Raising Egg-Laying Chickens on Pasture
Over the past several years I have had the pleasure of raising flocks of egg chickens as large as 400 and as small as 4. Aside from enjoying how quirky chickens can be, I also have also developed a passion to figure out the finances of raising pastured-layers and to work toward making it more economically viable for the farmer without sacrificing animal welfare.
There is a night and day difference when it comes to the quality of eggs from chickens raised on well managed pasture versus those raised in confinement. The difference is in the grass and the lifestyle.
Camps Road Farm in 2017:
120 egg layers
breed: redstars
bought as started pullets (they came to me at 16 weeks old)
purposefully chose a production breed over heritage as part of an experiment
1 mobile coop (pictured left)
managed with portable electric fence and allow to range during the day
YouTube Playlist with 66+ Videos
Egg chickens are one of my favorite creatures to capture on camera. I have also being doing extensive research on how to raise them to happy, healthy, and productive.
Egg Chicken Resource Links
American Pastured Poultry Producers Association - APPPA: For those serious about raising pastured poultry