Raising Chickens for Meat: Week 4 of 8, Field Chores

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This week on my pastured poultry farm things went more or less according to plan. The chickens are out on grass eating, scratching, and sunbathing.
There were a few birds that passed away and I explain all of that in the video. It happens sometimes and sharing that reality with you is a risk I took in doing a daily honest video series.
I am enjoying the interaction that we're having with this series and I love all the comment and questions you all are leaving. This to me is another version of Community Supported Agriculture.
Other links mentioned in this video:
Chicken Crates: farmmarketingsolutions.com/pre...
APPPA: farmmarketingsolutions.com/apppa

[@mustaphasanio2568]

Welcome from the past.. lovely video. Just setting up a pilot project. That's

[@joemcgrath7446]

You scared my baby cat with that rooster making that weird noise. LOL it's okay

[@tinag2226]

I really like this series of pastured chickens. You are a great teacher. Blessings!

[@farmmarketing]

Thanks for the kind words Tina.

[@jessybsjourney3691]

These videos are SO informative. Thank you for all you've done!

[@shelmysalazarsalazar4957]

I agree, your eloquence and charisma are definitely unique. We love your videos and appreciate you sharing knowledge with us. See you out in the fields.

[@debrabradshaw7595]

Wow really great series so far. I have a couple hens now, learning how to care for them and after watching your videos so far I'm inspired to buy some chicks for meat. Personal consumption. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Blessings from Nova Scotia.

[@886014]

Awesome videos John, thanks for putting them up. You alluded to an upcoming video on the costings etc for an operation like this and I just wanted to give a big thumbs up to that. The numbers will be very different for us down in Australia, but it's always good to see some ballpark figures to work off, even if they become merely a template to launch from.

[@henkjanssen1252]

Hey, thanks for anwering the question John! That's a great aerial shot, you can indeed see how the chicken tractors are greening everything up. Will be following the rest of the series for sure! :)

[@lala4364]

I can't wait to get started...

[@waltobringer2928]

Thanks John

[@ddeering93]

John, I recently had a chicken drown in the 5 gal bucket!! Couldn’t believe it. A fat meat bird had the power to fly and land right in the open bucket

[@lesliegrayson1722]

We have a few acres in Australia and our plan is for my wife to have a couple of thousand broilers, but starting off like you have. Your series is very informative thank you. I have lived on a farm so nothing new to me but, my wife is a city girl and Im always happy to help pointing to your series as I watch in awe as she has a shocked look on her face :D..... I warn her but she has to find out for herself... a case and point is when we had a child and I warned her to change our daughters nappy from the side never from the end with her belly our daughters butt.... I also warned 3 couples who also had gotten pregnant with in a month of us.. they also did not comply and txt me back that, like my wife, their child had produced Projectile Poo which only lasts for a few months but is quite a.... shock.. So thank you from us both. :)

[@zanabob8593]

Yes excellent and informative series...indeed... you're a great teacher, got a lot of humor too..i'm a new chicken farmer so you're series is helping me cope with what's happening on the farm. Chickens can be very brutal, they;l see a weaker chicken and the other stronger chickens, they'l just go there and stand on top of it. Its kinda nuts... thats my best line so far...cracked my ribs! (survival of the fittest).

[@farmmarketing]

Seriously, they're brutal. I enjoy all the vegan posts on the "how to humanely kill a chicken" video. People just don't get it because so many of us have lost touch with how food is grown and what animals are actually capable of. The brutal nature of a chicken can't be underestimated and if you're new to this it can be really disheartening. Not to say I'm numb to it, but realizing that animals are animals and sometimes there's no stopping can add perspective to an already difficult career.

[@ulmbrandon]

Really like the longer videos.

[@farmmarketing]

That's good to know.

[@PrattFamilyHomestead]

i know I have said it before...but this a cool series and enjoying it. Our 8 weeks is done and I still haven't put up a video....but I am really liking following along and seeing that "maybe" I did things right :) - Mike

[@farmmarketing]

There are a lot of "right" ways to do this Mike. My way is just one way, but certainly not the only way. I make mistakes from time to time. As long as you're leading with animal welfare and attentiveness then you've got a good start.

[@OurLifeMix]

Wow, interesting channel! I will watch!

[@derickchetty]

Hey bud, I'm Derick Chetty from South Africa and I'll definitely assist in that million chicken mission. I'm gonna have a output of 1000 chickens a week with your tractor for sure. The best for feed is that I can get is 95% gmo free. I'm hoping to start in February 2019

[@stevestaggs2747]

good job!

[@MrRobbieDanger]

After binge watching nearly all of your videos and seeing how well your chicken tractors work I went onto Amazon and bought your book. It came in the mail just after noon today and I have finished the thing cover to cover. Really nicely done. My question is regarding the feed. How do you determine how much feed is needed on a daily basis? Do you just fill the trough or do you measure out a certain amount? Thanks in advance.

[@ayodejishoaga3723]

hi John i absolutely love your videos, and i think you're doing a fantastic job with what you are doing. however i would like to ask you a question on the vascination of your birds from when you receive them from the hatchery till they are fully grown. could you please give us more information on this. Thanks

[@williamchristopher1560]

What keeps a high wind storm from pushing rain at least 1/2 the way inside the tractors. SAeems like you would lose a lot either to the cold rain or to bunching up.

[@grethelrungano1912]

Hie learning a lot here thanks

[@johnasare1451]

Hi John thanks for the great work you're doing. In fact you inspired me and now I ordered day old chicks for the Christmas season here in Ghana. Started with just 100 birds. We are in the forth week and it's going well. But I notice 3 of them are dull, weak and can not stand for long wonder what could be the problem. Any advice also on the recommended feed to give them. Thanks

[@nagarajuiamstartedminipoli7376]

thanks from information

[@mihaeladog7187]

Lol,knock on wood.😁I enjoy your videos ,funny,lots of info .

[@dmark6699]

A lot of people use these solar lights that are motion activated to scare predators away at night. To me the hatcheries do a lot of inbreeding of Cornish chicks which gives genetic abnormalities with some of the birds.

[@muhammadmalik765]

Hey john good video mate! For a farm style hen setup, can’t you make roosts up in the run as opposed to having a coup- would this work ?

[@AGREENERLIFE]

Awesome information! Thank you. Question...do the birds roost in the field?

[@eclecticeccles777]

Can you do a close up of the chicken nipples? Specifically the flow. I'm not sure that the ones I have work/ flow properly (it seems very slow) and have nothing to compare it to, so I'm still using a bell waterer which is a PITA. Thanks for your channel. Next year is the chicken tractor year! You've helped me a great deal. Rus

[@boaz4581]

Hello from the future!

[@sakiara]

Hi John. Thank you for your videos. They are very informative. How long does it take for the grass to grow back?

[@farmmarketing]

That can really depend on time of year, rainfall, etc... All variables aside it takes about a month or two.

[@jtheise4]

Great series. I've been raising Cornish Cross broilers for two seasons now, but always in a coop and run setup. The problem has always been the enormous amount of manure they produce. Even with adding straw everyday, the smell is strong, so I decided to build your chicken tractor and raise a batch on pasture. Overall it is a huge improvement. Now that the birds are 7 weeks old, I'm finding a couple issues. First, even with moving them everyday (sometimes twice a day) the tractor is becoming heavily covered with manure. Second, as the birds are get older and bigger, I'm finding they become stressed from the short move. I've actually had two die of heart attacks simply from the stress of moving. Do you have either of these issues? Any solutions or suggestions? Thanks for all you do.

[@annadiggs2459]

Hi, I sure would like to see the process of moving one of the shelters.

[@farmmarketing]

I will be sure to include more video of that in the coming weeks.

[@everettsanderson4189]

Do you have to keep the chickens in a tractor? Couldn't you just have a cover for them?

[@ER1CxF]

Do you think I can use one of these chicken tractors for an actual coop? Obviously I would add a nesting area inside. Thinking about building one. If I can keep them in the yard from 4-5 weeks to full grown I would love that.

[@samanthabrezden1337]

Hey John, Our property has a ton of divots from years of cows being on it and lack of maintenance, and is just not level. Is it ok still do pastured chickens? Should I just put electric fencing around in case chickens escape, and keep predators out? Which fencing do you recommend? Thanks! Love your videos!

[@reneehenson1261]

Wow to to make those little huts for them

[@striveforfreedom]

John do the chicks stay in the tractors in the evenings or do the go in a coop each evening? The raccoons I have here in Norwalk are pros at getting into coops/cages so i use 9 gauge fencing in my run to keep the hens safe. Thanks. -Vince

[@liscovell6947]

Is that a special white tarp on top of the chicken tracker. Can you use any kind of tarp?

[@aidanforseille2902]

at the end of the series can you figure out the price per bird

[@brianphilbrook5262]

How long do you let the pasture rest from the time the chickens go through and come back around again? The picture of you and Kate is great lol.

[@farmmarketing]

I usually only go over the same area once a year. Sometimes twice a year if need be. I give about 2 months rest. I'm not entirely precise with my rotations since I have enough space to run pretty much all the birds just once. I go where it's dry when it's dry because my land is typically so wet.

[@shermdog6969]

What if you don't have any grass? I live in the desert so grass is a no go. Would you just keep adding wood chips?

[@thepeople980]

A couple questions: 1) My chicks are 4-5 weeks old currently in the brooder house with heat lamps on or off depending the temp. Indiana spring time nights are down to 50+/- degrees, but 65+ during the day. My plan are to move them out into the tractor coop in about a week. At what temp will they be safe? 2) I've noticed no roost for your chicks and nowhere for them to hide from predators at night. Predators have been a problem for me. Should I enclose the bottom edge of the coop or put in roost?

[@portugeeprepper6821]

Do you notice any taste difference between the Cornish X and the freedom/red Rangers.

[@aneta567]

hi John, about how many pullets do you think you could fit in a 6'x10' chicken tractor?

[@kingKhan-gz4vd]

Hi john, I thought its better to ask you this question. as am running a Poultry farm(broilers)with 1300 chicks today is 4th day for them and the mortality rate is 15 at moment please suggest me early prevention out this.

[@geertboel1544]

goede video john.zijn die kippen voor eigen gebruik allemaal,,.hier in belgie hebben we ook van die kippen maar kippentraktor zie je hier niet zo in verband met oppervlakte. sorry dat ik geen engels praat en schrijf.

[@HERBALNATUMAN1]

Hey, John I just bought a farm I want to start raising chickens. How many birds do you think I should start up with, and if it is possible to start with laying hens tooat the same time. Thanks in advance

[@blondego56]

good voice 🎶🎵🎤

[@farmmarketing]

Thanks

[@ayiomoruyi6882]

How do you keep them from steping into their feeders?? Please answer asap,thanks

[@risingdetails]

how do you set up your electric fence around the chicken tractors?

[@kyledkaptinwrek1394]

Can someone please reply to this what if you have no predators to worry about can you build one without the white cloth and just the frame and chicken wire cage. And what if I make one like 3x as long is that fine or is there a reason to keep them small with around 20 chickens I’m guessing in each tractor

[@gasparbobadilla2704]

Good afternoon I have a place where I will start feeding chicks but only that the flooring is cement

[@gregalmeda7131]

What hot wire setup do you use around the chicken tractors?

[@bradwood8866]

Right now in Ky its 52 to 60 at night 80 to 85 during the day I’m scared to put them outside in my tractor they have full wing feathers and tail what do I do I don’t want them cold

[@adilqamar1510]

When have raining what did you will do , please answer me, thank u

[@DimmedDiamond]

Are larger chickens kept in the tractors 24/7 or are they moved into another building every night? If kept 24/7, how bad does the weather have to get before moved inside? Thunderstorm? Frost? Heatwave?

[@farmmarketing]

They are kept out there 24/7. That's the benefit to the birds. Heat can be managed and we only raise them seasonally in the summer so snow is not an issue. I address your question in the next video.

[@belindarandell6636]

Hey John. How/what do you do to make it easier to do water and feed refills? Cheers Bell

[@farmmarketing]

I keep feed close by in the field with the birds. For water I keep a hose run out to the birds so I have fresh water right at the chicken tractors.

[@MrsLalocadelbarrio2]

do you charge for the visits to your farm? if you do, how much do you charge?

[@anthonymurphy1624]

What percentage do they in grass and feeding? can they only eat grass?

[@johnmmcalhany6091]

Hello John! What type of feed to you give your chickens? Thank you for all that you do!

[@farmmarketing]

18% Protein broiler grower ration from my local feed mill

[@belindarandell6636]

Do you start them on starter then change to grower and if so, at what age do you change them over?

[@trentpletch5948]

What do you show on your farm tours?

[@jaybieacoba3423]

Sir John how to avoid from flies?

[@vikingexperience5089]

Just subbed :)

[@farmmarketing]

Thanks!

[@enscribe]

How do you determine daily feed regimen for your troughs. I have 3 week Cornish Cross's now and I am struggling to keep them fed appropriately. Thanks for sharing.

[@punkyroo]

Not sure if it helps, but I've been told give them enough food that last 12 hours, and then leave the feeders empty for the next 12. 12 on, 12 off. I just raised a couple dozen cornish cross and I just gave them a couple large scoops in the morning and at night and that was enough for them to get HUGE in just 8 weeks.

[@paxtonupshaw2135]

You could feed them like that but, I would highly suggest you not.If you have different sized birds the big ones need more to eat and some May be scared of another bird and he could wait until all the birds are done eating then eat but, If you limit it then, all the food would be gone

[@guillaumenel9159]

how do you sell your birds if you are start up farmer?

[@TERRORoftheLORD]

6:45 why are 2 of the chicks super tiny? I had 1 like that . . .

[@tannerdude5345]

Why did you pick the Cornish cros breed?

[@markellsworth8562]

I have a question about sicknesses. I lost a layer. It was gagging and ended up dying. A few of the chickens had runny noses . Added tetracycline to water and they seem to be a lot better . Is there any other precautions that can be taken . Like apple cider vinegar in their water?

[@stephanienogueira8391]

Oregano is now being used in organic feeds as a natural antibiotic. Look into that and see if it helps you. I know it has for me. Good Luck

[@rebeccaturtin9515]

Can u tell me how to build the watery

[@ELEC_3N5P3C74R]

How much feed do they eat compared to normal chickens?

[@christianwhite4933]

Do mice get in these tractors? How do you manage it?

[@sumarlinsyiemlieh7006]

Do you add something in water for them

[@williamchristopher1560]

Yeah I can see those chicken tractors holding out a bear

[@devingoulding3200]

What kind of stand do you use for your phone when filming?

[@farmmarketing]

I just use a cheap tripod and a RetiCam iphone tripod mount.

[@simbizilenkinti3379]

You harvest after two months??

[@alietarawalley3766]

You did not teach us how to built the out side huts

[@chapplin1236]

Do you have a separate chicken tractor that you raise to feed your family?

[@farmmarketing]

Typically no, I just do everything at once, but for this series I am doing two separate.

[@ladyeclectic]

This might be a silly question, but is there any way you can make your chicken book into an ebook? Thanks!! :D

[@farmmarketing]

Actually working on that right now. Should have it up in a week or two. I'll announce it on the series so stay tuned.

[@barahpaul8161]

How do you enter the cage I, love to know

[@reinamartinez4790]

were. did you. get. the chicks

[@paradisereese2341]

I need help...im new to chicken farming

[@vinayakdatti8227]

how much area for 6000 chicks forming

[@mascatrails661]

Woah, did I time travel?

[@cameronvictor582]

How can you tell which is male.

[@MrRobbieDanger]

I understand that you raise birds for profit but my question is about raising birds for personal use. If I had one tractor and raised 25 to 30 birds at a time for just feeding my family, is this a cost effective model compared to buying the birds at a grocery store or is this impractical?

[@portugeeprepper6821]

I currently in the process of raising a batch and I feel like it's worth it, specially if your gonna raise them non-medicated, non-GMO, organic, because of the higher price per pound in the stores. For me between buying the birds and from what I've read each bird eats approx average of 15lbs of food each in the 7-8 weeks. I'll use approx 6 bags on 20 birds for 7-8 weeks. I pay $20.50 per bag for non medicated, non-gmo and I'll be processing them myself, but a butcher near me charges $3 a bird for processing. So my costs will break down to approx $8.75 a chicken for no anti-biotic, no gmo chicken, and what ever your birds dress out at, you can divide the $8.75 by the lbs of the bird. Example ($8.75/6lbs average=$1.46lb). Try beating that price at the store for organic chicken.

[@portugeeprepper6821]

Even if you paid a processing fee of $3 a bird that's $11.75 a bird divided by 6lbs average is still $1.96 per pound.

[@punkyroo]

Yes and no. No home operation is going to produce cheaper than store birds which are cheap because of the sheer volumes they are produced in. If you use cheaper feed and use a breed that are better foragers, you MIGHT get close. But at the end of the day, raising your own meat is less about trying to match store price than it is surpassing store quality.

[@johnlebrecht2069]

How can I email you

[@354133]

Geese police are wonderful to have for farm security.

[@cragdeer]

how to make $15,000/year raising chickens?

[@kaihall3904]

ohhhhhhhhhh chickens are chores now ohhhhhhhhh You should want to do the jobs for the chickens they making u that sweat money.

[@arnoldromppai5395]

just for kicks I have been watching your videos from day one you got them, I notic you talk talk feed water warn dry, bla bla, but no mention on what your feeding, but other things your saying leads me to be leave what your feeding,, and that is the published feeding put out by the hatchery's, first off you talk that you vaccine your birds, I don't know about hatchery's were you are but for the 35 38 years I have been doing 500 meat birds same breed, layers, turkeys they all come already with vaccine, the only ones I have to do are all the ones I hatch my self ,,, getting back to feed, you are very young, and stumbling though your steps and talking more and more on losing birds to bad feet, legs and telling people its the generics sorry to say but that's a myth, lead on by the breeder, over 30 years ago I to had a 10 to 30% loss across the board with these meat birds and turkeys, oh and low profits, the feed line up they push with these meat bird as well as turkeys are the same except the feed names start with broiler or turkey, so we will go with broiler for say just change to turkey when talking turkey talk, sio there feed the push is 1st xx weeks feed medicated broiler starter, then xxx number of broiler grower, then xx weeks of broiler finisher, until kill, this is what I be leave your feeding just by what you are saying, on top off xxx number of week to kill day, ok lets go kill day 1st, in that number of weeks you loss oh say 12 to 20% of your birds by kill day on that number of weeks, 2nd that number of weeks you end up with dressed birds around3 to 4.5 lbs each,, lost profit there, to make darn good profit I want a dressed bird 7 to 10 Lbs, now we make a great profit, but on that feeding you will not get that 7 to 10, as you will have lost 60% of your birds, witch brings me to my many year of doing this, you are following the feeding of huge meat bird factory's that pump them up and pump them out on high hot feed with a lot of not good additives, you don't want that store bought crap and you want top dollar for your birds and people will pay it, I cant kill them as fast as they go out the drive way and with 500 I never have enough, and we can only get chicks here in spring only, so, yes start them off on the medicated starts, 2 weeks, 2 weeks on grower, now you buy 1 bag of cracked wheat, 1 bag cracked barley, 1 bag cracked corn,, you lisping? 1 bag of finisher,, its got no crap in it, you mix all this together really good you keep feed in front of them 24/7 so they never tramp each other, they never stuff them self's they never chock on it for not having feed all the time, now you grow them on grass as well as soon as you can, keep them 4 to 5 weeks longer, as they get bigger the scratch for bugs and eat a lot more grass less feed, why well there harts are good an strong there not dropping dead from hart a tact's they do the other way, there legs are strong to hold them up, they can scratch were couldn't b4, livers don't blow up, because before everything was growing so fast they never develop before, now your hens will dress out 7 Lbs or more, males will dress 10 to 12 Lbs or more, now you raze your price as they are not comically grown at all, that's what all that other crap is, I am giving you this free that cost me a lot of money years ago as before every bird I lost I shipped of to find our how an why it died, I have note books loaded with info. oh one more thing never keep turkeys any were close to chickens, never go into turkey pens with boots you walked in chicken pens or crap, change your boot, or have a big pan 50/50 water an bleach, and scrub them before going close to turkeys.. thank you for you time an free info I paid a lot for in my 55 year