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MANAGEMENT
ALTERNATIVES
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Poultry Your Way
MANAGEMENT ALTERNATIVES
PASTURE: DAY-RANGE
Frank Jones puts out supplemental feed. Portable
houses are moved frequently to provide fresh pasture,
and limit manure build up.
Domesticated waterfowl, such as “weeder” geese, tend to do
well on grass and, because they are easily corralled into shelters,
require less labor than most pastured poultry (Manitoba
Agriculture and Food, 2002). At about five to six weeks of age,
goslings can “subsist entirely on good pasture” (Geiger and
Biellier, 1993). Just about any waterfowl breed will perform
well since grass is its natural food. Some waterfowl growers
recommend choosing breeds that have light-colored skin and
feathers because they do not absorb and retain as much heat.
Chickens and turkeys, though not as voracious as waterfowl,
may consume up to 20 to 30 percent of their diet intake from
pasture if offered good forage. Many producers who use
pasture-based systems, including the day-range alternative,
choose heavier breeds that feather early, are light in color, and
are well-suited to roaming and foraging. Chickens will roam
up to 40 feet from their house or shelter (Muntz, 1999). For poultry layers, the Barred Rock, Production Red (a
commercial version of the Rhode Island Red), and Golden Comet breeds have been recommended as productive
layers on pasture.
Growers who pasture turkeys and chicken broilers, however, don’t currently have many choices. Specialty broiler
genetics for pasture-rearing have been developed in Europe but are not yet available to farmers in the United
States (Fanatico, 2002b). For this reason, most farmers who raise broilers commercially on pasture use the readily
available Cornish-Rock Cross (usually called the Cornish Cross). The disadvantages of Cornish Cross birds are
that they tend to have weak legs, poor heat tolerance, high incidence of heart failure, and tend to be poor grazers
(Polson and Fanatico, 2002). Turkeys, like the Bourbon Red, are a favorite for pasture systems.
Some broiler growers are beginning to develop their own pasture breeding flocks. Tim Shell from Virginia began
raising parent stock on pasture to produce hardier chicks. The Shells call their chicks “Pastured Peepers” or the
“CornDel” cross (a mix of Cornish Cross and Delaware stock). The CornDel broilers are said to produce a fourpound
carcass in nine weeks (as opposed to eight weeks with the Cornish Cross breed). While the Shells no
longer offer hatchlings, Wisconsin breeders Julie and Vince Maro are now offering day-old CornDel chicks. Other
growers are experimenting with heritage breeds, but warn that they take significantly longer to reach market
weight. Because of the extended growth period, heritage birds consume more feed and often produce a tougher
carcass. This may be all right if you are raising replacement pullets, where rapid growth is not desired, or if your
customers want a heritage bird (Mercia, 2001).
See Resources under Hatcheries for a list of breeders that raise birds suitable for pasture production.
Pasture. The day-range system relies on good, well-managed pasturage (grasses, legumes, insects, and seeds).
Pasture quality and maintenance play a big role in your birds’ health and in your success. So, what’s involved in
managing pasture for poultry?
Seeding. Pasture should be planted with a special forage mix. Remember that poultry are not ruminants and
therefore won’t do as well as some other livestock on predominantly grass pasture. Chickens, for example, are
said to prefer broad-leafed plants and legumes, such as alfalfa and red clover, to grasses. For geese, you may want
to reduce the amount of alfalfa in your mix, although industry experts say that just about any tender forage and
small grains will make good green feed for these water birds (Geiger and Biellier, 1993b). Holderread recommends
the following mix for permanent pastures: Orchardgrass, timothy, brome, perennial rye, and one or two clovers.
On lower lying, poorly drained land, reed canarygrass and meadow fescue are recommended forage for geese and
other waterfowl (Holderread, 1993). You may also want to check out the Resources under Pasture Management
for Upper Midwest forage publications by Craig Sheaffer and Dan Undersander.