| Date/Time | Location | Course facilitator |
| 5 Mar 2023 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM | Yaffingale House | Lindsay Owen |
Learn the basics of raising free range “meat” chickens for home consumption. This isn’t a case of simply eating your spare cockerels, but a workshop dedicated to rearing the types of birds that are specifically selectively bred for meat consumption. You can then produce your own free range chickens that you know have been truly free ranging, with no chemicals or additives in your meat unless you put them there. This workshop covers the rearing process from day old chicks, to 10 weeks of age.
Raising your own meat chickens can give you food security and food independence, and are a good option for those just starting out in livestock production, who want to see if they can manage the realities of raising meat to eat.
We will look at the different type of meat birds to raise, where to source day old chicks, pricing, as well as the most suitable housing, how to maximise production for meat, which are the best feeders and waterers to use to minimise waste, and how to make feeders and waterers, as well as any problems to look out for when raising these meat birds. We will also look at the costs of raising these birds versus what they are “worth”.
You will have the opportunity to look at meat chickens currently being reared, and ask lots of questions about what works, and what doesn’t, as well as see our whole set up. There will be the opportunity to look at despatch methods for those who want to stay at the end.
This workshop forms part of our Food Security & Food Independence series, designed to help you become more self sufficient with your food options. For smallholders looking to increase income whilst living off of the land, we also give real life facts and figures on costings, which can all go towards a business plan if you are seeking an agricultural occupancy for a planning application. 
Live chicks and chick crumb will probably be available to order or take away on this workshop – please bring a small box if you wish to purchase chicks.
* This workshop is set on a working smallholding and in a family kitchen environment where cats and dogs have been / are present – please inform the host of any allergies.
Can’t make this date? Event sold out? We will be running this course several times in 2023, please email our training organiser so that you will be on the list when we run the workshop again.