Pastured Poultry Talk

Pastured Poultry Talk

By Mike BadgerSociety & CultureEducationHow To
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Pastured Poultry Talk episodes

  • Troubleshooting Chicken Health Problems During Processing
    [caption id="attachment_1113" align="alignright" width="300"] Plucked chickens ready to be examined along with healthy hearts, liver, and gizzard.[/caption] Episode 68, I help you identify poultry production problems from your gutting table. When your chickens are laying on your table naked and unafraid, they hold no secrets. It's the perfect time to observe them as a way to identify production problems. This episode examines the scratches, bruises, hearts, livers, gizzards, green muscle disease, ascites, and uneven growth and ties it back what happened during the growout period. Pastured Poultry News Round Up
    • A Small Business Administration report identifies over $1 billion in bad loans for contract poultry barns. At issue is whether or not poultry contract growers are really independent businesses or just affiliates of the integrators. Spoiler alert. SBA calls them affiliates and therefore finds they aren't entitled to taxpayer subsidized and guaranteed loans. Read article.
    • Ding. Dong. The Organic Livestock and Poultry Practices update to the NOP is officially dead.
    • Fertrell announces a non-soy protein pellet that doesn't sacrifice growth. Check them out.
    • Poultry Man developed a new universal, round kill cone for broilers, hens, ducks, geese, and heritage turkeys. Contact [email protected] for details.
    Ascites (aka water belly) You identify ascites by the belly full of fluid and purple skin. Ascites likely happened weeks before and many times can be traced to a traumatic event in the brooder-at least for most pastured poultry producers. Scratches on Back of Broilers When the back of your broilers are scratched up, you have feeding problem. It's time to reevaluate your approach to feeding and management. Bruises and Dislocations Did you know that a bruise requires blood, and the color of a bruise is an indicator of the age of the bruise? It is. Many times you blame the plucker for breaking your chicken's wing, but if there is bruising, look at handling errors or other injuries in the field. Runts and Uneven Growth Of all the things I talk about on this episode, identifying the cause of uneven growth is the most difficult to diagnose. I share some common places to investigate. It's not always genetic, and it's not always your feed. Green Muscle Disease Also called deep pectoral myopathy. Green muscle is discovered by the green decaying tender of large breasted birds. You only see it when you cut open the bird. While green muscle is likely genetically predisposed, a high incidence rate is a signal that you should look for problems in the field. Healthy Hearts, Livers, and Gizzards Always examine the organs. Healthy livers have crisp edges, a uniform color, and are firm. Hearts should be firm, have a bit of fat on the tip, and muscular walls. The gizzard should be firm, large, and muscular. There's a good test when dealing the organs and judging their health. Ask yourself, "would I eat that?" If the answer is no, then there's a problem. ==> Download a live processing cost calculator that Mike uses to estimate equipment costs, labor costs, and total cost of processing your own chickens. Have some feedback? [email protected]
    38 min
  • The Art of Scalding Chickens: How Long Should I Scald?

    In this episode, Mike Badger goes beyond the talking points and gives yous some practical advice on how to scald chickens, turkeys, ducks, and really, anything you find in your pot of hot water. We'll talk about equipment selection, getting the perfect scald, scald time by bird, the plucker's role, and we'll wrap it up with ways to check your scald.

    38 min
  • Chad Ward shares accounting tips to make tax time easier for your farm business
    In an episode of The Fighting Farmer, Spence mentioned that one of his processing customers is a book keeper and tax preparer. Then Chad Ward popped up and answered a tax question in the Pastured poultry Talk Facebook group. So I decided to catch up with Chad, who is a pastured poultry farmer from Oklahoma who also happens to prepare taxes and keep books at an H&R Block office. Pastured Poultry Headlines
    • Poultry World published an article that concluded that, "Antibiotic use in US poultry production is 3 times higher than the UK and 5 times higher for turkeys, according to a report released by the Alliance to Save our Antibiotics."
    • Mike will be doing webinar on producing turkeys for market with FACT . It's free to attend, but registration is required. There will be a playback. Description of the workshop: Mike Badger, Executive Director of the American Pastured Poultry Producers Association (APPPA) and owner of Badger's Millside Farm in Pennsylvania, will share expert advise on how to raise turkeys on pasture - from concerns about bird health, to designs for outdoor housing, to ideas for creative marketing. There will be time for Q&A so be sure to come with any burning questions you may have!
    • APPPA is putting together a resource guide to connect farmers with products and services of other farmers. Deadline: March 9, 2018.
    Key Farm Accounting Topics The accounting side of the business, according to Chad, will sink more farmers than the production side. Chad shares several things that can help you prepare for next year's taxes by keeping account of what you're doing.
    • Keep a dedicated bank account.
    • Use technology to systematize processes, such tracking mileage. Chad recommends MileIQ.
    • To keep track of income and expenses throughout the year, Chad recommends Xero and talks through why Quickbooks is not always the best answer. Mike mentioned Wave.
    • Making the Schedule F fit small scale, niche farming.
    • Issue 1099's for companies that provide you with more than $600 in services.
    Chad Ward can be reached [email protected] | Facebook
    28 min
  • Advantages and cost analysis of on-farm chicken processing
    On-farm chicken and turkey processing holds a special place in my heart. It paid the mortgage. It introduced us to great people with great farms. It created speaking opportunities. Perhaps, most importantly, on-farm chicken butchering has been demystified and I think it's one of the keys to unlocking a self sufficient life. In this episode, I share some reasons to process on-farm, talk through why I believe the scalder is the single most important purchase you should make, and provide some cost analysis to owning and operating your own processing equipment. Pastured Poultry Headlines and News I take a few moments to share some recent events:
    • The APPPA Professional Pastured Poultry Producers Conference in Fayetteville, Arkansas, wrapped up in January 2018. Listen to Spence and I on the Fighting Farmer for some discussion. Figure out a way to attend this great farmer-to-farmer event in 2019.
    • Mike Badger edited and published the Third Edition of Pastured Poultry Feeding and Management by Jeff Mattocks in 2017. The book has approximately 20% more content and more than 37 feed rations for all types of poultry, including heritage poultry.
    • The Fighting Farmer podcast with Terrell Spencer will soon have its own show feed. Stay tuned for details.
    Advantages of Processing Chickens On-Farm The expense of purchasing equipment, the regulatory climate, or even the mystery of slaughtering chickens are often cited disadvantages of processing your own chicken, but here are some of the reasons you should do it anyway:
    • Control of the final product.
    • Pay yourself for the processing and recapture the drive time to the processor.
    • Access markets not available with customer slaughter.
    • Flexible timing and scheduling of processing day.
    The Manual Chicken Scalder Is the Most Important Piece of Equipment If you can only afford a plucker or a scalder, you choose the scalder. That's how important a properly scalded chicken is. I use and recommend the Poultry Man line of commercial equipment for the small scale processor. How to Calculate the Cost of On-Farm Processing How much does it cost you to get your chickens processed by someone else? How much expense do you lose traveling to the processor? You need this basic information so that you can have an accurate comparison of the costs of purchasing your own equipment. In this episode, Mike Badger walks through an example cost analysis of a 23" Poultry Man Plucker, a Poultry Man Manual Scalder, and accessories. Using some real-world numbers, this calculation explains how you can easily pocket $1.00 per chicken, if you process and bag your own birds. That's $1.00 you're not paying out as an expense. Add in another $1.50 per chicken cost to own the equipment (at 500 birds per year), and you're packaged bird cost is $2.50, excluding any facility overhead. Here are your key calculations:
    • Yearly Equipment Cost = Equip Cost / # Years to depreciate cost
    • Equipment Cost per Chicken = Yearly Equipment Cost / Birds per Year
    • Processing Hours = Batch size / Birds per Hour per Person
    • Packing Hours = Batch size / Birds bagged per Hour per Person
    • Total Labor Per Chicken = (Processing Hours + Packing Hours) / Batch Size
    Many things affect the actual results of these calculations, including equipment cost, labor rate, scale, and your skill. The idea is not to give you exact numbers, but to share a process that helps you analyze the costs for yourself. Your decisions will flow from that analysis. ==> Download a live processing cost calculator that Mike uses to estimate equipment costs, labor costs, and total cost of processing your own chickens.
    33 min
  • The Fighting Farmer: community based pastured poultry and analyzing the costs of switching feeds
    In this episode of The Fighting Farmer:
    • Debriefing the APPPA Professional Pastured Poultry Producers Conference. It'll either be a smashing hit or a spectactular failure.
    • Trading chicken processing for tax services.
    • Across the Creek Farm has Farm Manager opening.
    • Listener John asked a question about changing his feed ration and supplier. A switch to a new supplier will add about $0.85 cents per bird. Will making a switch be worth it or more efficient? Should he do straight run and at what intervals should he process?
    Connect with Spence: Web | Facebook.
    37 min
  • The Fighting Farmer Takes on Fake Organic
    Certified organic is a systems based certification; it doesn't actually certify the product through testing. As a producer, the current system bugs me because consumers are paying for something they think is different and often times, the only difference is feed. Even that difference can be questionable and uncertain. The real question for consumers is, "Do you really want something different, or are you ok with being lied to?" In other news, we've got Ready To Lay pullets available in NW Arkansas in the spring and some old hens that are looking for new homes. (contact Mike for Pennsylvania needs). Connect with Spence: Web | Facebook.
    40 min
  • Does the failed organic livestock and poultry practices regulation matter to pastured poultry?
    Customers who want poultry raised differently need to shop harder to ensure they get that difference. In December 2017, the Trump administration nixed the proposed final rule of the organic livestock and poultry practices regulations that were supposed to improve animal welfare. Instead, we're left with more of the same. Mike discusses the impact and politics from a pastured poultry perspective. Resources:
    • Badger's Millside Farm - processing, pullets, and grills
    17 min
  • The Fighting Farmer on Profitable Ducks, Point of Lay Pullets, and Propane Heaters in the Brooder
    It's a winter wrap-up at Across the Creek Farm:
    • The meat duck and broiler production has finished for the winter season. We reflect on the profitability of the meat ducks on pasture.
    • It's time to think about replacing your laying flocks with ready to lay pullets in the spring. Contact Across the Creek Farm for details.
    • Propane heaters are more efficient brooder heating options for pastured poultry producers than electrical heat lamps.
    Contact Spence on Facebook or on the web.
    23 min
  • PPT063: Matt Brechwald discusses off farm income and selling what you know
    Matt Brechwald publishes the Off Farm Income podcast and farms in Kuna, Idaho. Like many people, Matt had a "good job" with good pay, good benefits, time off, and reliability. And like many people he was not satisfied. Before he knew it, he spent 15 years as a police officer, and his dream of farming was nowhere in sight. That's when he took action that let him build a business on the side, get a farm, start podcast, and get farming. That's a path easier said than done, and in this episode I talk to Matt about:
    • How podcasting fits into the farm business? The podcast formed to help people escape the 40-hour-a-week job. It spawned its own business opportunities.
    • How he concentrated on supporting the farm through entrepreneurship; the farm is profitable, but the household still needs additional income.
    • Fear held him back from his entrepreneurial goal.
    • Getting rid of debt. While working, he was self-medicating with stuff. So, it's time to get serious about the lifestyle you choose.
    • Debt forces you to keep the job and turns the farm lifestyle into an obligation. Consumer debt will control you.
    • Some of your friends will be threatened when you leave your job, and they have to tell you why you're wrong.
    • Matt's favorite business ideas from his podcast: #77 on a portable sawmill and #291 about an excavation and construction business.
    Favorite Book: Do the work. Favorite Resource: 48 days podcast by Dan Miller. Personal Habit: Take a lot of notes on ideas and goals in a place that's easily accessible. Best advice: Don't sell what you catch. Sell what you know. Contact Matt. offincome.com.
    37 min
  • FF004: Living the Fairy Tale Farm Life
    When people look into a farmer's world, it often looks like a fairy tale life, and in many respects, that's true. In this episode of The Fighting Farmer podcast, we cover some of the things that challenge the wonderful life. Topics in this show:
    • Pushing the production season, and it's getting cold in the holler.
    • The Ozark Natural Foods market is open on Saturdays.
    • Hiring market workers for the first time.
    • Quality of farm life is a work in progress.
    • Fresh duck almost there.
    • Ask APPPA Q&A call.
    • The APPPA pastured poultry conference is approaching in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
    • Slaughtered 900 birds in the plant, a new high.
    • Hectic schedules, Carla away, kids need to play basketball. Is it a fairy tale life?
    • Ordered a mobile range coop for spring.
    • Chicken topic: ascites in the cold weather.
    Contact Spence through Facebook.
    41 min

About Pastured Poultry Talk

From the publisher's feed

Mike Badger dives into the the production, the processing, the marketing, and the business of farming pasture-raised poultry. Pastured Poultry Talk is THE podcast where raising chickens, turkeys, and…