Free range many times is better

Experience
Documents

The general concept of poultry development towards confined management leads to wrong extension efforts in poultry outreach programs.

Often extension workers approach family poultry with the wrong mind set. They focus on improved housing avoiding inbreeding and good veterinary care. These topics are more related with confined chickens than with chickens scavenging around, on free range.

Result of the wrong mind set
  Total no of eggs per pullet
good shed 138
no shed 215

Free range brown egg.

  • Good for the hen,
  • Good for the farmer and
  • Good for the consumer

An egg from the free range is better paid, for quality
  Price of adozen of eggs (en US$ 2002) %extra for the quality
Country Family poultry Commercial
Cambodja 1,06 0,79 34
Nicaragua 1,26 0,84 50
Bhutan 1,08 0,53 91

Harm de Vries, director of RINGadvice, Private consultant in rural development and organic farmer. For consultancies in family poultry only during the months July August.
Contact hdevries@ringadvies.nl