When starting a poultry enterprise, whether a small backyard flock
or a large commercial operation, there are several factors to consider, says a
University of Missouri Extension poultry specialist.
“First of all, you need a location that is legal and acceptable
for you to have poultry,” Jess Lyons said. “Whether it is in the city or in a
rural area, do you have the facilities, the land and source of water to start
the enterprise?”
Lyons says that determining the type of operation you plan to
start is important.
“Are you doing meat birds only a certain part of the year? Are you
doing year-round production? Or are you producing eggs?” Lyons said. “That will
affect the area that is required and also the housing facilities.”
Backyard flocks that have free range without retaining fences need
a place to go up during the night to be safe from predators. Fences that keep
flocks in may not keep predators out.
“It seems like all poultry is susceptible to any type of
four-legged predator, as well as winged predators,” Lyons said.
Birds also need a balanced diet to meet the nutrient requirements
of production. Lyons says supplemental light during the winter’s shorter days
is necessary to keep hens laying eggs.
“The other thing is, what do you do with the product being
produced? What’s your goal?” Lyons said. “Is it to supplement the farm income,
or is it for the enjoyment of the family, or to give children responsibility?
It works very well with youth programing with small, fairly inexpensive
operations.”
Lyons and extension poultry specialists from across the country
have worked together to develop online information on small and backyard flocks
through eXtension.org, a national collaboration of land-grant universities and
the Cooperative Extension System. Information about upcoming webinars,
recordings of past webinars, and many other resources for poultry production
can be found at www.eXtension.org/poultry.
(by Jason Vance, MU Senior
Information Specialist)
