HACK YOUR HOMESTEAD
Raising “Meat” Chickens in Ontario? Here’s a Comprehensive Guide to what you need to Know!
What you’ll need to know in Ontario
Southwestern Ontario is a Great Area to be more Self-Sufficient!
Our Area is filled with lots of Great & Knowlegeable Feed Mills, Hatchery’s and Inspected Slaughter facilities. Before you call the Hatchery it’s Important to find our which “Finishing” Facility is closest to you and you can confirm a Date. The Reason you’ll need to schedule this first is because Cornish cross birds Grow so quickly that you’ll need to be ready to have freezer room in just 6-8 weeks! You’ll need to be prepared to spend 15-20 minutes a day in Basic Care- But it’s pretty Simple work!
Once your Processing date is Booked, or tentitvely booked , you may ask to have it temperariloy blocked while you then arrange with the hacthery. You’ll be all set to start to gather your Supplies! I will Show two size group options that work great for first time farmers and small acreage
Cornish Cross are my preffered breed of choice but like anything they have their own Pro’s and Cons. They grow the fastest but do have a slightly higher mortality rate then dual purpose.
So if you start off with 50 Birds, there is a good chance you could loose up to 5 before processing due to sudden Chicken death syndrome AKA dying of unknown causes. I do know of other farms that allow a longer growing period of 10-15 weeks using Rustic Rangers, Barred Rock, Irona, Sasso Silver, Ivory or Scarlett. These birds are known to have a slightly darker meat profile. I suggest starting with Cornish Cross because they are most like what’s in your grocery store.
Will it be Cheaper then the Store?!
Sadly likely Not- When your Time is factored in, Gas, Supplies, Equipment, and more it will NOT be cheaper then your Walmart Variety Chicken meat Sale Prices. Due to the Scale- small producers simply can’t compete. Which is why It really is more beneficial to do it for your personal needs VS. trying to sell to Friends/Family. Your Chicken will be different and a more affordable way to get Higher Quality protein (Pasture Raised/Organic) Can be substantially higher in Store. You’ll have the opportunity to have your chickens range on Grasses, see more sunlight, live in a Cleaner and specialized care environment and your own choice to Feed Organic, conventional or non-medicated feed- because you are Able to do this with small scale farming. Focusing on a handful of birds is easier then hundreds or thousands. You’ll also know that they were humanly loaded and transported because you’ll be doing it yourself! I’ve Included a Breakdown of what I Used, Needed and Spent so you’ll have an idea if you want to do it yourself!
