The Complete Guide to Pasture Raised Chickens For Homesteaders

If you’re looking at starting a homestead, you’re going to love this complete guide to pasture raised chickens.

Raising chickens in a pasture setting is becoming increasingly popular among farmers and homesteaders. These chickens are known for their healthier eggs and meat, improved animal welfare, and environmental benefits.

However, raising chickens on pasture is more than just letting them loose on green grass. It involves providing balanced nutrition, protection from predators, among other things.

This guide will delve into the details of what pasture-raised chickens eat, how to keep them safe, and other important aspects of this farming practice.

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What Are Pasture Raised Chickens?

Pasture-raised chickens are birds that spend a significant part of their lives outdoors, foraging on a wide variety of plants and insects.

Unlike their confined counterparts, these chickens have the freedom to express their natural behaviors such as scratching, pecking, and dust bathing. While they may roam inside a fenced area, the area is very large and the chickens have so much space they aren’t able to keep up with the bigs and vegetation.

Pasture raised chickens are often healthier and produce higher quality eggs and meat due to their diverse diet and active lifestyle.

What Do Pasture Raised Chickens Eat?

One of the most common questions about pasture-raised chickens is: what do they eat? Their diet is far more varied compared to chickens raised in confinement.

Bugs and Plants

A significant portion of a pasture-raised chicken’s diet consists of bugs and plants. As they roam the pasture, they scratch the soil and peck at anything that moves. This includes a variety of insects, worms, and other small organisms. They also consume a range of plant materials, including grass, seeds, and leaves.

Chicken Scraps and Scratch

While bugs and plants make up the bulk of their diet, pasture-raised chickens might also consume chicken scraps or handfuls of scratch, especially on bad weather days. These additions provide extra nutrients and help supplement their diet when fresh forage is scarce.

 

However, if you offer your birds enough space to roam with adequate food supplies, you will only need to supplement their diets with commercial chicken feed a few times a year.

How to Keep Pasture Raised Chickens Safe?

Keeping pasture-raised chickens safe is a significant concern for many farmers. The open pasture exposes chickens to various predators, from ground-dwelling mammals to birds of prey. Here are a few strategies to protect your flock.

Livestock Guardian Dogs

One effective way to keep pasture-raised chickens safe is by employing livestock guardian dogs. Livestock guardian dogs are specially bred and trained to protect poultry and other livestock from predators. They live with the flock, bonding with the animals they are tasked to protect and warding off any potential threats.

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Our homestead has a Great Pyrenees and a couple of Karakachans roaming the acreage that keep predators at bay and our chickens (not to mention our sheep!) safe and sound.

Bird Of Prey-Chasing Farm Dogs

Another method is using bird of prey-chasing farm dogs. These dogs deter aerial predators like hawks and eagles from swooping down on the flock. They are trained to keep a keen eye on the sky and chase away any birds of prey that venture too close.

Our farm dog is an Old Time Scotch Collie. He is intelligent enough to know not to chase the chickens or ducks but he can snatch aerial predators that don’t belong right out of the sky! It’s pretty impressive.

Locking Birds Up At Night

With the exception of aerial predators (minus owls) and stray dogs, most predators come out at night so the best way to keep your pasture raised chickens safe is by locking them in a barn or coop before the sun goes down. Make sure your coop is secure, well-ventilated, and clean to prevent any potential health issues for your birds.

The Benefits of Pasture Raised Chickens

Raising chickens on pasture has several benefits, both for the chickens and the farmers.

Healthier Chickens and Higher Quality Products

Pasture-raised chickens generally have better health due to their diverse diet and active lifestyle. This health translates into higher quality products. Eggs from pasture-raised chickens often have darker yolks and a richer flavor, while the meat is leaner and more flavorful.

Environmental Sustainability

Pasture-raised chickens also contribute to environmental sustainability. Their foraging helps control pests and weeds, reducing the need for chemical pesticides and herbicides. Their droppings act as natural fertilizer, improving soil fertility and promoting plant growth.

Free (and Effective) Pest/Bug Control

Having chickens on pasture can also benefit other livestock or crops on the farm. Chickens naturally consume various insects and pests, reducing their populations and potential damage to other animals or plants.

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Last year when squash bugs tried to take over our pumpkin patch, we broke open one bad pumpkin and called the chickens over. They ate the broken pumpkin and every single squash bug in the area. Then they ran off and left the good pumpkins alone, bug-free!

We also had hardly any ticks last season even though it was one of the heaviest years for ticks in Oklahoma. Pasture raised chickens are amazing!

Key Takeaways from Pasture Raising Chickens

Pasture raising chickens is a rewarding practice that promotes animal welfare, environmental sustainability, and produces high-quality products. It involves understanding their dietary needs, providing adequate protection from predators, and managing the pasture for optimal forage. With the right knowledge and resources, anyone can successfully raise chickens on pasture.

Starting Your Pasture Raised Chicken Operation

For those interested in starting their own pasture-raised chicken operation, the process begins with thorough planning and preparation.

First and foremost, you’ll need to decide on the breed of chickens best suited to your climate, pasture type, and the products you wish to produce, like eggs or meat. Researching and selecting hardy breeds that can thrive outdoors and forage well will lay the foundation for a successful operation.

Infrastructure and Equipment

Setting up the right infrastructure is crucial. This includes a secure coop or barn for nighttime housing and possibly mobile units or chicken tractors that can be moved around the pasture, promoting soil health and giving chickens access to fresh forage.

 

Additionally, consider the equipment needed for their daily care, such as feeders, waterers, and fencing materials to keep your chickens in designated areas and predators out.

Legal Considerations

Before getting started, it’s also essential to familiarize yourself with local regulations and zoning laws related to poultry farming. Some areas may have restrictions on the number of birds you can raise or specific requirements for their care and housing. Obtaining all necessary permits and ensuring compliance with these regulations will help you avoid potential legal issues.

Community and Marketing

Building a community around your pasture-raised chicken operation can bolster your success. Engage with local farmers’ markets, restaurants, and health food stores interested in sourcing high-quality, sustainable poultry products.

Developing a strong marketing strategy that highlights the benefits of pasture-raised chickens, such as improved taste, nutritional value, and ethical raising practices, can also attract customers willing to support your operation.

Starting a pasture-raised chicken farm requires dedication, but the rewards—healthier chickens, superior products, environmental benefits, and a strong sense of community—are well worth the effort.