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Pastured Poultry Profits
A couple working six months per year for 50 hours per week on 20 acres can net $25,000-$30,000 per year with an investment equivalent to the price of one new medium-sized tractor. Seldom has agriculture held out such a plum. In a day when main-line farm experts predict the continued demise of the family farm, the pastured poultry opportunity shines like a beacon in the night, guiding the way to a brighter future.
334 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 1996
338 people are currently reading
1182 people want to read
About the author
Joel Salatin
59 books669 followersJoel F. Salatin is an American farmer, lecturer, and author.
Salatin raises livestock on his Polyface Farm in Swoope, Virginia, in the Shenandoah Valley. Meat from the farm is sold by direct marketing to consumers and restaurants.
Salatin raises livestock on his Polyface Farm in Swoope, Virginia, in the Shenandoah Valley. Meat from the farm is sold by direct marketing to consumers and restaurants.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
September 24, 2013
After reading You Can Farm: The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Start and Succeed in a Farming Enterprise by Joel Salatin, reading this book was a must in our endeavour to raise our own chickens for meat.
The book is basically a manual on how to raise your own meat chickens in a free range environment. It starts with raising chicks right through to processing them. It also includes guides on egg production. Again, it is packed full of information on almost everything you need to know.
It is an interesting and easy read, written in the same conversational style as You Can Farm. Again, some parts were a little bit tedious because it was so detailed on everything you need to do, for example he practically includes blueprints to his free range chicken pens.
It was originally published in 1993, which was ten years ago and a lot has changed since then. There has been three reprints since then, the last in 2010. I really liked how at the end of the book, there were ‘Addendums’ to update the book with each reprint. Instead of rewriting parts of it to make it up to date, he just added lessons they had learned and different ways of going about certain things they had come across. It showed the growth and also gave a lot of history – rewriting would have taken this away.
There were some parts that frustrated me as for us living in Australia, some of the things he suggested were simply not possible as it is either not available here or against the law. I know that he would obviously tell me that’s okay, that i can find another route but the way he came across was really “This is the only way and you can’t do it any other way and if you do it any other way then it won’t work and you will fail”. That’s probably a little bit over the top but that’s how it made me feel. I understand that he can’t cater for all the different countries in the world and he was probably so blunt and one way because people like to try and shortcut and then blame him for their failures.
Anyway overall it was a great read with lots of information to help us in our venture. I would definitely recommend this book however it’s a bit limited in its audience compared to You Can Farm as it’s aimed specifically for people interested in raising chickens.
www.readingforthemasses.wordpress.com
The book is basically a manual on how to raise your own meat chickens in a free range environment. It starts with raising chicks right through to processing them. It also includes guides on egg production. Again, it is packed full of information on almost everything you need to know.
It is an interesting and easy read, written in the same conversational style as You Can Farm. Again, some parts were a little bit tedious because it was so detailed on everything you need to do, for example he practically includes blueprints to his free range chicken pens.
It was originally published in 1993, which was ten years ago and a lot has changed since then. There has been three reprints since then, the last in 2010. I really liked how at the end of the book, there were ‘Addendums’ to update the book with each reprint. Instead of rewriting parts of it to make it up to date, he just added lessons they had learned and different ways of going about certain things they had come across. It showed the growth and also gave a lot of history – rewriting would have taken this away.
There were some parts that frustrated me as for us living in Australia, some of the things he suggested were simply not possible as it is either not available here or against the law. I know that he would obviously tell me that’s okay, that i can find another route but the way he came across was really “This is the only way and you can’t do it any other way and if you do it any other way then it won’t work and you will fail”. That’s probably a little bit over the top but that’s how it made me feel. I understand that he can’t cater for all the different countries in the world and he was probably so blunt and one way because people like to try and shortcut and then blame him for their failures.
Anyway overall it was a great read with lots of information to help us in our venture. I would definitely recommend this book however it’s a bit limited in its audience compared to You Can Farm as it’s aimed specifically for people interested in raising chickens.
www.readingforthemasses.wordpress.com
July 7, 2013
There are so many prophets trying to guilt Americans into being green. Joel Salatin is not one of them. His points are clear, well researched through experience, and accurate. It is shameful that laziness and big commercial production gets the nod from so many government-dependent food-ignorant citizens.
I hope Joel's vision continues to gain ground. And I hope to help by participating!
I hope Joel's vision continues to gain ground. And I hope to help by participating!
February 8, 2009
In Pastured Poultry Profits, Joel Salatin lays out the model that Virginia's Polyface Farm uses for pasture-raised broilers, as well as thoughts on raising layers (as of 1999, they hadn't settled on a production model, though they had quite a few thoughts on the matter). Salatin's goal for himself--and for his readers who choose to follow their model--is to raise the best chicken (and eggs) in the world. The emphasis is on raising healthy, happy chickens which forage for a portion of their own food and--as a result--taste delicious.
The first section of the book delineates what it is that makes pastured poultry raised in this way such a superior product, including some of the family history that brought the Salatins into the production of broilers raised on pasture. The next sections discuss topics from the choosing of breeds and starting of chicks through the necessary equipment and techniques to raise and process the birds. Despite the enthusiastic, positive approach he takes to these methods, the longest chapter in the book is the one on problems that may arise and the ways they have dealt with the problems. Another section details some thoughts on marketing, which is also necessary to be successful, but it's worth noting that what Salatin advocates is "Relationship Marketing," i.e. building relationships between the farmer and the customers, cultivating loyalty through a superior product and strong relationships, and growing primarily through word-of-mouth and through community education. The final chapter lays out some possibilities such as eggs and turkeys which are not the primary focus of the method--and thus are not as fully fleshed out here--but which may nonetheless appeal as complementary projects.
The appendices not only give direction to valuable resources and expand on some of the material in the marketing section but also add new information as the book has been reprinted, detailing some changes in method and changes in circumstances that may affect the implementation of this model. Turkeys and laying hens, which got short shrift in the original text, get a fuller treatment as Polyface Farm developed its models more completely in the intervening years.
On the whole, this is an excellent and inspirational "how to" book, but also a compelling look into the alternatives that exist in food production models and the consequences of these different paths to obtaining our food. It's hard to rate it fairly since I haven't yet had the chance to implement these methods, but it seems very compelling, well-written, and thorough.
The first section of the book delineates what it is that makes pastured poultry raised in this way such a superior product, including some of the family history that brought the Salatins into the production of broilers raised on pasture. The next sections discuss topics from the choosing of breeds and starting of chicks through the necessary equipment and techniques to raise and process the birds. Despite the enthusiastic, positive approach he takes to these methods, the longest chapter in the book is the one on problems that may arise and the ways they have dealt with the problems. Another section details some thoughts on marketing, which is also necessary to be successful, but it's worth noting that what Salatin advocates is "Relationship Marketing," i.e. building relationships between the farmer and the customers, cultivating loyalty through a superior product and strong relationships, and growing primarily through word-of-mouth and through community education. The final chapter lays out some possibilities such as eggs and turkeys which are not the primary focus of the method--and thus are not as fully fleshed out here--but which may nonetheless appeal as complementary projects.
The appendices not only give direction to valuable resources and expand on some of the material in the marketing section but also add new information as the book has been reprinted, detailing some changes in method and changes in circumstances that may affect the implementation of this model. Turkeys and laying hens, which got short shrift in the original text, get a fuller treatment as Polyface Farm developed its models more completely in the intervening years.
On the whole, this is an excellent and inspirational "how to" book, but also a compelling look into the alternatives that exist in food production models and the consequences of these different paths to obtaining our food. It's hard to rate it fairly since I haven't yet had the chance to implement these methods, but it seems very compelling, well-written, and thorough.
January 24, 2013
Loved it! I found this book to be clear and helpful in setting up an operation like this. Salatin's philosophical ramblings notwithstanding, I recommend this book to anyone who is keen to learn how to start and succeed in a pastured poultry business.
May 10, 2025
Ohhhhh Joel Salatin. I’ve read one of his books before so I knew what to expect as far as his philosophies and beliefs go, and while I do share many of his philosophies about farming and have seen success in implementing his practices, I wish he would keep his personal beliefs out of his publications. He even went as far as to share his feelings about abortion in this book, which sorry Joel you are a 70 something year old man you do not get to have an opinion on “killing babies” or anything to do with women’s reproductive rights. It seems inappropriate and outdated for him to talk about his religious beliefs and I wish he could get an editor who had enough balls to stand up to him and tell him to knock it off. Other than that, I did find a lot of good information about chickens from this book! If you have any desire to one day have broiler chickens like we do, then this book will tell you exactly how it is! We’re focused more on laying hens right now and while he does talk about them for one chapter, it’s mostly about broiler chickens and his process from chick to butcher. I listened to Joel read his book on audible which made it both easier and harder to pay attention to some of his tangents and also might have been the reason his beliefs being thrown at me was a little more obnoxious than when I was just able to skim through it. Ultimately I’ll just keep rolling my eyes and try to find the things that will help my farm because Joel really does know what he’s doing!
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August 22, 2022Raised without the negatives - antibiotics, steroids, fecal air and artificial light-but with the positives - probiotics, kelp meal, natural vitamins, fresh air and sunshine, clean pasture paddocks and in small groups
Each bird requires about 5.5 person minutes during the production phase and about 3.5 minutes during the processing phase.
Fixed costs run approximately $1.80 - $2.00 per bird. At a selling price of $1.35 per pound and an average carcass weight of 4 pounds, this yields about $3 profit per bird, or $12 - $20 per hour for the producers’ time.
good food without guilt
If they would spend their time helping a farmer instead of driving their car, watching videos and complaining about the lack of opportunities, they would have opportunities galore.
Too many people want to get the bigger thing before they’ve proven faithfulness in the little things.
The brooder should allow as much natural sunshine as possible since this stimulates the pituitary gland far more than artificial light. Full spectrum light is a desirable luxury. Be sure to put skylights in the roof to encourage light and eliminate light bulbs. Translucent fiberglass panels work well for this.
Each bird requires about 5.5 person minutes during the production phase and about 3.5 minutes during the processing phase.
Fixed costs run approximately $1.80 - $2.00 per bird. At a selling price of $1.35 per pound and an average carcass weight of 4 pounds, this yields about $3 profit per bird, or $12 - $20 per hour for the producers’ time.
good food without guilt
If they would spend their time helping a farmer instead of driving their car, watching videos and complaining about the lack of opportunities, they would have opportunities galore.
Too many people want to get the bigger thing before they’ve proven faithfulness in the little things.
The brooder should allow as much natural sunshine as possible since this stimulates the pituitary gland far more than artificial light. Full spectrum light is a desirable luxury. Be sure to put skylights in the roof to encourage light and eliminate light bulbs. Translucent fiberglass panels work well for this.
December 31, 2021
This is the Bible for growing pastured poultry, and although it is a bit dated, it holds up extremely well. In fact, there are several people I know who are viably running his strategy to the letter. This book will tell you everything, from breed, to feed, to coup, to slaughter. Combine this with a few youtube videos to get a feel for things, and you have everything you need to get up and running. I will be doing this myself either this year or next, depending on how things play out. 10/10
August 4, 2017
Really needs a full update and re-edit, but this is the classic that changed a whole industry. Slam full of information. Make sure you take notes as you read or you will never find those nuggets again.
March 22, 2024
Good source of information if you are interested in learning more about raising pastured poultry. If you're familiar with Salatin, then you'll be unphased by his frankness, opinions and writing style.
* The photos are of terrible quality, but the Google machine can supplement that.
* The photos are of terrible quality, but the Google machine can supplement that.
April 30, 2025
Very informative
Easy and entertaining read that is super informative! Thank you, Joel Saladin, for sharing your family's journey as well as the scientific reasoning behind your successes.
Easy and entertaining read that is super informative! Thank you, Joel Saladin, for sharing your family's journey as well as the scientific reasoning behind your successes.
August 2, 2018
Well... If I didn't want to bring meat hens to my corner of the world before... I sure do now.
December 29, 2018
This book offers the best advice for landowners who would like to raise meat birds for profit. Excellently written and extremely honest and informative. You will love this book!
July 11, 2020
Very practical and full of helpful and applicable practices. I plan to reference this book again when we grow our meat birds for the first time.
July 27, 2020
If you want to get the ins and outs about how to grow your own meat birds, this is the book you need to read. This man is the OG to pastured poultry.
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November 3, 2020360 pages
May 2, 2021
Cover many aspects about pastured poultry.
October 5, 2024
Lots of good info
May 20, 2024
A lot of information jam packed into this book! I love the Salatin’s model for business and I also appreciate his level head when it comes to natural/organic things. His goal is to grow a chicken efficiently in a similar environment that God created that creature to be and that makes for a great meat experience. Lots of good information here. Not all things I can currently begin but dreams gotta start with information!
July 8, 2018
Matter-of-fact, barebones manual for raising and processing meat chickens. Printed in Courier font with absolutely no emphases on design or aesthetics, but the content is pure gold.
April 11, 2020
Great Startup Guidebook
While not quite a how-to, Joel Salatin's Pastured Poultry provides ready-to-get-started small producers with good ideas and the right frame of mind to step out onto a journey to profitable and ethical small farming.
While I understand his struggle with "government" and "environmental activists," (lots of farmers are afflicted by this sentiment, and not without reason), I find it a bit cringy in 2020 when it might be better to cultivate environmentalists and double down on the unholy connection between libertarian anarchists and giant corporations who've been duping and victimizing small producers for years. He does seem to move I. That direction in the 2010 update at the end. In earlier sections, he's not Fox News irrational in his views and appreciates the land ethic centered approaches like those of Wendel Berry and Wes Jackson. At first, I found this a bit confusing, but upon re-election believe it is a bit of a reflection of the fact that the core of the book was developed in the context of the farm crisis of the 1980s when exorbitant interest rates forced many small producers into dead end loans made by federal lenders of last resort (FMHA and SBA), while the last part ends in 2010, as the Millennial's adventure to small, durable, and local was solidifying.
Even so, I love the way Salatin has preserved the original and updated it with additions so that one can get a clear picture of what it takes to be successful - get started, keep trying new things, keep good records, cull what doesn't work, stay close to the customer and give them what they want at a price that values labor if they are willing to pay for it. Along that line, the several newsletters at the back are priceless.
It's time for the 2020 update.
If you find yourself drawn toward getting into small scale animal husbandry, this is a must read.
While not quite a how-to, Joel Salatin's Pastured Poultry provides ready-to-get-started small producers with good ideas and the right frame of mind to step out onto a journey to profitable and ethical small farming.
While I understand his struggle with "government" and "environmental activists," (lots of farmers are afflicted by this sentiment, and not without reason), I find it a bit cringy in 2020 when it might be better to cultivate environmentalists and double down on the unholy connection between libertarian anarchists and giant corporations who've been duping and victimizing small producers for years. He does seem to move I. That direction in the 2010 update at the end. In earlier sections, he's not Fox News irrational in his views and appreciates the land ethic centered approaches like those of Wendel Berry and Wes Jackson. At first, I found this a bit confusing, but upon re-election believe it is a bit of a reflection of the fact that the core of the book was developed in the context of the farm crisis of the 1980s when exorbitant interest rates forced many small producers into dead end loans made by federal lenders of last resort (FMHA and SBA), while the last part ends in 2010, as the Millennial's adventure to small, durable, and local was solidifying.
Even so, I love the way Salatin has preserved the original and updated it with additions so that one can get a clear picture of what it takes to be successful - get started, keep trying new things, keep good records, cull what doesn't work, stay close to the customer and give them what they want at a price that values labor if they are willing to pay for it. Along that line, the several newsletters at the back are priceless.
It's time for the 2020 update.
If you find yourself drawn toward getting into small scale animal husbandry, this is a must read.
December 6, 2015
Even if you aren't planning on going into the pastured poultry business beyond raising chickens for your own consumption, this is a great book to have on hand for broiler raising in general. Mr. Salatin lays out step by step how to set up your operation and also provides great examples of his experience, giving insight to common problems to watch out for as well as encouraging creative problem solving instead of relying on common "wisdom" you might receive from your local extension service. This is a man who has been there, done that- not a theoretical author who hasn't actually put a broiler in a pasture pen. He covers everything from brooders to processing and also covers marketing and customer management for those interested.
I would also suggest buying the hard copy as it is nice to have on hand to refer to when you encounter any issues with your broilers. It's a great reference guide.
I would also suggest buying the hard copy as it is nice to have on hand to refer to when you encounter any issues with your broilers. It's a great reference guide.
June 29, 2008
A similar book to Salad Bar Beef but this one is about raising chickens in a safe humane and natural way. He gets pretty detailed with his slaughtering techniques as well as the disposal of the blood and guts. He claims that due to his natural methods his chickens and eggs are far superior to anything at the grocery store. When you consider the methods used to raise chickens in the mass production model that we have become so accustomed to his claims appear valid. I plan to read more about agroecology and the symbiotic relationship between plants and animals as well as animals amoungst themselves however his outlook tends to be a little bit extreme as well as biased.
July 21, 2009
Another absolute must-read for anyone raising chickens. However, the general method of raising chickens described is more suited for Cornish Cross chickens than heirloom chickens.
And yes, Joel Salatin is a "bit" to the right politically, but if you ignore his snipes against Bill Clinton or abortion, his general chicken-raising techniques and his philosophy about food are above reproach.
Lots of great, general tips that have been learned the hard way by Salatin over several decades, and he graciously passes on this information in a no-nonsense fashion in this book.
And yes, Joel Salatin is a "bit" to the right politically, but if you ignore his snipes against Bill Clinton or abortion, his general chicken-raising techniques and his philosophy about food are above reproach.
Lots of great, general tips that have been learned the hard way by Salatin over several decades, and he graciously passes on this information in a no-nonsense fashion in this book.
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August 26, 2009Joel Salatin is a national treasure. Very practical guide on how to raise chickens in mobile confinement pens (i.e., "chicken tractors"). Great for utilizing/fertiizing pastures. Easily integrated (with smaller pens) into a permaculture orchard environment where there would be great synergies. The great thing about raising broilers is that you can bring a cornish cross to slaughter in 6-8 weeks! Great spring/summer project, without having to overwinter your animals.
April 4, 2015
Excellent overview of raising pastured poultry for someone who thinks they may want to get into clean farming. I would say Organic farming, but using the O-word is a bureaucratic nightmare so most farms that were Organic before the govt required $10,000+ a year in fees to use that word have dropped it in favor of Natural or Clean farming. Joel Salatin is an entertaining writer with a good balance of intellect vs colloqialism.
April 29, 2015
A some what enlightened and heartening description ( a manual if you like) of a sensible and concerned method of raising chickens and processing them for meat. It certainly shows up the wholesale industrial methods that leave a lot to be desired for humane and ecological methods.
Salatin has followed many devious paths to get around local legislature concerning meat producers and sets a good standard for smaller enterprises in this area.
Still a lot of blood and guts though!
Salatin has followed many devious paths to get around local legislature concerning meat producers and sets a good standard for smaller enterprises in this area.
Still a lot of blood and guts though!
August 24, 2016
A very wholesome book on the how and why of raising pastured chickens. An important note, is
how much more healthy and tasty the final product is for the consumer. Differences people can
see and taste! Very informative in a Joel Salatin style delivery!
RBMc
Endicott, NY
how much more healthy and tasty the final product is for the consumer. Differences people can
see and taste! Very informative in a Joel Salatin style delivery!
RBMc
Endicott, NY
January 4, 2021
Good info.
I really enjoyed this book. While I still have more research to do, this gets my creative juices flowing. I would really have liked some building plans for the chicken houses etc. the photos were somewhat helpful, but I guess I’ll have to get another book for that. I would really enjoy sitting with Mr. Salatin and talk more in depth about all he knows. Guess I’ll have to make a trip to visit his farm one day.
I really enjoyed this book. While I still have more research to do, this gets my creative juices flowing. I would really have liked some building plans for the chicken houses etc. the photos were somewhat helpful, but I guess I’ll have to get another book for that. I would really enjoy sitting with Mr. Salatin and talk more in depth about all he knows. Guess I’ll have to make a trip to visit his farm one day.
July 8, 2007
Interesting and detailed instructions for producing healthy, happy chickens. This book would be even better if a new edition were made that incorporated all of the things he's learned since it was first published. Right now, that information is contained in several appendices which makes it hard to tell how it fits into the overall system.
May 20, 2012
I'd been putting off reading Pastured Poultry Profits because I didn't want to sell my pastured chickens. But the book has lots of information for anyone who wants to raise chickens more sustainably, and is also fun and easy to read. Superior to some of his more opinionated later books.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews