Which Ecological Chicken Farming Method Is Better? A Review of Common Models in 2020

The crazy rise in meat prices in 2019 made many agricultural farmers see a business opportunity, so in 2020 more people began to farm. Chickens are a common type of poultry and are favored by the market. So what chicken farming method is better in 2020? A review of common ecological chicken farming models.

1. Rural pen-raised chickens

The pen-raising mentioned here does not mean keeping chickens confined in a chicken coop or at home, because if they are confined in a coop, then it does not count as free-range farming and is therefore not ecological farming; and keeping them at home also allows you to raise only a few, so the economic benefit is too small and there is no prospect. What we mean by pen-raising here is choosing an open plot in the countryside, building a simple chicken coop, and enclosing the plot with fences, walls, or similar things, and raising the chickens inside. The advantage of this model is that the chickens have a certain range of activity; the disadvantage is that more manual supplemental feeding is needed, and the chickens' food may not be as green and natural.

2. Free-range chickens on mudflats

At the edges of some rivers and lakes, there is often abundant water and lush grass over a broad area, with enough food and activity space for chickens, so raising chickens in these places is a very good choice. However, chicken farmers need to pay attention to the following points: first, be careful of harm to chickens from other wild animals; second, pay attention to weather changes; third, pay attention to stocking density, which should not be too high, otherwise the chickens may eat even the grass roots, and then it will be impossible to raise them the next year; fourth, pay attention to the farming time, with spring being suitable, while summer has more rain and rising water levels and is not suitable.

3. Free-range chickens in orchards

Many fruit tree plantations are naturally good places for raising chickens, because the orchards have weeds and insects, which are natural food for chickens. Different fruit trees have different precautions for raising chickens. For example, peach trees, apple trees, and others are relatively low, so attention must be paid to preventing chickens from damaging the fruit; while jujube trees, walnut trees, and others are relatively tall, so there is no such worry. Of course, the most important thing is to pay attention to the safety of the flock, especially during pesticide spraying. Generally, chickens should be kept from moving around in the orchard for 7 days after spraying.

4. Free-range chickens in woodlands

Various kinds of forest land, whether natural or planted, are suitable for raising chickens as long as they are convenient to manage. For free-range chickens in woodlands, the main points to note are density, supplemental feeding, and stocking time. Density generally should not exceed 50 birds per mu, otherwise the vegetation may not be able to bear it; supplemental feeding is necessary, and the amount can be determined according to wild feed resources and the chicken breed; the stocking time is determined according to temperature and the age of the chickens, with early release in summer and late release in winter, while young chickens are released late and brought in early, and adult chickens are released early and brought in late.

In fact, there are many chicken farming models. The main thing is to choose the model that suits you according to your own actual situation, and only then can you raise high-quality, healthy chickens.