tailieunhanh - A Small-Scale Agriculture Alternative: Poultry

Treatment for poultry work-related symptoms was measured with a single question asking ‘‘How many times did you see a doctor or other health professional in the past 12 months for treatment of your [symptom]?’’ Individuals who answered one or more were coded 1; others were coded 0. Occupational Injury/Illness was assessed with a single question asking respondents ‘‘In the past 12 months, how many times were you injured while doing poultry work, or become sick because of your poultry work?’’ Individuals reporting one or more times were coded 1 and reports of no times injured were coded 0. Safety climatewasmeasuredwith the 10-itemPerceived Safety Climate Scale [Gillen et al., 2002]. Nine items asked respondents how. | A Small-Scale Agriculture Alternative Poultry Phillip J. Clauer Poultry Extension Specialist Animal and Poultry Sciences The low investment and small area required to raise a flock of domestic poultry makes this an ideal venture for the beginning small or part-time farmer. Domestic poultry can supplement family food supplies and small specialized poultry producers can sell to several niche markets. For example producers can consider selling organic meat and eggs brown eggs range-reared meat and eggs live birds for ethnic markets and birds for hobby leisure and purebred exhibition purposes. Most small specialty poultry enterprises raise chickens or waterfowl. To ensure profitability the small specialty poultry producer must do careful research on market opportunities. Successful producers for niche markets usually have unique products good customer loyalty limited competition and the ability to maintain a profit margin when in competition with larger businesses. Egg Production Breed Selection The best chicken breeds include commercial White Leghorn-type hybrids which produce white-shelled eggs and are the most economical feed-to-eggs converters. Commercial production Reds . Rhode Island Reds New Hampshire or sex linked hybrids produce large brown shelled eggs and are usually preferred for small range flocks. These birds have meaty carcasses and produce a good supply of eggs. The hybrids that lay brown eggs tend to be more docile than those that lay white eggs. All poultry breeds lay eggs but they are not equally efficient. Production Tips To raise chicks start the flock in late spring to reduce the cost of heating however buying started ready-to-lay pullets is easier and more economical. Chicks should be brooded at 92-95 for the first week followed by a reduction of 5 degrees per week until a steady 70 is reached. Birds raised in a floor pen should have at least 2 square feet of space per adult bird. Windows or a fan will provide adequate ventilation to keep the