Organic Poultry Production: A Good Fit for Your Farm?

By Tracy Salisbury and Brenda Frick

Organic poultry production offers opportunities to a range of producers. It can complement an existing grain or livestock operation, provide a low capital cost start-up, short-term option for those new to livestock production, or provide larger-scale possibilities to those transitioning conventional poultry operations to certified organic production.

One of the principles of raising organic livestock is that the animals need to be able to express their natural behaviour. Natural behaviours of poultry include pecking, scratching, and foraging for feed. Birds run, stretch their wings, fly short distances, sun themselves and dust bathe.

Negative behaviours, such as feather pulling and cannibalism are stress related. By providing good nutrition, adequate floor and nest space, appropriate lighting and by providing roosts much stress-related behaviour can be avoided. Research shows that when over 66 percent of the birds in a poultry operation are actively using an outdoor run the incidence of severe feather pecking disappears.

Some producers using a large-scale commercial model of production rely on common commercial breeds. These birds are bred for very rapid early weight gain, and this can cause problems. It is usually necessary to limit feed in the first few weeks to allow body structure to keep pace with weight gains, otherwise birds may be crippled. Smaller ‘backyard’ producers commonly use hybrids (e.g. Cornish Cross) or specialize in rare or heritage breeds that utilize pasture better and are more mobile and hardier.

Here on the prairies, we are lucky to have ready access to affordable organic feed grains: wheat, peas, barley, oats, flax, hemp, alfalfa and screenings. Usually rations are supplied according to three stages: starter, grower, and layer rations reflect decreasing protein requirements. An organic pre-mixed complete ration assures the producer of a balanced diet, and is great for producers without a land base to grow their own grains, but it may be costly and hard to get. Another option is to purchase organic concentrate (vitamin, mineral and/or protein) and mill it with available grains. Poultry do best with a combination of seeds and grains, insects and forages. Grit (sand and gravel) helps digest whole grains.

Poultry housing takes many different forms. Whatever the type of housing used, it is important to encourage optimal health and natural behaviors, provide outdoor access, shade, shelter, rotational pasture, exercise areas, fresh air and natural daylight according to the stage of production, climate and environment.

Mobile units should be moved regularly or pastures rotated frequently to maintain pasture quality and minimize the buildup of parasites and disease. Housing should also protect birds from predators and shelter them from wind, rain and sun. Incorporating trees or constructed shelters into the outdoor area and surrounding the pasture with appropriate fencing will help. Sometimes electric fencing around the perimeter of the chicken’s area and /or guard animals may be required to provide adequate protection from predators. Electric netting may be used as well as or instead of the above methods. Portable units must be heavy enough that they do not blow away yet light enough to move easily.

In a barn situation, it is necessary to rotate several runs. This way, vegetation can recover in other runs while one run is foraged. This will minimize build-up of disease, parasites and manure. Providing birds with outdoor access at an early age, at least by 3-4 weeks old, will help to produce adults with a greater tendency to explore widely. This will assure that the available runs are used more efficiently.

Birds spend most of their time during the winter in a poultry barn. Nesting boxes should be dark so as to dissuade flock mates from pestering a laying hen and to give her a feeling of security. Good quality and adequate bedding is important to absorb moisture and encourage scratching. Straw and wood shavings are the norm. Adding layers of litter regularly over the winter prevents volatilization of ammonia and provides a source of heat as the lower layers compost. Good sanitation and regular cleaning of the housing unit is important to prevent disease, parasites and pests.

There are many ways to make a poultry enterprise successful. Prevention is the key to good health. Quality feed, clean water, adequate shelter, outdoor access to clean ground uncontaminated by excessive manure, use of suitable breeds and diligent observation by the producer all contribute to flock health. Good management can prevent most problems.

Tracy Salisbury researched this article while she was a research assistant at the University of Saskatchewan. Brenda Frick, Ph.D., P.Ag., is the Organic Research and Extension Coordinator at the University of Saskatchewan and is an affiliate of the Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada. She welcomes your comments at 306-966-4975 or via email at organic@usask.ca.


en français


Posted January 2010