What a wonderful edition to the organic farm is bringing any sort of animal into the system. By having animals on the farm, especially in & around crops, brings a massive array of diversification into the farm.
Organic chicken farming is a wonderful edition to the farm. The chickens can be used in orchard, on the pastures or in the garden after a crop has been grown.
After you have risen you chickens up, it is time to put them in a pen on the farm. You can use a permeant pen or a mobile pen. A mobile pen (50-100 chickens) is a great way to do organic chicken farming; you make a pen that you can pull around the farm with the tractor or a smaller version (6-12 chickens) that has wheels that you hand pull around. You will need to put in laying boxes for you layers. These will be placed up one end of the pen, protected from the weather. You are best to have one side wall & back wall covered in. then wire netting on the front & a least half the other side. To complete your organic chicken farming system you will need a self watering system, a drum to hold the water, then a hose down to a container that has a float on it to fill the water container up automatic when needed.
Organic chicken farming is such a great addition to your farm. There are fantastic to following on behind the cattle. Let the cattle graze out a paddock then put the chickens in the paddock to finish off the grass plus fertilise the paddock as well.
In an orchard you can combine organic chicken farming with your fruit trees. You will need to rotate the chickens up & down the inner rows fertilizing as they go, eating insects plus keeping down the grass or weeds. Or in a mature orchard letting the organic chickens roam over certain area. With any of these ideas you will need to contain the chickens to your designated area. You can do this by using a mesh electric fencing which will keep them in. plus easy to move around with the rest of your organic chicken farming system.
Firstly when it comes to organic chicken farming you will need to decide weather to do eggs or meat birds. It would be good to do a bit of research into your local market before deciding on which way to go.
When doing organic chicken farming you will have to raise the chicks on the farm or bring in 1 day olds to comply with your organic association standards. Raising chickens in so much fun. Your kids will love to get involved in organic chicken farming.
There are a few things you will need to get to be able to raise chickens but can be brought quite cheaply or made on the farm.
You will need a pen (a box will do, but depending on numbers) to start you organic chicken farming system off, a light or heat lamp to keep them warm at night. Plus fresh water, this will have to be changed regular about 3 times a day. There are very messy animals around water, getting food scrapes in there water. You will need to put down saw dust or mulch as a bedding material to soak up the poo. Every couple of days adding another layer to soak up the poo. It is best to start the chickens off in a small area then expand as there get bigger. I have also found that by keeper them in a confined area helps with warmth for the chickens & in turns gives you a higher survival rate. You should get a 98% survival rate raising your organic chickens.
