Pastured Poultry

Pastured poultry is a sustainable agriculture technique that calls for the raising of laying chickens, meat chickens (broilers), and/or turkeys on pasture, as opposed to indoor confinement. Humane treatment, the perceived health benefits of pastured poultry, in addition to superior texture and flavor, are causing an increase in demand for such products.

Joel Salatin of Swoope, Virginia, helped to reintroduce the technique at Polyface Farm, and wrote his book Pastured Poultry Profits to spread the idea to other farmers. Andy Lee and Herman Beck-Chenoweth expanded on Salatin's techniques, and created some of their own.

The American Pastured Poultry Producers' Association (APPPA) was formed to promote pastured poultry. Its membership consists largely of pastured poultry farmers.

Though pasture feeding improves the nutritive quality of ruminant meats, the effect of pasture feeding on poultry meat composition is not well established. One trial showed low impact of pasture feeding on vitamin E and fatty acid composition.

The pens that house the fowl can be made from wood and scrap metal or out of PVC pipe and white tarps.

Pastured poultry is also gaining popularity because it helps the farmer, through reducing capital costs, and increasing pasture fertility. It is very well suited for incorporation within a system of managed intensive grazing.

Pastured Poultry is not limited to chickens and turkeys. It includes a variety of other birds, including ducks, geese and exotics in the poultry family.