Chicken

Chicken Prices:
$2.99/lb - finished whole chickens vary between 5-8 lbs
We are currently taking pre-orders for chickens for 2012! Just email us with your name, contact info and how many you want and we will put you on our list. Note: once the chickens are ready, Winnipeg buyers will have place their order through the HMLFI buying club system, likely in August. But in the meantime, get on our list to ensure you get what you want  - email or call freshrootsfarm.mb@gmail.com; (204) 529-2083
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Spring 2012
Another winter passed and bring on the spring fever! So many things happening already, so many things to do. We are in the process of getting our infrastructure all in place for this years's flock of pastured poultry. We have decided to transform an old grain bin into our chick starting facility - from day old to 3 weeks - before we move them outside where they will spend the rest of the summer. Quantities are limited, so place your orders as soon as possible to ensure you get your hands on some of our delicious, pasture raised chickens! Yum!  
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Autumn 2011
In 2011 we raised 300 Cornish Cross chickens for meat, using the "pastured poultry" method - bottomless movable pens that allowed the birds to graze on grass, and to be moved to new grass each day. 

The light pens, or "chicken tractors", are made out of electrical conduit, with tarps overtop for shade and other protection from the elements. However, we found that the pens were too light at times, and vulnerable to high winds. Troy got a great idea from a friend to install some 'nipple' waterers onto some sewage piping which hangs down on the inside of the pen for a clean, effective waterer that also weighs down the whole thing nicely when it is full. 



However, we experienced some challenges with the system, developed by entrepreneurial farmer and activist Joel Salatin. Moving the pens (of which we had four) daily was a large job, and we were also skeptical to how vulnerable the birds were to predators behind only a single layer of chicken wire. Speaking of predators, we had a tragic episode in July when a raccoon busted into our temporary brooder pen and slaughtered about 90 chickens in one night. Didn't even eat them, just a pleasure kill - which was all the more maddening. Therefore, we decided to protect our remaining birds (who were already living in the tractors) by installing a movable low 2-wire electric fence (with step-in posts and polywire), which then also had to be moved every few days or so. 


Nevertheless, we really enjoyed raising chickens overall and plan on having more in the 2012 season! They are easy to handle (which Michelle likes) though are delicate in many ways and require special care to protect them from a cold Spring wind, the summer sun's hot rays, and crafty predators, at the very least. We are looking to adapt our system of raising the birds to more of a "free range" one in and around our barnyard, while bringing them into a safe building at night. We'd love to hear suggestions from other poultry-raisers on the most ideal way to do this! (See Comments box below)


See pricing and ordering info for chickens at the top of this page...


Special thanks to our wise chicken mentors, Pamela & Clinton Cavers of Harborside Farms! See their website here.