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Introducing Pastured Poultry

Raising chickens, turkeys, ducks etc. in open bottom pens placed directly on pasture
Pens moved to a fresh area of the pasture daily
A beneficial approach for producing chickens: Pastures can provide vegetation, insects, and worms to give sufficient nutrients to replace at least 10% of prepared diets, while manure (feces) provides nutrients for grass/forage and/or food crops
Sustainable; integrates well with other farm enterprises
Can start small and gradually grow with low capital investment
Strong demand for farm fresh products; potential for extra income
Pasture-raised products are generally sold at premium prices
Consumers perceive pasture-based products to be naturally produced in a healthy environment (Bartlett, 2011)

Brolier chickens in pens on pasture at KSU's Research & Demonstration Farm

Perception is that these products are healthier, tastier, and higher in important nutrients, and support the environment and the welfare of the birds
Consumers willing to pay higher prices because they believe that the meat is of better nutritional quality
According to Fanatico et al. (2002), pasture-raised poultry meat has 21% less total fat, 30% less saturated fat, 28% fewer calories, and higher levels of n-3 fatty acids and vitamin A.
One person can operate the business
Attract poultry customers to other farm products like vegetables, fruits, etc.
Poultry raised on pasture are processed on-farm and direct marketed, thereby creating supplemental income on small-diversified family farms

About 20% of all farm receipts
Kentucky is number 7 nationwide in terms of broiler production (308 million boilers)
Over 1 billion eggs, worth $215 billion, were produced in Kentucky (USDA.gov)
The broiler-breeder industry in Kentucky employs approximately 6,300 people and generates an additional 20,444 jobs in related industries
Over 850 large scale poultry farms, 3,000 poultry houses in 45 counties - The average poultry farm is owned and managed by a family farmer and consists of fewer than five poultry houses
The average poultry farm is owned and managed by a family farmer and consists of fewer than five poultry houses
Over 50% of poultry farmers are, or were, tobacco farmers
Many farmers entered the business to diversify their revenue because of their concerns about tobacco's future. Kentucky also produces poultry for commercial processing plants located in Tennessee and Indiana
Kentucky's poultry industry is the largest buyer of Kentucky corn and soybeans— about 25%.
Large investment in facilities statewide: 5 broiler hatcheries, 2 breeder hatcheries, feed mills, 4 processing plants, layer complexes, and a protein conversion plant

Fanatico, A. C., P. B. Pillai, J. L. Emmert, and C. M. Owens (2007). Meat Quality of Slow- and Fast-Growing Chicken Genotypes Fed Low-Nutrient or Standard Diets and Raised Indoors or with Outdoor Access. Poultry Sci. 86(10), 2245–2255.
J. Bartlett (2011). Pastured poultry production. Tuskegee University Extension. Unpublished data.
Kentucky Poultry Industry Facts (2014). http://www.kypoultry.org/pfacts/
Bebe, F. N., I. M. Ogunade, A. I. Tope, S. Patel (2019). Improving the performance and health of pasture-based poultry with phytobiotics and symbiotics. USDA Evans-Allen proposal.