Here are a couple pictures of our meat birds on pasture. We have them in a 164 foot electric netting with a portable shelter that we moved every day last year. The way we are raising them now is called a "day range" model of pastured poultry. They come out during the day and spend the night in their shelter to stay protected from predators. I like this model a lot better because it makes chore time easier and gives the chickens space to roam and keeps them cleaner! They can nibble on the grass, but prefer their feed. Last year when we kept them in the portable shelter all the time, we had to move them 3 times a day the last two weeks of their lives.
The worst predator we have seen this summer has been the 100 plus heat for days on end. We lost a few birds to heat exhaustion, but have been doing everything we can to keep them alive. We have even had a sprinkler in their pen. They are not fond of water, but it does keep things cooler when we run the sprinkler on mist setting. We also need to make sure they always have fresh water and shade.
We will butcher these chickens in about a week. Nothing compares to the taste of pastured poultry!
Riemer Family Farm is a sustainable multi-generational family farm in south central Wisconsin
