Raising Meat Chickens Workshop - June 10th

RAISING Meat CHICKENS FOR the small scale farm or family. JUNE 10, 2023

Have you ever wanted to raise a small flock of meat birds for your family but not sure where to begin or how to go about doing so? In this workshop Co-hosted by Megan Boogart and Lisa Samples, we will go through the essentials of raising a small flock of meat birds, or broilers as they are more commonly referred to in the farming industry. This comprehensive 3 hour workshop will cover everything from breed selection and where to get your birds, whether to choose fast growing or heritage, proper housing, nutrition, common illnesses, the cost of raising meat birds, why raising meat for your family is a better choice than purchasing from a store and, most importantly, how to butcher your birds or where to get them processed.

This will be a practical workshop and will culminate with a live demonstration on the proper way to butcher a live chicken and participants must be aware that this will be part of the workshop. The butchering of a chicken will be handled in the most professional, human manner possible. All equipment will be sterilized and is professional grade equipment that is FDA approved and sold commercially.

This workshop will be held at Cedar Crest Farm in Chardon and is limited to a small group of 25.

Megan Boogaart has extensive experience as a backyard chicken keeper with both layers and meat birds. Her family has been interested in sustainable farming and homesteading and began raising and butchering their own meat birds with great success over 8 years ago. Megan has a Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology. Many of you are familiar with her daughter Alora, who has worked and been an internal part of Cedar Crest Farm for the past 4 years. Megan will be processing the live butchering of the chicken at the end of the workshop including culling, scalding, defeather, eviscerate and final clean.