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Pastured Laying Hens

Pastured Laying Hens. Ben A. Bergmann Fickle Creek Farm Efland NC. Egg-laying Breeds. Araucana. Black Australorp. Egg-laying Breeds. Red Sex-linked. Buff Orpington. Egg-laying Breeds. Rhode Island Red. Barred Plymouth Rock. Predators. Fox Raccoon Possum Hawk Snake Owl Dog

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Pastured Laying Hens

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  1. Pastured Laying Hens Ben A. Bergmann Fickle Creek Farm Efland NC

  2. Egg-laying Breeds Araucana Black Australorp

  3. Egg-laying Breeds Red Sex-linked Buff Orpington

  4. Egg-laying Breeds Rhode Island Red Barred Plymouth Rock

  5. Predators Fox Raccoon Possum Hawk Snake Owl Dog Weasel Coyote

  6. Predators: Fencing Permanent perimeter Semi-permanent internal

  7. Predators: Fencing Temporary netted Temporary netted gates

  8. Predators: Guard dogs One per fenced area, starting at about 1 year old

  9. Housing: Chicken tractors Used after brooder until hens are relatively hawk-proof

  10. Housing: Eggmobiles Hens concentrate around feeders and waterers Wire mesh ramp, sloped corrugated metal roof

  11. Housing: Eggmobiles Old trailer bed easy to move with small tractor or utility vehicle More siding toward nest box end

  12. Housing: Eggmobiles Hand-made wooden nest boxes Wire mesh floor cleans feet and litter falls through

  13. Housing: Eggmobiles Roosts of small diameter cedar trees or ripped rough hewn boards

  14. Housing: Eggmobiles Old hay wagon trailer, second-hand nest boxes

  15. Feeders and Waterers Range feeders Water troughs Oyster shell pans

  16. Eggs: Collecting Nests with hay Eggs transported in buckets

  17. Eggs: Packing

  18. Selling Farmers’ Markets Local Grocery Farm Direct More than just eggs

  19. Records: Hen performance

  20. Records: Hen performance

  21. Records: Hen performance

  22. 2004 Laying Hen Expenses (%) Feed 68 Chicks/Hens 2 Supplies 16 Egg Cartons 1 Electricity 6 Process Hens 1 Equip Deprec 3 Oyster Shell 0 Dog Food 2 Labels 0 Records: Financial performance

  23. 2004 Laying Hen Income (%) FMs WSM FD Hens: 5 0 1 5 Eggs: 56 35 4 95 All: 61 35 4 Records: Financial performance

  24. Average Number Layers 423 Feed Used (lbs) 60,350 Hens Sold 103 Eggs Produced 74,127 Gross Income $17,188 Total Expenses $12,359 Net Income $4,829 Records: Financial performance 2004 Laying Hen Production

  25. Frequency Task % T Ea day a.m. water, clean nests 17 p.m. water, collect eggs 22 pack, label eggs 30 Ea week buy feed 2 move EMs, feed out 6 fill hay bags 3 deliveries, FMs 14 Ea month records 1 Occasional e.g. fencing, EM clean, building, repairs 4 Records: Time keeping 2004 Laying Hen Production

  26. Net Income/Year $4,829 Net Income/Week $93 Hours Worked/Week 31.5 Pay/Hour $2.95 Records: Financial performance 2004 Financial Summary (ave 423 hens) Caveats Income not include value of hens to overall farm system or home consumption of products Expenses not include “other overhead” nor brooding

  27. Records: Lessons learned • Three egg-producing years is probably limit • Feed such large component of expenses difficult to improve profitability without reduce this cost (bulk feed, annual forages?) • Collecting and packing eggs approx half time in process (ways to increase efficiency?)

  28. Key Features of Raising Laying Hens on Pasture Eggmobiles Portable net fence Guard dogs Range feeders

  29. Decision-making • Economics • Size of operation • Overall farm system - stage - components • Ethics/values • Personal preferences

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