bull .
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From: Lewis, HenryR., Productive PoultryHusbandry, p. 129. J. B.Lippincott Company,Philadelphia. 1914.
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Lighting
Hens in lay must never be exposed to decreasing day-length
Use artificial lights to maintain a 14- to 16-hour day-length
Pullets hatched in spring will mature normally through falland winter production of normal-sized eggs during firstlay cycle
Orange and red lights (i.e. incandescent) are most effective
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Poultry Housing
Movable shelter forfeed and water
“California style”
commercial housing
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Poultry Housing
Covered outdoor run
Double-sided, multiplepens, central aisle
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Feeding
Feed Typesa
Starter. . . . . . . . . . . . 20-25% proteinGrower. . . . . . . . . . . 18-20% proteinMaintenance. . . . . . . 15% protein
Layer. . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-18% protein; high CaFinisher. . . . . . . . . . . 15% protein; high energy
aProtein % will vary depending on metabolizable energy content of the particular feed.
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Feeders
Bucket-style feeder
Trough feeder for chicks
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AA
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Fountain-style Waterers
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Biosecurity
Don’t visit other people’s flocks.Wear clean coveralls – in, out.
Boots – clean and disinfected.
Wash hands: use alcohol-based sani-
tizer after rinsing.
Use only veterinary-approved bird
health programs: don’t vaccinateindiscriminately.
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Marketing
Considerations
Access to replacement stock (e.g. commercial hatcheries,breed/strain availability)
Feed availability (nearby commercial mills, access tofeedstuffs)
Labor cost (“no such thing as free labor!!”)
Disposal of manure and used litter, mortality, and spent
hens
Laws governing commercial sales of poultry and eggs(http://ag.utah.gov/services.html)
Understand and APPLY effective biosecurity practices!!
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Marketing
Advertising
Niche markets – Organic, Range-Reared,All-Natural (check regulations andcertification requirements)
Target exclusive or premium products