During last week's Agrilink 2008, I was able to sit down a while with Louis Perrault of SASSO and assessed the new improved lines' acceptability.
Several factors make us smile:
1) The market loves the new colors: We are using a pure heavy farmbreed. Our Sunshines are now in dark brown-red with stripes, brown, greyish and black. Our favorite is the dark brown-red with stripes. This favorite grows to have black feathers with brown-red burgandy tips. The eyes....they have burgandy eye liners....yes, like Cleopatra!
2) Slow developing chicken: That is what the market likes. No rush, no pressures....and leads to a....
3) Great tasting grass fed chickens: Well SASSO isn't the industry leader for nothing.
HOW DO YOU TAKE CARE OF YOUR NEWLY HATCHED SUNSHINES?The following is our new guide for Philippine conditions, based from the average growths from raisers. Some growers have done better than this table.Poultry raised on open grass are high in beneficial fats and other factors that lower cholesterol and greatly reduce degenerative disease in the consumer! Eating large proportions of living green plants, while foraging for insects and seeds and myriad other natural commodities that science hasn't identified yet, and with minimal need for medication, grass-fed animals create more vibrant health than other poultry. Moreover, the meat and eggs are incredibly tasty compared to general market chicken.
1. Better Food. Substantial increases in nutritional value of pasture poultry, particularly in Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Vitamin A, and a significant decrease in total fat.
2. More Satisfying Flavor. Poultry raised on pasture, in fresh air and sunshine, taste superior to confinement raised poultry. Naturally raised poultry has a firmer texture and more satisfying "gamey taste".
3. Lower cost entry. Small-scale and limited resource farmers can start a profitable farm enterprise for a fraction of the cost of conventional, integrator-controlled poultry housing.
4. Fertility and Pasture management. Moving poultry across the pasture is a way to spread manure and fertility without using excessive equipment or labor.
5. Multi-Cropping. Poultry can be used to scavenge crop residue, and hog down weeds and grasses in multi-crop fields being used for horticulture and floriculture.
Getting started with your Sunshine Chicks (first 21days)
ALWAYS KEEP SURROUNDINGS AND PENS DISINFECTED AND CLEAN
Housing of Birds: Secure from predators, i.e., rats, cats, and dogs. Fencing wire may be buried below the surface to prevent any of predators from getting to the birds. You need light, heat, and water. As for temperature, birds (four weeks of age or older) are best suited for 70oF. Important to have shaded areas. Location should be well drained. Lay rice hull or wood shavings for absorbent flooring. Good choice for bedding materials during the wet season is sand, because it allows for excellent drainage.
Brooding the Birds: By practice, use one (1) watt per bird for heating bulbs. It is better to use several bulbs in smaller wattages (ten 10w bulbs, four 25w bulbs), rather than using a 100watt bulb when you brood 100 chicks. Temperature should be 70 to 75oF with the temperature at chicks’ level to be 95oF during the first week. The area assigned to these chicks should have some flexibility such that they can move through a range of temperatures (95 to 75oF). Monitor the birds for signs of stress; for instance, if the chicks are scattered around the area and chirping loudly, chances are they are hot; conversely, if you notice the chicks all huddled together in one area, they are likely cold . They should be comfortably scattered, moving around. That is your basis that temperature is right. The temperatures given are just guides. USE YOUR EYES to monitor them. At the end of Week 1, begin dropping the temperature by 5oF per week until you reach 70oF, and then try to maintain that temperature.
Water and Feed: The most neglected and overlooked nutrient is water. What appears to be a bowl of “clean water;” may contain millions of bacteria. The bacteria will stress the digestive system of the bird, such that it will not grow at the rate believed to be their potential. The waterers and feeders should be cleaned routinely daily. Leave under the sun to disinfect. Best to have two or three sets of equipments so you can disinfect/clean properly. Fresh water needs to be supplied everyday to insure healthy birds. During the periods of extreme heat, there is an increased risk of microbial growth.
We suggest using probiotics/vitamins in their drinking water, and adlibitum feeding of chick booster for the 1st 21days, prior to ranging. Make sure feeding trays are NEVER EMPTY. Medicate only when necessary.
Vaccinations: Day 7 - B1 B1; Day 14 - B1 La Sota
Ranging, Day21 onwards, till slaughter: Segregate by net, compartments for ranging area around their pen. That way, you are able to rotate ranging areas. When you rotate, the manure fertilizes the land and you move to another ranging area so as not to deplete a small section. You may also want to use movable pens, so they have fresh grass everyday and litter will not be a problem.
Let them range freely in open air, eating grass, insects, table scraps, or what is abundant in your area. Feed adlibitum even when they are already on the range. Have feeds in feeders, so they will be able to eat at will. Give probiotics/vitamins everyday in drinking water (optional).
You may get the marketable weight at 49-63days. For best tasting chickens, slaughter at 85-90 days. RAISED FOR MEAT & EGG PRODUCTION, NOT FOR BREEDING
AGE (days) WEIGHT (grams) FCR
| 21 | 485 | 1.37 |
| 28 | 725 | 1.61 |
| 35 | 935 | 1.79 |
| 42 | 1192 | 1.94 |
| 49 | 1499 | 2.03 |
| 56 | 1767 | 2.19 |
| 63 | 1976 | 2.36 |
| 70 | 2167 | 2.5 |
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Solraya’s Sunshine Chicken – Grass fed, free ranged, naturally grown, raised w/ a lot of sunshine and fresh air…for a healthy back to basics lifestyle. http://solraya.blogspot.com info@solraya.com (0917) 847-2639; Mla (02) 417-1800; Solano (078) 326-7860; Santiago City (078) 682-3758
