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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