Presenting – Pastured Poultry

Since earlier this week (you know that if you follow on Twitter) we have had the 2009 flock of birds moved out to pasture.  We wanted to get them out last weekend but the torrential rains (which very likely have claimed several San Marzano tomato plants by drowning the roots) kept the chickens in the brooder.  The first picture shows a small group of the birds in the small wire cart standing on empty feed bags.  By placing a section of the chicken wire covered brooder top over the cart – it made for a simple, easy and minimially traumatic way to walk the cart out to the pasture and deliver about 40 birds to each pen.
It took several days for the standing water in the pasture to go away so it took until later in the day Monday before they got assigned their new homes.  Not exactly optimum (you want them out early in the day) but they seemed quite happy after an initial acclimation period.
After the birds got used to mulling about in the pens we added food – and “surprise, surprise” they were all hungry.  Once they filled their crops it wasn’t long before they were drinking, hunting for bugs (after someone learned they were yummy) and lounging in the cool grass.  Makes you happy and proud to see them out there and well adjusted.

Their first night was a little chilly and there were several birds in the morning that were shivering (yes – cold chickens do shiver).  No wories – out comes the food – and they are right back to being pudgie little gluttons again!  Every morning since then the pens get moved their length (10′) and the birds seem to be learning the ropes.  You can watch their little minds churn:  see guy with red bucket of grains, watch guy, guy lifts pen – RUN, RUN!, freedom!…  uuhhh, hungry, guy by moved pen has grain…  guy put grain in pen…  RUN, RUN!  Guy lowers pen, trapped again…  who cares – food is in here…  large world out there I don’t care about, eat, eat, drink water…  lay.